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Warren’s Vortex, Don’t and Secrets at Red Rocks (Photos: TVNZ, Sky)
Warren’s Vortex, Don’t and Secrets at Red Rocks (Photos: TVNZ, Sky)

Pop CultureJanuary 24, 2025

The best local TV and movies to look forward to in 2025

Warren’s Vortex, Don’t and Secrets at Red Rocks (Photos: TVNZ, Sky)
Warren’s Vortex, Don’t and Secrets at Red Rocks (Photos: TVNZ, Sky)

We round up the best of the homegrown content coming to your screens this year.

This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here.

2025 is a brand new year, and with it comes a brand new year of television and films. While the local screen industry endured a brutal year in 2024 – and there are more challenges to come – TVNZ, Three, Whakaata Māori and Sky/Neon have all recently revealed their upcoming year of local programming, with plenty to look forward to. It includes a lot of factual and documentary shows, a mix of scripted drama and comedy, and a Lower Hutt man who discovers an alternative reality inside his garden shed. (Then again, who hasn’t?)

There’s also plenty of old favourites returning this year. Three has new seasons of Homebound 3.0, Paddy Gower Has Issues and David Lomas Investigates, while on TVNZ, The Brokenwood Mysteries returns, as does The Gone, Hui Hoppers, Educators and My Life is Murder. Shortland Street and Country Calendar are back on TVNZ too, as well as Taskmaster NZ, NZ’s Best Homes with Phil Spencer, Grand Designs NZ, Down for Love, Eat Well for Less NZ and Endangered Species Aotearoa. Award-winning series Homesteads returns to Whakaata Māori for a second season, as does architectural series The Drawing Board. (Sad face: there’s no mention of beloved reality shows like Celebrity Treasure Island or The Traitors NZ).

Here’s our hand-picked selection of the local TV shows and films to look out for in 2025.

Scripted

As far as scripted shows go, I’m keen to see Tangata Pai (Three), a drama that tells the story of five people in the last hour of their lives before a bomb is detonated at a Māori protest, and Secrets at Red Rocks (Neon, Sky Open), a family drama adapted from Rachael King’s award winning novel about a 12-year-old boy who discovers a mythical world after he finds a sealskin hidden on Wellington’s rocky coastline. Neon and Sky Open also have The Ridge, a six part psychological thriller from BBC Scotland and Sky New Zealand that tells the story of a woman who flees a disastrous life in Scotland to visit her estranged sister in Aotearoa, only to find her dead upon arrival.

Secrets at Red Rocks (Photo: Rebecca McMillan/Sky)

In March, Whakaata Māori will screen End of the Valley, a new fluent drama series that follows a young man torn between rival tribes, and whose struggle between loyalty and survival leads him to an ancient taonga.

For comedy fans, don’t miss Warren’s Vortex (TVNZ), a series made by the team behind Wellington Paranormal which follows a Lower Hutt dad who discovers a hidden vortex in his garden shed. Small Town Scandal (Neon, Sky Open) sees Tom Sainsbury’s mockumentary true-crime podcast hit the small screen, as the comedian plays a disgraced journalist turned podcast host who investigates the death of his millionaire uncle in a town bursting with suspects.

Jono Pryor created and stars in Vince (Three), a comedy series about a TV presenter who’s dropped by his network after an unfortunate mishap and will do anything to clear his name, while Harry McNaughton and Rebecca Gibney star in musical comedy Happiness (Three), which sees a Broadway director return home to “smalltown Aotearoa” (aka Tauranga, our fifth biggest city) only to end up directing a local theatre production. There’s also Dead Ahead (TVNZ), a dramedy about a whānau who return to Aotearoa after a decade living overseas and inadvertently throw the balance between the physical and spiritual realms into disarray.

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Documentary/Factual

A lot of this year’s TV seems to be about people travelling around looking at things. There’s the anticipated Miriam Margolyes in New Zealand (Neon and Sky Open from February 9), which sees the British Australian actor take a road trip through Aotearoa, while MKR NZ hosts Manu Fiedel and Colin Fassnidge take a caravan around the country in Off the Grid (TVNZ). New Zealand Tomorrow (Three) has Guy Williams roaming the motu in search of interesting “future focused stories”, while Love It or List It NZ (TVNZ) sees interior designer Alex Walls and real estate agent Paul Glover help homeowners decide whether to renovate or sell their property.

Colin and Manu in Off the Grid (Photo: TVNZ)

There’s also some great documentary series heading our way. I’ve seen the first few episodes of Queer Aotearoa: We’ve Always Been Here (TVNZ+, February 1), which is a fascinating and thoughtful docu-series that delves into the untold history of New Zealand’s LGBTQI+ community. Lomu: The Lost Tapes (Three) tells the story of All Black legend Jonah Lomu in his own words, while Don’t (TVNZ) sees comedian Bubbah Olo joined by other New Zealand comedians as they explore the important life choices facing rangatahi today. All Access Driving School (Neon, Sky Open) comes from the makers of Wheel Blacks: Bodies on the Line and follows a cast of learner drivers, each with a different disability, while also on Sky Open is Choir Games, about two different choirs who attend The World Choir Games, the biggest choral competition on the globe.

A series that’s sure to be an emotional watch is Hospice Heroes (Three), which introduces us to the staff and volunteers of one of New Zealand’s largest hospice facilities as they help terminally ill patients. It hopes to destigmatise hospices by showing the “humour, compassion and energy” that exists there. Over on TVNZ, funeral directors Kaiora and Francis Tipene take a journey through grief around the globe in The Casketeers: Life & Death Around The World.

