As a new digital-first era of New Zealand’s longest-running kids’ show hits our screens, we ask some of our most discerning viewers what they think of it.
Get up, get up, get out of your lazy bed, because What Now is back for 2024. Last Sunday, the kids’ TV that’s entertained generations of New Zealand children burst back onto our screens again – but in its 43rd year, What Now looks a little different. As The Spinoff reported in December, What Now has shifted towards becoming “digital first”, which means it no longer broadcasts live every Sunday morning with a studio audience.
Instead, What Now is focusing on making content for the show’s YouTube channel, a move that reflects the changing ways children access media. What Now producer Emma Martini told The Spinoff that the show wanted to put the “what?” back into What Now by producing videos that encourage viewers to visit their YouTube channel whenever they want to, which would then be collated into an hour-long episode that screens on TV every Sunday morning.
Last weekend, viewers finally got the chance to check out the new-look, pre-recorded What Now on the telly. Brainbusters host and former What Now presenter Chris Kirk returned to host the show, which was a typically chaotic hour of games, quizzes and stories about Kiwi kids and their families – and as always, plenty of gunge.
As a parent, the show seemed like a fun and entertaining way for my kids to spend an hour – but what do I know? Instead of asking boring old grown-ups what they think of the new What Now, we surveyed a far more astute and honest panel of experts: a bunch of kids. What exactly do the youth of today think of What Now’s new format? What did they like, what did they love, and what segments would they like to cover in gunge forever?
“I like all of it but my favourite bit is the colourful gunge and when they squashed the food. I thought it was silly. I thought the host was funny in a good way. I also like his pounamu. I love everything about it. I want to watch more What Now!” / Henry (7)
“I am not very interested in this show and I think they could make the show suitable for children my age. It is kind of useless information to me, but I am sure that some kids like this show. I found it boring except for the gaming with Grandpa.” / Aurelien (12)
“I liked the Olympics, I liked the Kid vs Old Tech segment and I also liked the Taylor Swift one. I wondered where Trubie was? I liked the five facts too, I found that really cool. I want to win one of the Taylor Swift prizes but I think it’s a bit weird that they want me to subscribe to their YouTube channel to win stuff.” / Pippa (11)
“The show is (slightly) (very slightly) funny. The only thing I enjoyed was Grandpa playing Minecraft.” / Antoine (12)
“I liked that there was lots of Taylor Swift in it. It’s really fun. There’s a kid trying to game with his grandpa, which was funny. The Grandpa didn’t know how to play Minecraft. The gunge is pretty crazy. One time they made different things with stuff on the hydraulic press, like pineapple lump sausage rolls. I’ve seen hydraulic presses on the internet before but I’ve never seen anyone make pineapple lump sausage rolls. It’s a show with lots of different things in it, a lot of crazy stuff. I would rate it an 8.5 out of 10.” / Maisie (9.5)
“I would love the gunge to be thicker.” / Jane, age 45
What Now screens on Sunday mornings at 8.30am on TVNZ2, streams on TVNZ+ and YouTube.