The country is back in a snap Alert Level 4 lockdown to protect us all from an outbreak of COVID-19 in the community. Although this may have interrupted a weekend of plans, it does present us all with a very important opportunity: catch up on everything we wanted to watch but were too busy to see!
Here’s our list of “things we now have time to watch” on New Zealand streaming platforms.
The Panthers - TVNZ On Demand
This series captures an important moment in Aotearoa across 6 episodes (so far) - 1974, a time of increasing racial inequity and the period leading up to Muldoon’s election win. This is a timely watch with the recent apology by the New Zealand Government for the Dawn Raids, and increasing advocacy for a more fulsome response to racial inequity for Pasefika in Aotearoa.
Watch it here: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/the-panthers
Bo Burnham: Inside - Netflix
Bo shot this documentary, alone, inside his house, during the rolling lockdowns and general chaos of America in 2020. Those of you familiar with Bo Burnham will know his bittersweet comedy style often comes with a deeper message - and this new special sure does deliver some messages. It’s both relatable and something to watch and feel grateful for the fact that, for most of the last year, we have been able to go outside.
Watch it here: https://www.netflix.com/nz/title/81289483
Feels Good Man - DocPlay
Amongst the copious articles about the rise of the alt-right in America and across the globe, you often see pictures of Pepe the Frog. But Pepe didn’t start out as the golden boy of modern fascism. This documentary charts the creation of the frog by a (liberal) comic artist and the subsequent appropriation of the art that made him a symbol of hatred. It is funny, sweet and at times, very sad.
Watch it here: https://www.docplay.com/shows/feels-good-man
Note: the team at DocPlay have decided to make the streaming service free during lockdown to help everyone get their documentary fix at home. Visit www.docplay.com/discount/MADNZLOCKDOWN60 to get your 60 days of free viewing. (This is not a prediction that lockdown will last 60 days.)
Taskmaster New Zealand - TVNZ (and On Demand)
Season 2 of Taskmaster New Zealand is currently screening weekly, but there’s a backlog of 7 episodes to catch up on if you haven’t already been watching. Each episode is a 45 minute spark of joy to break up the potential monotony of your lockdown days. Featuring some of the funniest faces in Aotearoa comedy and some of the silliest challenges ever to grace our TV screens, catch this for some much needed smiles during this time.
Watch it here: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/taskmaster-nz
War and Peace - Neon
We’ve all said we would read this book. Some of us have even started the book. Now, we can just watch the show. Season 1 of this adaptation of War and Peace, made by the BBC and featuring an extremely stellar cast including Paul Dano and Lily James, will take you less than 8 hours to watch. It’s glitzy, and the cinematography is astounding. Maybe it will even inspire us all to finish the book!
Watch it here: https://www.neontv.co.nz/series/war-and-peace