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Movie magic by Tina Tiller
Movie magic by Tina Tiller

Pop CultureNovember 23, 2022

The best international reality shows of 2022

Movie magic by Tina Tiller
Movie magic by Tina Tiller

Whether it’s fumbling fugitives, furry friends or faux fights you’re after, the big international reality shows of 2022 had it all.

The baubles are up at the mall and the fake tan is sold out at the Chemist Warehouse, which can only mean one thing: the end (of the year) is nigh. But before we start thinking about clawing our way into whatever horror awaits us in 2023, we must stop and reflect on the good times. And, for me, the good times have largely been spent slack-jawed on my couch watching the trashiest reality television humanly imaginable. To ensure that all those hours weren’t a waste of my precious time on this Earth, allow me to present my findings after many days and nights of important research: these are the greatest international reality shows of 2022.


Listen to The Real Pod discuss the best of the year’s international reality TV:


Married at First Sight Australia (S9)

Al does a shoey on MAFSAU

While Married at First Sight NZ remains but a twinkle in Samuel Levi’s eye, our friends across the ditch continue to diligently carry out their rigorous “social experiment” year after year. This year we met Al, the man-boy fresh from “schoolies” who relied on doing a “shoey” in any and all social situations. We met Cody, the man-boy who pranked his wife into wearing a ghillie suit and made her cry. We met Matt, the man-boy who sheepishly apologised to the entire group for drunkenly knocking on all their doors at 4am. But none of that drama holds a candle to the scenes between Domenica and Olivia, whose rivalry resulted in an explosive dinner party that thrust OnlyFans into the mainstream and opened up a massive conversation about content sharing and consent. Oh, and also never forget Dion’s insanely sparkly jacket

The Dog House UK (S3)

Simply the perfect show: First Dates but with dogs! Set in a friendly dog rescue centre in the lovely English countryside, The Dog House attempts to match all sorts of folks with their perfect dog. There’s families with young kids, oldies looking for a new pal in life and young couples looking to take the plunge. Meeting the dogs in a fixed-rig Big Brother style pen, the UK series takes a more gentle and observational approach, and you are basically guaranteed to cry in every episode at least once. I simply cannot wait for the local version next year. 

Below Deck: Down Under (S1)

2022 has been a huge year for New Zealanders on the world stage (the Black Ferns, Dug the Potato, Taika at the EMA’s), but there was no greater honour bestowed upon our fair nation than when it was announced that Tauranga-born Aesha Scott would be appointed as Chief Stew on the first season of Below Deck: Down Under. Following a crew of yachtie underdogs working for some of the wealthiest and rudest guests on the seven seas, this was a more chilled out charter season than previous instalments of the greatest reality franchise ever made. Although we did get not one but two poonamis, multiple mullet wigs and a guest vomiting in the spa pool. 

Hunted Australia (S1)

The action-packed series sees 18 Australian “fugitives” (read: classic Aussie drongos) go on the run from an expert team of detectives and high-level intelligence tracking their every move. If they manage to avoid capture by the end of the 21-day hunt, they win their share of $100,000. Hunted is shot like an honest-to-god Jason Statham film, complete with chopper shots and crash zooms on the stressed-out suits pacing around back at HQ. I’m only halfway through and sooo many drongos have been caught already, while those who are still in the game are relying pretty heavily on using old lady costumes as decoys. Just good television.  

Love Island UK (S8)

Not the very best season of the juggernaut UK series, but still delivered some incredible returns on our six-episode-a-week investment. Obviously Italian Stallion Davide yelling “LIAR, ACTRESS” at Ekin-Su is an all-timer, but nothing sent a shudder around the world quite like Andrew admitting to Tasha that he had cheated on her in Casa Amor. Through his Guilty Denver teeth he confessed that he may have “sucked a tit or whatever”, later revising the language to “licked a tit” as if that made it better. It’s moment like these that keep the franchise alive, and it is moments like these that make Love Island the perfect show to watch at the pub

The Bridge Australia (S1)

I’m embarrassed to admit that it took about four separate people telling me to watch The Bridge before I realised they weren’t talking about some snoozy Scandinavian murder show. The Bridge brings together a group of Aussies from all walks of life (model, opal collector etc) to work together to build a bridge to an island with their bare hands. On said island? A chest containing $250,000. The twist? Only one of them can do the final walk-the-bridge and retrieve the money. Will they split it or keep it? And will get the bridge done in time? I know it sounds like an early Julie Christie joint (The Fence – which side are you on?) but The Bridge is jam-packed with twists, challenges and tension and is a drop-everything-and-forget-to-eat-dinner kind of show. I’ve only watched one episode but I think it deserves a place on this list. It’s just that good. 

