To mark 50 years of television in NZ, TVNZ has trawled back through the archives and compiled a list of the most notable programs to have graced our screens over the past five decades.
Divided into decade blocks, this list features some cracker shows but also one or two that should never have made it to TV in the first place.
Check it out below.
1960s Programmes:
Sportsroom – fronted by lan Richards
Lassie
Boyd Q.C
Have a Shot – Auckland talent programme hosted by Ian Watkins
The Stranger – first drama production
I Love Lucy
Perry Mason
On Safari
Children’s Corner – with Judy-Ann and Fergie Fang the snake puppet
Entertaining with Kerr – Graham Kerr cooks cordon bleu
Club Columbus – begins with 19 year old Ray Columbus.
The Flintstones
Clutch Cargo
Rawhide
Dr. Kildare
The Loretta Young Show
Note for Note – John Daly compares this music quiz show
Z Cars
Bonanza
Steptoe and Son
Mr. Ed
Compass – fronted by Alan Morris
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Petticoat Junction
Dr Who
Huckleberry Hound
New Faces – John Daly compares a variety show featuring up and coming NZ talent
Night Sky – Fronted by Peter Reid, a monthly astronomy show.
Golden Disc Awards – Loxene Golden Disc Awards Shows
Peyton Place
Town and Around – begins a long running season in all 4 centers.
Get Smart
The Avengers
The Dean Martin Show
The Man from U.N.C.L.E
The Andy Griffith Show
On Camera – Presents topics of particular appeal to women
Forsythe Saga
Rolf Harris Show
Bewitched
Big Valley
Studio One – a talent quest for performers involving viewer participation
Rugby Racing and Beer – episode of Looking at NZ, item looking at average man set to music
Mission Impossible
Black and White Minstrel Show
The Frost Report
Ironside
Disneyland
The Seekers
Cilla
The Untouchables
1970s Programmes:
Happen In – Music show hosted by Peter Sinclair
Ngaio Marsh Television Playwriting Competition
Do Re Max – Max Cryer fronts children’s programme
Tank Busters – features Bruno Lawrence, Geoff Murphy University students break into a safe
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
Marcus Welby M.D
Softly Softly
Column Comment – fronted by Hamish Keith
Personality Squares – hosted by Les Andrews
Name of The Game
This Day – examines issues of the day, fronted by Rhys Jones, Craig Little, Karen Jackman, John Bowler and Ian Watkins
Dad’s Army
Monty Python Flying Circus
The Two Ronnies
Onedin Line
Boney
Alias Smith and Jones
All In The Family
Black Beauty
Tangata Whenua – by Michael King, produced by Pacific Pictures, endeavours to help Pakeha understand Maori
Tom Brown’s School Days
M*A*S*H
Upstairs Downstairs
Barlow at Large
Close to Home – locally produced regular drama
The Inventors – features both Australian and New Zealand inventions
Opportunity Knocks – local talent show
Fred Dagg: The Wonderful World of Fred Dag
The Pallisers
Colditz
The Six Million Dollar Man
Kojak
The Basil Brush Show
It’s In the Bag – rates as the top entertainment show
Bon Appétit – Des Britain’s cooking show
Friday Conference – with Gordon Dryden is the first current affairs show to regularly use studio audiences
Bill and Boyd – Variety show featuring well known NZers
Top Town
Poldark
Porridge
Starsky and Hutch
Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards – fashion design awards
A Week of It
The Generation Game
The Muppet Show
George and Mildred
The Planet of The Apes
The Invisible Man
When the Boat Comes In
Question Mark – presented by Sharon Crosbie & Gordon Dryden
The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin
Are You Being Served?
