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Two titans meet on Anika Moa: Unleashed.
Two titans meet on Anika Moa: Unleashed.

PartnersSeptember 9, 2018

Freeview: the Te Papa of television

Two titans meet on Anika Moa: Unleashed.
Two titans meet on Anika Moa: Unleashed.

Thanks to Freeview On Demand, finding your next favourite New Zealand television show is now easier than Minogue and O’Leary finding a thirsty vampire on Wellington Paranormal. Tara Ward explores the library of local content.

It’s the Te Papa of television, that gathers our national TV treasures into one special place for us all to enjoy.

The new Freeview On Demand platform pulls together the shows from our free-to-air channels and puts them in one happy place. Not only is it a one-stop shop for watching on-demand television, but Freeview’s new ‘Local’ search option makes it quick and easy to find Kiwi content. Whatever New Zealand programme you want to watch, whatever channel it screens on, Freeview On Demand has it.

Scroll through the ‘Local’ genre and you’ll find an impressive selection of home-grown shows, from the brand new The Curious Mind to web-only series like Alice Snedden’s Bad News and Friday Night Bites. Viewers can learn te reo Māori with Kōrero Mai, gain insight into different lives with Namaste New Zealand or Attitude, and catch up with current affairs via The Project or Kawekōrero. Kids will enjoy shows like Fanimals or Darwin & Newts, and there’s plenty to binge watch, like the ground-breaking Alibi or the latest season of Survivor NZ.

Freeview On Demand showcases the depth and quality of Kiwi television available today from TVNZ, MediaWorks and Māori TV, so let’s discover some of the brightest gems in Freeview’s local TV crown.

Anika Moa Unleashed*

(TVNZ)

Anika Moa might be the most delightfully unpredictable interviewer New Zealand’s ever been blessed with. There’s no question too awkward, no topic too taboo for Anika Moa Unleashed, as Moa interviews well-known Kiwis like the Topp Twins and Tame Iti in her gloriously unfiltered style.

Whether she’s discussing dry-humping with Sam Neill, trying on Paula Bennett’s clothes or interrogating Jacinda Ardern about aliens, Moa charms and cajoles her subjects into revealing their innermost secrets. There’s nobody like her, and long may Queen Anika reign.

The Casketeers*

(TVNZ)

While the mere thought of death is enough for most of us to break a cold sweat, Auckland funeral directors Francis and Kaiora Tipene are passionate about their work in reality series The Casketeers.

Although it’s a show about a grim topic, there’s a lot of joy in The Casketeers. It’s as funny as it is thoughtful, and always treats death with dignity and aroha. The Casketeers shows how different New Zealand cultures farewell their loved ones, and reminds us how important kindness is during tough times. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll never look at a leaf blower the same again.

 Artefact*

(Māori Television)

Dame Anne Salmond presents this documentary series about significant taonga in New Zealand history. Each episode of Artefact features a different theme, from travel to fashion to music, and Dame Anne travels throughout New Zealand and the world to weave together the stories and issues around each object.

Artefact takes us on a journey back in time, and reveals how these taonga connect New Zealanders to their past, present and future. It’s a fascinating, emotional watch, and a must-see for all Kiwis.

Lost & Found*

(MediaWorks)

Prepare for every single one of your heartstrings to be tugged in Lost and Found, the documentary series that reunites long lost family members. Investigator David Lomas tracks down estranged family members in New Zealand and overseas, with the hope of reconnecting families after years of separation.

Lost and Found is an emotional watch that’s both heartbreaking and uplifting, and it’s a modern day miracle if you watch an entire episode without having a quiet sob on the sofa.

Wellington Paranormal*

(TVNZ)

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s latest comedy is a Police 10-7 mockumentary that follows police officers Minogue and O’Leary as they protect the capital city from demonised werewolves and bloodthirsty vampires. Could be a ghost, could just be a plastic bag blowing in the Lower Hutt wind. Either way, Minogue and O’Leary have us covered.

You can’t beat Wellington on a good day, and you can’t beat Wellington when it’s a hotbed of paranormal activity.  Filled with classic deadpan humour and directed by Clements and Jackie Van Beek, Wellington Paranormal is more Kiwi than the Cuba Mall bucket fountain.

He Kākano

(Māori Television)

Host of new lifestyle show He Kākano Jade Temepara wants to connect communities through the power of gardening and fresh kai.  As a former New Zealand Gardener of the Year, Jade hopes to make organic gardening relevant again by weaving ‘traditional growing methods with Māori ingenuity to produce fresh tasty dishes’.  

He Kākano will inspire even the most reluctant gardener, as Jade visits gardens of well-known Kiwis like Tiki Taane, Dr Hinemoa Elder and Tawera Nikau to discover how they each connect with the land.

Lots of local content, on the internet, in the same place.

Funny Girls*

(MediaWorks)

Whether it’s an upbeat song and dance number about the perils of women walking home alone at night, or a sketch about the delicious odour of perfume ‘Mince by Channel’, Funny Girls is a New Zealand comedy treasure. Starring Rose Matafeo, Laura Daniel, Jackie Van Beek and Kimberly Crossman, Funny Girls is comedy with a refreshing feminist angle.  It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you think, it’ll make you smell like a delicious meal of hot ground beef. Mmm, mince.

* Made with funding from NZ On Air

Freeview On Demand is supported on new Smart TVs, connected boxes and recorders. Call 0800 FREEVIEW or visit freeviewnz.tv for more information.


This content was brought to you by Freeview.

Freeview On Demand is supported on new Smart TVs, connected boxes and recorders. Call 0800 FREEVIEW or visit freeviewnz.tv for more information.

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