Love Is Blind (S3)

An interesting premise that always peters out halfway through when you remember that – regardless of what Nick and Vanessa Lachey want you to think – love is mostly not blind. But season three makes it to this coveted list purely for an incredible moment that comes in the first five minutes of episode three. Hotshot wildlife photographer and sex guru Andrew has just been rejected by his crush Nancy, and is telling all in his talking head interview. He asks the producer if they are rolling, before pulling out eye drops and dousing his ducts in fake tears. “I never thought I could care for someone that would bring me to tears,” he fake-cries. Love it. 

The Kardashians (S2)

To watch The Kardashians is to travel within two different dimensions of time and space. Given that each and every star of the show is one of the most famous people in the world, most of the storylines are extremely old news, and yet the show still manages to shock, amaze and make headlines with every single episode. How about how Khloe managed to keep her second child to Tristan Thompson a COMPLETE SECRET until the premiere of season two? Or how Kim and Pete Davidson broke up IRL halfway through the season airing, resulting in him being hastily edited out of the show? Or the whole thing with Kendall and the cucumber? Whatever you make of the family, no series chronicles the state of modern celebrity quite like The Kardashians. 

The Mole (S1)

Enter Madeleine Chapman, who watched the entirety of Netflix’s The Mole in one sitting: “I should have hated The Mole for the same reason I avoid most reality TV competitions – I can’t handle watching people lie. It stresses me out seeing people say one thing to the camera and then a very different thing to their fellow contestants. But I also love a competition (Amazing Race is a favourite) so that part of me won out in the beginning.

What kept me hooked was that the mole (aka the liar) was lying to everyone on the show and sabotaging challenges, but they were also lying to the me, the viewer, in their little interviews. And one thing I hate more than lying is being (convincingly) lied to. I watched all 10 episodes in a row to find out who was lying to me and I was not disappointed.”

A strong recommendation… or is she lying to you? Something to think about late at night.

Selling Sunset (S5)

The least relatable workplace comedy on Earth and the second fakest real estate reality show behind Rich Listers NZ, Netflix’s Selling Sunset follows the agents working at The Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles. The series lives and dies on supervillain Christine Quinn, famous for her absurd outfits including using a tiny chair as a handbag, who may not be returning to the franchise after becoming embroiled in a poaching scandal. This season also saw one of the Oppenheim bosses Jason taking a clearly fake call with his camera app open, and Emma revealing her spicy conversation with Ben Affleck on celebrity dating app Raya. What a year we’ve had.


Follow our reality TV recap podcast The Real Pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast provider.

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The Game
Will The Game make it back to New Zealand next year? (Image: Tina Tiller)

Pop CultureNovember 23, 2022

Six gigs, four no-shows: Will The Game make it to New Zealand this time?

The Game
Will The Game make it back to New Zealand next year? (Image: Tina Tiller)

Someone is trying to bring The Game to Aotearoa – again. Good luck to them.

Twice. Just two appearances. To date, the only times ungoogleable rapper The Game has performed in New Zealand is in 2009, and again in 2012. At those shows, one in Porirua, the other at Spark Arena, the aggressive Compton artist known for hits like ‘Let’s Ride’ and ‘How We Do’ downed an entire bottle of spirits, forgot his own lyrics, berated anyone leaving the venue and hassled someone about their height.

So why do promoters keep trying to bring The Game down under? Over the past 15 years, The Game has announced his intention to perform here six separate times, including festivals and his own headlining shows. Yet, the man born Jayceon Taylor always has an excuse as to why he can’t make it – from missed flights to “janky” promoters and over zealous customs agents. It is never his own fault.

He might very well be the most unreliable artist ever scheduled to perform in Aotearoa. Yet someone’s trying to do it again. Next year, The Game is scheduled to play two shows. He’s playing the undercard at a throwback hip-hop festival also featuring Cypress Hill and Ice Cube at Christchurch’s Hagley Park on March 31, and again at Auckland’s Trusts Arena on April 1.

Will he make it? Promoters Room Service have one thing going for them – they’ve already achieved two minor local hip-hop miracles, managing to get the country’s five-year ban lifted against Tyler, the Creator for his headlining slot at Bay Dreams, and they’re the only ones to entice Cardi B to perform in Aotearoa, even if she only played for half an hour.

If anyone can make it happen, they can. But they should probably have a little looksie at The Game’s checkered relationship with New Zealand, because the history books are against them.

