1
00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame podcast

2
00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:11,973
Speaker 1: from News Talk ZEDB.

3
00:00:12,773 --> 00:00:15,973
Speaker 2: Twenty four past ten, which means it's screen time time.

4
00:00:16,173 --> 00:00:19,213
Speaker 2: Carl Pushman's here with two picks for watching or streaming

5
00:00:19,333 --> 00:00:22,573
Speaker 2: at home this weekend. Get a Carl, Good morning Jack.

6
00:00:22,813 --> 00:00:24,693
Speaker 2: Let's begin with a new show on TV and Z

7
00:00:24,893 --> 00:00:27,093
Speaker 2: plus tell us about DMV.

8
00:00:28,133 --> 00:00:30,413
Speaker 3: Now, this is a new workplace comedy set in what

9
00:00:30,453 --> 00:00:33,093
Speaker 3: we hear an art hero called VT and Z. Some

10
00:00:33,213 --> 00:00:35,693
Speaker 3: of that joke is lost in translation. In the States,

11
00:00:35,733 --> 00:00:38,533
Speaker 3: the DMV is considered the tenth circle of Hell, whereas

12
00:00:38,533 --> 00:00:41,493
Speaker 3: popping into VT and Z is a relatively painless experience.

13
00:00:41,973 --> 00:00:44,453
Speaker 3: The first episode does do a good job of introducing

14
00:00:44,453 --> 00:00:47,093
Speaker 3: you to the familiar group of sitcom tropes and quirks

15
00:00:47,133 --> 00:00:50,693
Speaker 3: that passes characters. The core trio are driver license examiners,

16
00:00:50,973 --> 00:00:52,693
Speaker 3: and this gives the show a lot of leeway to

17
00:00:52,693 --> 00:00:56,293
Speaker 3: introduce those sort of one off gag characters for each episode.

18
00:00:56,693 --> 00:00:59,973
Speaker 3: The show's from Dana Klein, whose sitcom TV includes shows

19
00:01:00,053 --> 00:01:03,333
Speaker 3: like Kath and Kim and the cultural juggernaut that was Friends.

20
00:01:03,853 --> 00:01:06,373
Speaker 3: She makes sure DMV sticks to that sort of script.

21
00:01:06,733 --> 00:01:09,293
Speaker 3: It's not subverting the formula it's not trying something new

22
00:01:09,413 --> 00:01:12,533
Speaker 3: or swing for the fences. Instead, it stays in its lane.

23
00:01:12,853 --> 00:01:15,813
Speaker 3: A wacky premise drives each episode. In episode two, it's

24
00:01:15,813 --> 00:01:18,693
Speaker 3: a broken air conditioner, while there's a will they won't

25
00:01:18,693 --> 00:01:21,373
Speaker 3: they subplot idling in the background. At the end of

26
00:01:21,413 --> 00:01:24,213
Speaker 3: the episode, everything's resolved with a nice little life lesson

27
00:01:24,653 --> 00:01:27,813
Speaker 3: and a touch of sentimentality there as well. Look, the

28
00:01:27,853 --> 00:01:29,853
Speaker 3: show knows what it is. It's aiming to be one

29
00:01:29,893 --> 00:01:32,573
Speaker 3: of those crowd pleasers and to that end, you know

30
00:01:32,693 --> 00:01:35,893
Speaker 3: it passes the test with flying colors. These sort of

31
00:01:35,893 --> 00:01:38,213
Speaker 3: sitcoms live or die based on the likability of that

32
00:01:38,333 --> 00:01:41,533
Speaker 3: main cast. Do you want to spend time with these people?

