Kiwi TV Classics - the Solid Gold Hits

28 May 2010

Kiwi TV Classics - the Solid Gold Hits

June 1st 2010 represents half a century of seeing ourselves reflected on the telly. To celebrate, NZ On Screen presents a collection of the solid gold hits, from The Governor to Gliding On to Gloss, from Country Calendar to Close to Home, from Shortland St to Selwyn Toogood , Billy T and Thingee.

Included in the collection era-defining dramas (Pukemanu, The Governor, Close to Home, Gloss, Shortland Street), cultural cringe-defying comedy (Billy T, A Week of It, Hudson and Halls, Country Calendar’s spoofs and Town and Around’s turkeys in gumboots), iconic newsreaders through the years, current affairs classics (Dennis Conner’s walkout, Post Office strike breakthroughs, Muldoon meltdowns), landmark documentaries (Tangata Whenua, and the Landmarks series itself), national-bonding events (Top Town, Telethon), the shows that generations of Kiwi kids grew up with (After School , Spot On, Under the Mountain, Play School, What Now?, Nice One, Count Homogenized ), magic moments (Thingee’s eye-popping), and much more.

In a background piece, pop culture writer Barney McDonald gets square eyes surveying the best of NZ On Screen. The Sunday Star-Times' film reviewer and Pavement founder looks at the shows as notches on both a personal and national growth chart.

“... the box was the glue that bound us together as a modest nation, epitomised by televised All Black games, It’s in the Bag and Telethon. Now, perhaps, it’s the internet, talkback radio, and morning TV weather presenters visiting more corners of the country than Selwyn Toogood ever could ...”

And screen historian Roger Horrocks provides a history of TV: a precis of the screen-scape from black and white beginnings, and pubic service vs commercial debates, to the challenge of the internet.

From “you’re not in Guatemala now Dr Ropata” to “Keep Cool ‘til After School”, from “Jeez Wayne” to “Nice one Stu-y!”

Re-live the best of the box ... online.

Fully funded by NZ On Air, NZ On Screen was established in 2008 to showcase New Zealand television, film, and music video. The Kiwi TV Classics collection, and over 1000 other titles, can all be seen free of charge on www.nzonscreen.com

ENDS

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