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 The Spinoff’s weekly guide to the very best in entertainment, delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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A cat and mouse thriller that's worth putting your phone down for. 

Review: The Day of the Jackal is a riveting and ridiculous ride

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'The best TV performance of the year is by an actor most British viewers won’t recognise, in a production that most won’t see.'

‘Deserves a Bafta’: After the Party premieres in the UK to five-star reviews 

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The new movie musical is undoubtedly a fun watch, but proof that bigger isn’t always better.

Review: The magic of Wicked and the curse of corporate greed

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'[They're] calling their Australian office 'Netflix ANZ' – but the New Zealand part of the equation is completely ignored'.

Has Netflix forgotten about New Zealand? 

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The original play's biggest fan finds out if it still delivers under the weight of stardom, a bigger stage and a real set.

Review: Camping is the hyper horny, extremely silly play we need right now

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Including a big-budget sci-fi series, a salacious 90s reboot and a historical drama set during the Blitz.

New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

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'I know America can be very strict with that kind of stuff. I just packed it in my luggage, and was like, I'll see what happens.'

‘Really worried’: What Now’s Chris Kirk on smuggling gunge out of New Zealand

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'She was so right when she wrote 'I can’t help that I need it all, the primadonna life, the rise and fall' cause sometimes it really does feel like that …'

‘Theatrical, chaotic and romantic’: Heidi Simpson’s perfect weekend playlist

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A new documentary series tells the story of a former Napier councillor accused of murder in Canada. 

In Cold Water is a must-see for true crime fans

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'It was pretty ugly, but when my life fell apart was actually when it all started.'

The rebuilding of Fazerdaze

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Christchurch does not swing, apparently, but it does dance. 

Review: Crowded House gets Ōtautahi breaking the rules

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Review: Everything happens all at once at Coldplay's sold-out show.

Coldplay and 57,000 babies at Eden Park

Stewart Sowman-Lund

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Two buzzing sceptics review the three-hour spectacle at Auckland’s Civic Theatre. 

The Lord of the Rings musical is better than you’re probably expecting

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Chris Parker, Tom Sainsbury, Kura Forrester and Brynley Stent are resurrecting Camping, the 2016 Comedy Fest hit.

The four funniest New Zealanders are ready for their holiday orgy

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Moving Houses has a new host, and he's immediately up to his armpits in slow-paced, high-intensity drama. 

Great news: New Zealand’s favourite TV show about trucks driving very slowly is back

Great news: NZ’s favourite TV show about trucks driving very slowly is back

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The mystery being an $89 electronic music festival that reveals only half of its lineup before you arrive.

Review: Inside Mystery Festival, Auckland’s most secretive concert

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Including a groundbreaking new local documentary, and compelling true crime series with a former Napier city councillor at the centre. 

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'We hope it offers comfort to rangatahi navigating their own gender journeys, while also educating whānau and allies alike.'

Why I made a ‘punk rock’ documentary about gender in Aotearoa

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'I was obsessed… her outfits were phenomenal.'

‘Such a thrill’: Chelsie Preston Crayford on seeing a sitcom legend in the flesh

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'Like, do you not feel FILLED WITH HOPE AND EUPHORIA when you listen to it?'

‘So simple, so sweet, so pure’: Rita Mae’s perfect weekend playlist

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The Friday Poem: ‘Boyhood’ by Art Nahill

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Dolly-mania, new Murakami, and a brilliant local debut. 

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 22

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Treasury says the recession will be deeper and last longer than predicted.

Hold the roosters, no economic dawn yet

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Can a united front hold through to election time?

This week three parties stood together – can they withstand the storm to come?

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'Five words to describe my financial personality? Bills paid, time to shop.'

The cost of being: A clothes-mad 20-something who walks everywhere

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An interview with the acclaimed journalist ahead of his appearance in Aotearoa.

‘Everything is becoming a culture war’: Jon Ronson on conspiracies and cycleways

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Two new surveys show a dramatic shift in New Zealanders' drug use habits – and there has been a sharp discount in prices. 

Drugs are getting cheaper and easier to find in Aotearoa

Time travel, a bleak dalliance with the French King, and some dubious flatmates – is Jamie and Claire’s relationship actually worth it? Fictional relationship expert Madeleine Chapman passes judgement.

Outlander: is Jamie and Claire's relationship worth all the drama? | The Spinoff for Lightbox

 from Monday November 5, and you can binge the three previous seasons there as well!

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Time travel, a bleak dalliance with the French King, and some dubious flatmates – is Jamie and Claire's relationship actually worth it? The Spinoff's senior fictional relationship expert Madeleine Chapman passes judgement.

The Spinoff

Pop CultureNovember 3, 2018

Outlander: Is Jamie and Claire’s relationship worth all the drama?

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Pop CultureNovember 3, 2018

Outlander: Is Jamie and Claire’s relationship worth all the drama?

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