33
00:01:41,853 --> 00:01:43,973
Speaker 3: And despite a bit of a clunky start in episode one,

34
00:01:44,213 --> 00:01:47,573
Speaker 3: by episode two the show starting to coast the lead actor,

35
00:01:47,613 --> 00:01:50,213
Speaker 3: Harriet Dyer. She holds a show together with her clumsy,

36
00:01:50,253 --> 00:01:53,173
Speaker 3: adorable character Collette, who harbors a crush on the new

37
00:01:53,173 --> 00:01:56,853
Speaker 3: guy Noah. This is played by local actor Alex Tarrant,

38
00:01:57,053 --> 00:01:58,973
Speaker 3: and that sort of positioned as the Ross and rachel

39
00:01:59,053 --> 00:02:01,853
Speaker 3: or Jim and Pam of the show even this early on.

40
00:02:01,893 --> 00:02:04,213
Speaker 3: Two episodes in, they have that chemistry there to back

41
00:02:04,293 --> 00:02:06,813
Speaker 3: that up. So that's a really good sight and couraging

42
00:02:06,933 --> 00:02:09,813
Speaker 3: at this early stage of the sitcom. Yeah, it has

43
00:02:09,813 --> 00:02:13,293
Speaker 3: some good gags throughout. I'd say, you know, chuckles rather

44
00:02:13,333 --> 00:02:16,533
Speaker 3: than lowells. And my favorite line was a disgruntled customer

45
00:02:16,613 --> 00:02:19,533
Speaker 3: ranting at Noah, why are you talking pirate after hearing

46
00:02:19,573 --> 00:02:22,453
Speaker 3: his Kiwi accent. So I kind of I appreciated that.

47
00:02:23,853 --> 00:02:25,773
Speaker 3: After two episode, you know, it's still in first gear,

48
00:02:25,933 --> 00:02:27,813
Speaker 3: but it's starting to ramp up, and I think the

49
00:02:27,813 --> 00:02:32,173
Speaker 3: potential is there for it to really start cruising along nicely.

50
00:02:32,413 --> 00:02:35,813
Speaker 2: Yeah. Nice, Okay, cool, that sounds great. That's DMV. That's

51
00:02:35,813 --> 00:02:37,733
Speaker 2: on TV and Z Plus. Also on TV and Z

52
00:02:37,933 --> 00:02:42,373
Speaker 2: Plus from tomorrow, a new adaptation of Lord of the Flies.

53
00:02:43,173 --> 00:02:45,453
Speaker 3: Yes, and there's a lot of buzz around this around

54
00:02:45,573 --> 00:02:48,893
Speaker 3: this adaptation of William Golding's famed nineteen fifty four novel,

55
00:02:49,213 --> 00:02:53,573
Speaker 3: and rightfully so. This show is stunningly shot, spectacularly acted,

56
00:02:53,893 --> 00:02:56,773
Speaker 3: and appropriately savage for a story that is essentially a

57
00:02:56,813 --> 00:03:00,093
Speaker 3: metaphor about what happens when society's rules fall apart. A

58
00:03:00,173 --> 00:03:02,333
Speaker 3: quick recap for those at the back, The show follows

59
00:03:02,333 --> 00:03:05,013
Speaker 3: a plane full of UK schoolboys who crash land on

60
00:03:05,013 --> 00:03:07,773
Speaker 3: a deserted island all the adults on the plane die

61
00:03:07,773 --> 00:03:10,813
Speaker 3: in the crash, leaving the boys, all aged twelve and under,

62
00:03:10,973 --> 00:03:15,533
Speaker 3: defend for themselves. At first, they organized, they band together,

63
00:03:15,573 --> 00:03:17,213
Speaker 3: they elect the leader, they come up with a plan

64
00:03:17,253 --> 00:03:20,853
Speaker 3: for survival, but this gruntlement quickly arises and they split

65
00:03:20,853 --> 00:03:24,973
Speaker 3: into two factions, one society based and one more chaotic

66
00:03:25,213 --> 00:03:27,973
Speaker 3: and violent. Now this series has the blessing of the

67
00:03:27,973 --> 00:03:30,973
Speaker 3: Golden Estate and has been led by Jack Thorn, whose

68
00:03:31,053 --> 00:03:34,013
Speaker 3: show Adolescence was one of last year's most talked about

69
00:03:34,013 --> 00:03:36,933
Speaker 3: and critically acclaimed series. Lord of the Flies look set

70
00:03:36,973 --> 00:03:39,693
Speaker 3: to follow that completely. It's been created for the BBC.