I, Claudius
Rumpole of the Bailey
Children of Fire Mountain – the third ‘Kidult’ series from South Pacific Television
The Professionals
Who Pays The Ferryman
Happy Days
Soap
George and Mildred
1980s Programmes:
Mortimer’s Patch – NZ’s first police series starring Terence Cooper as Detective Sergeant Doug Mortimer
Beauty & The Beast
Mork and Mindy
Fawlty Towers
Minder
Dukes of Hazzard
Dallas
To The Manor Born
Benson
Penmarric
Billy T James/|Radio Times
Gliding On
University Challenge
Morecombe and Wise
Hill Street Blues
Battlestar Galactica
Ready To Roll
Radio With Pictures
Shazam
RTR Video Releases
After School with Olly Olsen
Hudson & Halls
Brideshead Revisited
Not The nine O’Clock News
Dynasty
The Sullivans
Brass
Country GP
Auf Widersehen Pet
The Outsider
The Love Boat
Threes Company
Hogans Hereos
The A Team
Night Rider
With A Bucket On Your Head – Nick Tansley hosts an amateur talent show
Blind Date
Alison Holst’s Microwave Cooking
A Week of It
Dig This
Inside Straight
1990s Programmes:
Te Karere
Play School
The Bugs Bunny Show
Wheel of Fortune
Holmes
Sale of the Century
Foreign Correspondent
Funny Business – Homegrown comedy series
Shark In The Park – Police Drama Series
What Now
A Dogs Show
NZs Funniest Home Videos
Tagata Pacifika
Praise Be
Marae
Frontline
Crimewatch – with Carol Hirschfield, Ian Johnstone
Magic Kiwis – presented by Neil Roberts
On The Mat
Son of a Gunn Show
Face The Music – Simon Barnett hosts a musical knowledge game show
Counterpoint – Lindsay Perigo, Kim Hill, Maggie barry host regular guests to discuss topical issues
Open House – Susan Wood & Dave Cull look at houses of notable NZers
Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards
Heroes
Counterpoint – Kim Hill, Barry Soper and Ian Fraser
Tux Wonder Dogs
Waka Huia
Eyewitness – national and International current affairs show hosted by Ali Mau
Mountain Dew: On the Edge
Placemakers Home Front
Assignment – Susan Wood presents an investigative doco series
Maggies Garden Show
Mai Time
Letter to Blanchy – comedy series about trio of kiwi jokers
Showcase – Ian Fraser presents a NZ talent show
Who Dares Wins
Garage Sale – Suzanne Paul, Anthony Ray Parker & design guru Brett Schwilters go bargain hunting
Aprils Angels
Queer Nation
Corbans Taste of NZ – Peta Matthias
Mitre 10 Changing Rooms
Asia Dynamic
Location Location Location
Ralston Live
Weddings – presented by Jayne Kiely
Unichem Medical File – with Hine Elder and Pharmacist Peter McSweeny
Epitaph – NZ stories from beyond the graveyard
5:30 With Jude – Jude Dobson
Neighbours
Santa Barbara
Allo Allo!
Beyond 2000
The Flying Doctors
LA Law
Keeping Up Appearances
Cheers
Police Rescue
The Young Ones
Bergerac
48 Hours
The Bill
The Simpsons
Married With Children
Rescue 911
The Comedy Company
It Ain’t Half Hot Mum
The Fresh Prince of Belair
The Thunderbirds
Dastardly & Mutley
Dr.Who
Eastenders
Hard Copy
Dad’s Army
Hill Street Blues
Baywatch
Family Ties
Miami Vice
Magnum PI
Star Trek
Night Court
Doogie Houser
Macgyver
The Cosby Show
Kate and Allie
The Jetsons
Candid Camera
Studs
Beverly Hills 90210
Saturday Night Clive
21 Jump Street
Casualty
Roseanne
E Street
Ren & Stimpy
Totally Hidden Video
American Gladiators
Darling Buds of May
Sally Jessy Raphael
Sylvania Waters
Barrymore
WKRP in Cincinnati
Antiques Roadshow
Home and Away
Bananas In Pyjamas
Whose Line Is it Anyway?
Seinfeld
Absolutely Fabulous
Stars in Their Eyes
Frasier
ER
The Nanny
Friends
The X Files
Chicago Hope
Spin City
All Rise For Julian Clarey
French and Saunders
Ally McBeal
Middlemore
Everybody Loves Raymond
2000s Programmes:
Private Practice
Third Watch
Police Ten 7
Band of Brothers
Brothers and Sisters
Ghost Whisperer
Ugly Betty
Celebrity Treasure Island
Game of 2 Halves
Burying Brian
Mercy Peak
Go Girls
Shortland Street
The Zoo
Matthew and Marc’s Rocky Road
Ice
South
Intrepid Journey
Ends of the Earth
Extreme Make Over
Desperate Housewives
Grey’s Anatomy
Sensing Murder
The Apprentice
Masterchef NZ
American Idol
NZ Idol
Friends
Two & a half men
The Osbornes
McLeod’s Daughters
Piha Rescue
Fair Go
Coronation Street
Criminal Minds
Cold Case
The F Word
Unauthorised History of NZ
Eating Media Lunch
Dancing with the Stars
Mucking In
Animal House
Wild Vets
Big Brother
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