Roc Tha Block, Spark Arena, September 3, 2007

I met the promoter out front of Spark Arena and he peeled off a single ticket from a huge stack he was carrying around with him. Inside, the venue was so empty you could swing several cats at the front of the stage. At Roc Tha Block, The Game was billed as headliner for a hip-hop festival also featuring Naughty By Nature. It was troubled from the start, shifting dates because Akon didn’t get his Visa sorted, meaning openers Mims and Juelz Santana were replaced by Pitbull and Sisqó. On the day, things got worse when The Game didn’t turn up. No one would say why. “There is no official statement,” said a Universal Music promotion manager at the time. At least we got this immortal intro from a NZ Herald review: “It was billed as the ultimate urban experience. It almost became the ultimate urban disaster.”

Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua, August 28, 2009

Due to lack of interest, The Game’s first New Zealand appearance was downsized from TSB Bank Arena to Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua. There, a game Dominion Post critic reported that “tens” of people arrived for a show that sounded diabolical. “He hacked out hackneyed rhymes over pre-recorded beats,” wrote the reviewer, who called the rapper “monotonous” and “as close as can be to talentless”. Yikes.

Spark Arena, February 26, 2012

That review didn’t stop promoters from booking The Game to headline his own show in 2012. Here are some sample quotes from the NZ Herald review that ran the following day: “The 32-year-old spent much of his Vector Arena show … scowling, berating the crowd and massaging his own ego by boasting about his achievements … [he] downed most of a bottle of spirits, taunted a little person who was dancing on stage, swore at members of his entourage , groped female fans and told the crowd off for talking during a Nate Dogg memorial … On the Kanye West-produced soul-sampling stunner ‘Wouldn’t Get Far,’ Game admitted he couldn’t remember the song’s third verse … his ego is out of control.” Who wrote this? Oh. That was me. This was the last time The Game appeared in Aotearoa.

The Powerstation, September 11, 2013

Just a year after making it, promoters clearly felt like they were in The Game’s good books, scheduling him to perform at Auckland’s best mid-sized live music venue, The Powerstation. To celebrate, he released a bizarre, out-of-focus promotional video which I must have seen dozens of times. It’s incredible. “Auckland … it’s going to get real awkward,” declares The Game, slurring his words in a mock Australian accent. Surprise, surprise, this show didn’t happen. Then things did get awkward. A still-visible note on The Powerstation’s website declares: “The Game will not be playing at The Powerstation. The terms & conditions of hiring the venue were not completed, as required, by promoters.”

Raggamuffin, Trusts Arena, February 20, 2016

Boos erupted from the crowd gathered at Trusts Arena when it was announced The Game wasn’t going to make it for his much publicised performance. But it wasn’t until the following day the reason became apparent, as a war of words broke out between festival organisers and the rapper. Raggamuffin claimed he’d missed his flight from Dubai and flown back to Los Angeles. “We honestly believed The Game would honour his obligations to our festival and it was only when we had our people at the airport on Saturday to pick him up to play Raggamuffin IX did we find out he did not board the plane in Dubai.” In response, The Game denied this, saying: “I didn’t miss my flight, we were denied entry once we landed at Customs.” Who’s right? Who knows. But Stuff scored an incredible headline out of the situation: ‘The Game mistakes Australia for New Zealand’.

Logan Campbell Centre, September 25, 2017

Promoters billed The Game’s 2017 tour as “the last chance for fans to see the rapper in his full glory”. There’s was nothing glorious about how this went down. Soon after the dates were announced, The Game warned fans not to buy tickets and called tour organisers “janky”. “I’m not scheduled to be in Australia until 2018,” The Game said. “And this will not be my last tour.” Promoters Tour Squad responded by filing charges against the rapper. “We are not going to sit here and say ‘OK’ and take this on the chin… We are not going to let him get away with burning another promoter,” they told media at the time. Tour Squad won that case and The Game was ordered to pay $500,000 in damages. In coverage of the ruling, it was revealed The Game tried to pull out of the tour when promoters refused to fund a $3 million documentary he planned to make while down under.



Auckland/Christchurch, March/April, 2023

Will it be sixth time lucky? God knows! I suspect I might be back here, continuing my 15-year odyssey tracking the concert confusion surrounding a rapper who seems to think contracts and locked-in dates and printed posters and Facebook reminders are mere suggestions of a time he may or may not show up to play an intended. My heartiest best wishes go out to everyone involved.

* This story has been amended to include The Game’s 2009 show in Porirua, which he did show up for: there’s video proof.

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