That rainbow kind of magic: Ranking the rides at Rainbow’s End
It's a New Zealand stalwart, but does anybody have the guts to rank the rides at Rainbow's End? Fully grown man Sam Brooks does.
Sam Brooks
Sam Brooks is a playwright, journalist and critic. Email him on sam@thespinoff.co.nz
Our foolproof guide to who will definitely, maybe clean up at The Emmys
Our friendly TV sponsors at Lightbox have a whole bunch of shows nominated for the Emmy Awards this year, so we got our resident award shows obsessive Sam Brooks to pick which ones might take home the gold.
How a student magazine’s booze reviews became a social media hit
Critic Te Arohi, the official magazine of the Otago University Student Associations, has found itself a hit with Critic Booze Reviews, featuring reviews of the cheapest alcohol available. Sam Brooks interviews the prolific and heroic reviewer 'Swilliams Shakesbeer'.
A manicure enthusiast polishes off a whole season of Boss Nails
The Spinoff's resident nail enthusiast Sam Brooks dives into nail salon reality show Boss Nails, and finds someone to model his messy life after.
A courageous journey deep into the New Zealand First party list
This week NZ First released their full list of candidates. Sam Brooks took a deep dive into the trenches of the internet to find out who these people are, where they came from, and what they bring to Team Winston.
What else can New Zealand society blame on Westside?
After some scared principals blamed Westside for all their woes, Sam Brooks investigates what other carnage the Outrageous Fortune prequel has caused.
Five reasons why cabaret is the most fun you can have in a theatre
Forget the cliches of women in top hats and bustiers singing tired songs about heartbreak. Auckland Live's International Cabaret Season is full of energy, emotion, feminism and mischief, writes Sam Brooks.
‘I’m not a victim, yo!’ Playwright Maraea Rakuraku on the power of Māori theatre
Maraea Rakuraku is an award-winning playwright whose latest work is being presented in Te Pou's Kōanga Festival in September. Sam Brooks talked to her about history, playwriting and cultural commentary.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy continues the series run of finding gold
Sam Brooks dives into the new Uncharted game, The Lost Legacy, with two progressively awesome protagonists and the classic cinematic gameplay pioneered by the series.
Decline and Fall is the closest thing we’ll get to Downton Abbey in 2017
Sam Brooks watches the new Eva Longoria vehicle Decline and Fall and finds a show more British than a pint of lager and a packet of crisps.
