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LightboxFebruary 10, 2016

New to Lightbox in February: The return of Saul Goodman

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Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored feature where we mine the extensive Lightbox category for shows you might want to watch. This week we present the new offerings in February, including the exclusive return of Better Call Saul and Suits.

Suits (S5 arrives express every Thursday)

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Returning from last year’s hiatus, season five of legal drama Suits returns express from the US later this month. Set in the heights of Manhattan corporate law, big dog Harvey Specter takes a huge risk in hiring college dropout Mike Ross to be his associate. Click here to read how watching Suits helped Tim Lambourne win his tenancy dispute.

Black Sails (S3 arrives express every Sunday)\

From producer Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon), this rowdy action-adventure series draws inspiration from real-life pirates of the 18th century. As we pop open a bottle of rum and jump on deck for season three, Captain Flint has the world fearing for their lives. Click here to watch our ode to gravelly pirate voices.

Modern Family (S5 available now)

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The most amazing thing that can happen to a human being will happen to you if you just lower your expectations” – Phil Dunphy (gentleman, scholar, father)

Join the tumultuous Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker as they negotiate the sometimes warm, sometimes twisted, sometimes smothering embrace of the 21st century family. Stars Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen.

12 Monkeys (S1 available now)

The year is 2043. A deadly virus has killed off 93.6% of the population. Who will save the human race? A time traveler from a post-apocalyptic future, that’s who. A TV remake of the Terry Gillam film of the same name, 12 Monkeys is a small screen re-imagining of a sci-fi classic.

Heartless (S1 available now)

The award-winning Danish teen drama follows two siblings as they discover they have to suck the life force out of other people to survive. And you thought your adolescence was bad. Without giving too much away, their journey to finding out the origins of their strange afflictions leads them to a scary boarding school, a staple of the creepy teen mystery.

No Activity (arrives Feb 15)

Arriving to Lightbox exclusively, No Activity is an Australian comedy series that takes place almost entirely inside a cop car. Although that sounds boring, the outrageously hilarious comedy observes two bored cops during various stakeouts, packed with absurd improvisation from lead actors Patrick Brammall and Darren Gilshenan. Be prepared to laugh off all those coffees and donuts.

Better Call Saul (S2 arrives Feb 16)

Go back well before Walter White was knocking on people’s doors and yelling about danger in Breaking Bad. Back to a time when criminal lawyer Saul Goodman was known as Slippin’ Jimmy McGill. The prequel, set six years before Breaking Bad, follows the trials and tribulations of a hustling small-time lawyer. Played with an extraordinary blend of comedy, desperation and moral ambiguity by Bob Odenkirk, season two (exclusively on Lightbox) will see Jimmy continue to fill the wide, wisecracking shoes of of Saul Goodman. Click here to read our coverage of season one.

Vikings (S4 arrives Feb 19, S1-3 departs Feb 20)

In our new podcast TV Mum, Brendon’s Mum Dianne summed up Vikings about as succinctly as about anyone could: “it’s about a guy brassed off with having to raid people that don’t have any money and land and stuff.” Season four will see the royally brassed-off King Ragnar Lothbrok extending his legacy, money, land, and stuff by terrorising the English, continuing the epic saga of bloodshed and brotherhood. Binge-watch across the seven seas if you haven’t caught seasons 1-3 already, as they will be setting sail on Feb 20.

Dominion (S1 arrives Feb 29)

Based on the 2010 film Legion, Dominion is set in a supernatural, apocalyptic world without trusty old God. Instead of the nice man with the long beard, Archangel Gabriel is waging a violent war against all of mankind. Bummer. Who will save all of humanity? Will it be the rebellious soldier, a real unlikely hero type? You’ll have to watch to find out.


Click below enjoy the ripe televisual fruits that the Lightbox orchard has to offer, including the first season of Better Call Saul

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This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us and yourself a favour by clicking here to start a FREE 30 day trial of this truly wonderful service.

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heston

LightboxFebruary 5, 2016

Inside the Lightbox: How to cook like Heston Blumenthal in just one long weekend

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Inside the Lightbox is a sponsored post where we mine their extensive catalogue for shows that you might want to watch. This week we plate up some cooking shows full of tips and tricks to have you cooking like a celebrity chef in just one long weekend. 

How to Cook like Heston

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What’s the vibe? 

Heston Blumenthal is a self-taught kitchen wizard, half chef and half mad scientist. He’s all about the precise science of cooking, and how these conditions can be experimented with to change the DNA of a dish. It’s basically the first Jurassic Park movie, but with cheese. “Come and share my inner most secrets,” Heston teases, flourishing his blow torch, ironing board and dry ice like it’s the most normal thing in the world. You laugh now but, after a few episodes, you will be reaching for the blow torch too.

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Signature dish

How about this snazzy number where he takes some macaroni cheese, adds more cheese, and puts it inside a cheese wheel? Take that SCIENCE.

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Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong

What’s vibe? 

Luke Nguyen is part chef, part travel guide as he takes you on a journey down the Mekong River. Stopping along the way in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and China, he chats to locals and shows you how to cook some of the finest delicacies of the East. It’s particularly good when he gets in trouble with local matriarchs for doing everything wrong.

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Signature dish

Why not try out cooking a dish called Thousand Layer Pork Belly, because that sounds completely achievable and not complicated in the slightest.

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Raymond Blanc: How to Cook Well

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What’s the vibe?

The Michelin star maverick is in the house! Raymond is all about mastering the basics of cooking. He’s self-taught just like Heston and boy is he French! Blanc is crazy about baking, barbecuing, roasting and saying “ooh la la” as much as humanly possible. In his kitchen, you know you are going to get something truly magnifique. Plus he loves to scribble on the kitchen bench in whiteboard marker which seems like a rogue, yet achievable cooking hack. 

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Signature dish

pineapple

Forget summery pineapple as we know it, how about take it out of your cocktail and shove it in the oven. What you will have 45 minutes later is a roast pineapple, unlike anything you’ve ever tried. Now that, is ooh la la.

The Garden Pantry

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What’s the vibe? 

If the sun’s out this weekend, spend some time flexing your green thumbs with The Garden Pantry. Join host Kiri as she becomes better acquainted with the techniques that generations of New Zealanders have honed in order to live off the delicious land. Whether it’s planting yourself some healthy peas, making marmalade or pickling every vegetable under the sun: The Garden Pantry is a sun-soaked crash course in things Grandma never taught you.

Signature dish

tomsauce

There’s nothing quite like a homemade batch of classic Kiwi tomato sauce made with homegrown tomatoes and onions (or store bought – you’re busy, we understand).

Cool Kids Cooking

What’s the vibe?

A kid friendly show that teaches young ones how to deal with a piece of broccoli without crumpling to the floor, Cool Kids Cooking is a 5+ a Day dream. Join the friendly host T.K. (New Zealand’s second best T.K.) as he chops, slices and dices his way through the good green part of the food pyramid. Joining him in the kitchen is the slightly terrifying Head Chef, who appears to have a debilitating peanut butter addiction

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Signature dish:

Why not use your lazy Sunday to make your own delicious, healthy, fat free sundae? There’s one tiny twist though… IT’S 100% MADE OF VEGETABLES. A great prank with a healthy dose of vitamins.

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Click below to explore the well-stocked pantry of cooking shows on Lightbox (just don’t do it on an empty stomach).

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This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us and yourself a favour by clicking here to start a FREE 30 day trial of this truly wonderful service.

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