Throng

It was TVNZ's turn to show off which series they'll be screening in 2010 at their new season launch today in Auckland.  As you'd expect, there's a fairly solid line-up.

TV One has a new goal:  to be a little edgier.  One might assume: a little less safe.  It will be interesting to see how this transcribes into ratings.

TV One should dominate Mondays with The Pacific, an HBO series from the makers of Band of Brothers.  This will be followed by the multi-Emmy award-winning series Generation Kill. However, as it aired in the US in 2008, it can be bought on DVD here for about $40.

On TV2 Monday night kicks off with Supernanny followed by Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.

Before Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice screen, Tuesday nights on TV2 will have New Zealand's version of The Apprentice.  No doubt Terry Serepisos should do quite well now that some of the boys from his club are heading to the World Cup.

Speaking of which, unlike other major sporting events, TVNZ has chosen not to relinquish the free-to-air rights for the football World Cup in South Africa which will screen on TV One.

Wednesday will see the local version of Masterchef New Zealand on TV One, confirming that the format won't follow the highly successful Australian version.  This will be followed by the second season of Packed to the Rafters that is about to finish in Australia.

The final season of Lost has been promised to be aired as close to its US release as possible. The word simulcast was used but no one expects the show to air at 2pm.  TV2 has it listed in a Wednesday timeslot which means the best we can hope for is that ABC in the US move the show to a Tuesday so that it will air here within hours. If not, one can only assume that New Zealand internet traffic will be incredibly low for the six days post the season finale in the US as kiwi fans avoid websites spoiling the mystery.

The lead in to Lost is the new sci-fi thriller Flash Forward.

Coming to TV One on Friday nights is Leigh Hart's Mysterious Planet which will be up against a tough comedy line up on TV3.  TV2 will screen the ninth season of American Idol after Two and a Half Men and The Middle, a show that is scarily reminiscent of Malcom in the Middle.

TV One is bringing the Bond-a-thon to Saturday nights with all 22 Bond movies.

Marcus Lush will be back with South, as will Matthew and Marc's Rocky Road and the Amazing Race for Sunday evenings.  Sports fans will also be introduced to a new show on TV One for Sunday's lineup.

The spaceships were shown but the cult remake of V wasn't mentioned specifically.

The show of the preview though had to be This is Not My Life from the makers of Go Girls and Outrageous Fortune.  It looks hot.  The brief snippet made me think of Minority Report and the cult series Nowhere Man from the nineties.  It stars Charles Mesure (Gerard from Outrageous Fortune - does this mean he's dead and not in Season 6?) and Tania Nolan (Angelina from Go Girls).  Of everything I saw, this was the one I'm most looking forward to.  Hopefully we'll get a copy of the trailer soon.

New Shows
Flash Forward

The Middle

The Forgotten

The Vampire Diaries

Human Target

Drop dead Diva

Cougar Town

Hawthorne

Hung

Castle

Generation Kill

The Pacific

Past Life

V

Local
The Apprentice New Zealand
Masterchef New Zealand
Leigh Hart's Mysterious Planet

Real Life: Are You My Tribe

Returning
Shortland Street
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
Packed to the Rafters
Beyond the Darklands
Gangs of Oz
Criminal Minds
Sunday Theatre
South
Medical Emergency
Piha Rescue
Border Patrol
Animal House
The Politically Incorrect Parenting Show
Inspectors
Cold Case
The Zoo
Desperate Housewives
Brothers & Sisters
American Idol
Go Girls
The Big Bang Theory
Chuck
The Mentalist
Scrubs
Rescue 1
Fringe
Two and a Half Men
Gary Unmarried
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice
Police Ten 7
Neighbours at War
America's Funniest Home Videos
The Amazing Race
Matthew and Marc's Rocky Road
One News
Fair Go
Sunday
20/20
Close Up