Movies

Tinā (in cinemas February 27)

Written and directed by Miki Magasiva (Teine Sā, We Are Still Here, The Panthers), Tinā follows the story of Mareta, who is struggling after the death of her daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes. Taking on a role as a substitute teacher at an elite local private school, she finds a group of children in desperate need of guidance, inspiration, and love. “The film is a poignant portrayal of her journey through the dark valleys of sorrow and struggle, and eventually finding a degree of peace,” wrote RNZ. “Tinā is a soul-stirring journey of loss, healing, and cultural unity.”

The Rule of Jenny Penn (in cinemas March 25)

Stephen King called this locally-produced horror one of the best movies of last year, and we cannot wait till opens here in March. Directed by James Ashcroft, whose 2021 nightmare Coming Home in the Dark left us all like a deer in headlights, Jenny Penn is set within the confines of an aged care facility, where Geoffrey Rush finds himself stuck in a sadistic game run by ageing psychopath John Lithgow. We’re very scared and excited.

Holy Days

There’s no release date on this one yet but plenty to look forward to in this feature adaptation of Joy Cowley’s 2013 novel. Take one lost boy, three weird nuns on a mission, and a rickety old station wagon, and you’ve got a journey across the motu that, according to the production synopsis “just keeps going south”. With an all star international cast of nuns including Miriam Margolyes, Jacki Weaver and Judi Davis, as well as the debut of young local actor Elijah Tamati, this will surely be a New Zealand road movie to remember.

Keep going!
Gif by Tina Tiller
Gif by Tina Tiller

OPINIONPop CultureJanuary 22, 2025

What challenges does 2025 have in store for the local screen industry?

Gif by Tina Tiller
Gif by Tina Tiller

Filmmaker Ahmed Osman reflects on the many challenges the screen industry is facing this year – and what needs to change.

I grew up in front of the TV. For me, it was more than just background noise: it was connection. Shows like bro’Town, Street Legal, and Outrageous Fortune weren’t just entertainment, they were a reflection of us. They created shared moments with whānau, and told the stories that brought us together.

That feeling of connection, paired with a lack of seeing people that looked like me on screen, sparked my passion for storytelling and shaped my career in film and television. Having worked across everything from running roles to accounts, I now have the privilege as a producer to tell stories that reflect the diverse Aotearoa I’ve always known.

For a long time, we’ve punched well above our weight, telling bold, distinctive stories that resonate deeply, both here and abroad. And while shows like After the Party prove that we still have the ability to create exceptional work that captures hearts and minds around the world, 2024 was one of the toughest years our local TV industry has ever seen. 

Peter Mullan as Phil and Robyn Malcolm as Penny in After the Party. (Image: Supplied)

The challenges are many, and they’re not just local. Globally, the industry has faced significant upheaval, from strikes to shifting audience habits and tightening budgets. But here in Aotearoa, those issues have been amplified. Competing against global streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon is an uphill battle. These platforms dominate with big budgets, aggressive content strategies, and global reach. They’re happy to use our landscapes as a backdrop for their productions, but they don’t invest in our stories, our communities, or our culture. 

This lack of investment exacerbates an already fragile system. Audiences, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content available, often turn to big budget international shows over homegrown ones. For us as an industry, that means fewer chances to connect with local viewers and fewer opportunities to keep our stories alive. 

At the same time, traditional linear television, a crucial platform for showcasing local content in the past, has declined sharply. Families aren’t gathering around the TV for the latest local drama in the way they used to. Streaming has taken over, but the system that supports local production hasn’t evolved quickly enough to meet this new reality. 

Netflix vs New Zealand. Image: Tina Tiller

New Zealand On Air (NZOA) remains the backbone of our local TV industry. Without them, so many of the shows we love wouldn’t exist. But NZOA can only do so much. With limited resources and a government mandate to deliver specific outcomes, they are stretched thin trying to support an industry in flux. Producers, myself included, often feel the pressure to tailor our projects to fit funding criteria, sometimes at the expense of chasing bold or unconventional ideas. 

This isn’t a criticism of NZOA – they’ve kept the lights on for countless productions and supported the stories that have defined our cultural identity. But as our reliance on them grows, the gaps in the system are becoming more apparent. 

Countries like France and Canada have taken bold steps to address the challenges faced by local industries, requiring global streamers to reinvest a portion of their revenue into domestic productions. Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has been advocating for similar streaming regulations. In France, for example, 20% of streaming revenue must be spent on French content. The New Zealand Screen Producers’ Guild (SPADA) has also called for a levy on streaming platforms’ local revenue, which would be reinvested into domestic production. 

A similar model here could provide a much-needed lifeline, ensuring that streaming platforms contribute to the growth of our local industry, rather than just profiting from it. 

(Image: Getty, additional design: Tina Tiller)

But this isn’t just about money. It’s about how we value the creative process. Development is where the journey begins where ideas are born, shaped, and refined into the shows we fall in love with. Yet, too often, development is underfunded or overlooked. If we want to build a thriving industry, we must recognise this phase as essential, not optional. 

2024 tested us in ways we couldn’t have anticipated. People lost jobs, productions have been delayed, and the future of our industry has felt uncertain. But as we look ahead in 2025, I believe there’s room for optimism. We’ve proven time and again that we’re resilient, creative, and capable of producing world class work. But to truly thrive, we need to rethink where we’re headed. Development needs more support with funding that gives our ideas the chance to grow into compelling stories that we are capable of telling. We need to consider practical solutions like streaming levies to ensure our stories have the resources to reach audiences in Aotearoa and abroad

I love this industry. I love what it means to us as a nation and what it’s given me personally. And while 2024 was a very hard year, I believe in our ability to adapt and to rise to the challenge, and keep telling the stories that matter most to us.

But wait there's more!