The television business in New Zealand might still be reeling from the upheavals of 2024, but TVNZ and Three have a raft of NZ On Air-funded new shows in the works. Sky’s free-to-air Sky Open channel is also increasing its local quotient significantly. Here’s how that local roster shapes up...
Drama
Secrets at Red Rocks
Adapting the award-winning 2013 tween-aimed story by Rachael King, this show’s mix of mythical creatures and adventure may remind some of the family dramas that were once more common on our screens. King’s story took the Celtic myth of the selkies and transplanted it to the landscape of Wellington’s wild south coast. There, 12-year-old Jake finds a sealskin on the shore, which starts a chain of events that threatens his family. The show’s adult stars include Jim Moriarty and Dominic Ona-Ariki (One Lane Bridge). The sea creatures are animatronic creations from Wētā Workshop.
(Sky Open & Neon, March)
Tangata Pai
This series about Māori land rights, environmental protest and terrorism is likely to be one of the most challenging local dramas of 2025. It’s also being told with dialogue that will be 30% in te reo Māori, possibly a first for a production aimed at prime-time on a mainstream channel. Created, co-written and directed by Kiel McNaughton and filmed in Taranaki, its eight episodes follow the last hour of the lives of five people before a bomb goes off at a Māori protest against the mining of a sacred site. Its cast includes Nicola Kawana, Shavaughn Ruakere and Jayden Daniels and its co-writers include Briar Grace-Smith and Hamish Bennett.
(Three, ThreeNow, late 2025)
The Ridge
A co-commission for BBC Scotland and Sky New Zealand, The Ridge is a six-part psychological thriller about troubled Glaswegian woman Mia, who accepts an invitation to her estranged sister’s wedding somewhere on the West Coast of New Zealand. She arrives to find her sibling is dead and she is caught up in a mystery involving her late-sister’s fiancé, local farmers and environmentalists. Filming begins next month.
(Sky Open, Neon, late 2025)
Comedy
Warren’s Vortex
From some of the people who brought us Wellington Paranormal comes this sci-comedy about Warren of Lower Hutt, whose garden shed has a vortex into other dimensions. Which is handy when he wants to get rid of the lawn clippings but problematic when his teenage daughter disappears down the wormhole and he goes in after her. The pair end up in parallel universes that resemble home but with some differences: like a New Zealand where sport doesn’t exist, or a world ruled by sentient refrigerators. Warren is played by Paranormal’s Maaka Pohatu.
(TVNZ 2, TBC)
Small Town Scandal
In his true-crime mockumentary podcast series on which this is based, Tom Sainsbury voiced a couple of dozen characters in the story of a journalist investigating the suspicious lawnmower-related death of his millionaire uncle. Presumably, the television version will require Sainsbury and as many wigs as its budget will allow for its eight episodes.
(Sky Open, Neon mid year)
Vince
Radio guy Jono Pryor makes his return to television in a comedy he created, playing a morning TV presenter who is determined to get his job back after being dropped by his network after “an unfortunate mishap”. Also in the cast for the eight episodes are Anna Jullienne, Vinnie Bennett, Chelsie Preston Crayford and Blair Strang.
(Three, February)
Happiness
A six-part musical comedy series, Happiness stars Rebecca Gibney as the president of a community theatre in Tauranga whose Broadway star son Charlie (Harry McNaughton) comes home and gets roped in on her latest production. Only his vision for a musical version of The Trojan Horse proves a bit much for the amateur company. Gibney told the Australian Women’s Weekly the show’s mix of music and comedy makes it unlike anything made in New Zealand before. “It’s one of those shows that’s so joyous that when you finish it, you’ve got a giant smile on your face.”
(Three, April)
Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee Australia
There’s no sign yet of a third local series of Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee. Instead, it seems Three is bringing in the high-rating version Montgomery made last year for Australia’s public broadcaster, the ABC, which has been renewed for a second season. The Aussie version contains a round called “Who Owns It?” in which the contestants must spell a word, the ownership of which is disputed between Australians and New Zealanders.
(Three, TBC)
Factual
The Devil’s in the Data
That working title may change but this series is TVNZ 1′s main local documentary effort of the year. The series uses big data and crunches the numbers to investigate life in New Zealand and the country’s collective attitude to issues such as love, money, health and community.
(TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, TBC)
Polk: The Trial of Philip Polkinghorne
The inevitable and possibly not the last documentary about the trial last year of Auckland eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne, who was found not guilty of the murder of his wife Pauline Hanna in a sensational High Court trial which became a seven-week-long media event. The triple-episode series funded by NZ On Air is likely to be screened over three nights.
(Three, ThreeNow, late 2025)
Mind Menders
A two-part documentary series presented by Sonia Gray which investigates how psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, ketamine and MDMA might be used in the treatment of conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction.
(Sky Open, TBC)
The Choir Games
From veteran documentary maker Leanne Pooley, what promises to be an uplifting series that follows four choirs from around the world as they prepare for and travel to the globe’s biggest choral competition, the World Choir Games, which were held in Auckland last year.
(Sky Open, April)
All Access Driving School
Another series following people with disabilities facing challenges that might allow them greater independence – in this case, learning to drive and getting a licence. This features a cast of learner drivers, each with a different disability, as they get behind the wheel for the first time under the guidance of instructors.
(Sky Open, mid year)
Earth Oven with Temuera Morrison
After some impressive dramatic turns last year in the likes of TV series Far North and the film Ka Whawhai Tonu, Temuera Morrison gets to be himself in a travel and food show. He visits indigenous communities who use earth ovens like the hāngi, and finds how the cooking method has shaped their culture and cuisine.
(Sky Open, mid year)
Hospice Heroes
An eight-part series that follows the staff and volunteers at one of the country’s biggest hospices as they care for terminally ill patients. “The series aims to destigmatise hospices and the belief they are scary and depressing by showing the humour, compassion and energy that also exists there,” say the show’s producers.
(Three, ThreeNow, late 2025)
Returning shows
TVNZ: Country Calendar, Grand Designs NZ, Eat Well for Less NZ, Shortland Street (reduced to three nights a week), a second series of NZ-Ireland co-production crime drama The Gone, a fifth series of the Lucy Lawless-starring My Life Is Murder, and the 11th of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Under the Vines has a 2025 Christmas special before a fourth season in 2026.
Three: New seasons of 7 Days, David Lomas Investigates, a 16-episode post-Newshub second season of Paddy Gower Has Issues. Also a third season of Wild Heroes, following Auckland Zoo staff’s work with endangered species.