71
00:03:40,133 --> 00:03:42,453
Speaker 3: The four part mini series and its big budget that

72
00:03:42,613 --> 00:03:45,613
Speaker 3: was shot on location in Malaysia, where the beauty and

73
00:03:45,693 --> 00:03:48,613
Speaker 3: danger of the island really comes to life. It is

74
00:03:49,133 --> 00:03:53,213
Speaker 3: artfully made. It often reminded me of a nineties Grungey

75
00:03:53,293 --> 00:03:56,413
Speaker 3: music video with its startling close ups on the boys' faces,

76
00:03:56,813 --> 00:03:59,933
Speaker 3: lingering shots of insects crawling on rotten fruit you know,

77
00:04:00,053 --> 00:04:03,173
Speaker 3: or fishing fish eyed lenses, shots of the boys running

78
00:04:03,173 --> 00:04:08,253
Speaker 3: through the jungle shouting and screaming. It's just superb, especially

79
00:04:08,293 --> 00:04:10,493
Speaker 3: when you consider, especially when you can sid the whole

80
00:04:10,493 --> 00:04:13,333
Speaker 3: cast of kids, you know these are future stars in

81
00:04:13,373 --> 00:04:17,133
Speaker 3: the making. It is meticulously paced with a slow burning,

82
00:04:17,293 --> 00:04:20,933
Speaker 3: escalating tension, which has helped along by handsome as menacing

83
00:04:21,333 --> 00:04:25,253
Speaker 3: psycho inspired soundtrack. It is brilliant. You know, the story

84
00:04:25,293 --> 00:04:26,853
Speaker 3: is seventy two years old at this point, we all

85
00:04:26,893 --> 00:04:29,373
Speaker 3: know how it goes, but it's not lost any of

86
00:04:29,373 --> 00:04:32,333
Speaker 3: its power or relevancy. I'd say Lord of the Flies

87
00:04:32,453 --> 00:04:35,653
Speaker 3: is twenty twenty six's first true TV event and this

88
00:04:35,813 --> 00:04:37,373
Speaker 3: is simply as good as it gets.

89
00:04:37,453 --> 00:04:40,333
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm really excited by that. You've got me pump

90
00:04:40,413 --> 00:04:42,293
Speaker 2: for that now, Carl. That's so good to hear. This

91
00:04:42,373 --> 00:04:46,493
Speaker 2: is seventy two years old Lord of the Flies yep,

92
00:04:46,613 --> 00:04:49,573
Speaker 2: four gold crazy right now? Yeah, yeah, that's nuts. I

93
00:04:49,573 --> 00:04:52,453
Speaker 2: wouldn't have picked that, Okay, yeah, I suppose, Yeah, I

94
00:04:52,493 --> 00:04:55,493
Speaker 2: guess me and there you go. Makes sense. So Lord

95
00:04:55,493 --> 00:04:59,293
Speaker 2: of the Flies is on TVNZ Plus from tomorrow. DMV

96
00:04:59,573 --> 00:05:01,293
Speaker 2: was Carl's first pick, and of course you can hear

97
00:05:01,333 --> 00:05:04,973
Speaker 2: more from Carl on his sub stack screen crack. Both

98
00:05:05,013 --> 00:05:07,253
Speaker 2: of those shows will be up on the News Talks.

99
00:05:07,253 --> 00:05:11,093
Speaker 1: It'd be website for more from Saturday morning with Jack Tame.

100
00:05:11,293 --> 00:05:14,493
Speaker 1: Listen live to News Talks. It'd be from nine am Saturday,

101
00:05:14,693 --> 00:05:16,773
Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio