In the early '90s, the survey box lady came to our house.

Does anyone else remember that episode of Roseanne when they got a people-meter, and so she would only let them watch documentaries and "quality" programming because she wanted to look good, so they all ended up watching an…

The Barbie Island Princess movie is on TV2 right now! Geez, ya think they might have promoted it? Not a mention in the Herald TV Highlights, just the standard listing on the schedule. This movie just came out this year and they show it on free-to-air without warning? FFS…

I used to know a flat of students who had a ratings box in their flat.

Not to disbelieve you (is that even a word?), but surely some scam was being pulled there. The ACN boxes are given to the best answerers (is that a word?) of their questions over…

Yet again, TV overlooks the thriving local stand-up comedy scene for a bunch of actors with no sense of timing, or delivering a punchline... sheesh!

Actually, at least one of the actors on Paradise does have quite a bit of stand-up experience (Josh Thompson). I think the few times I…

Ratings boxes are generally given to largish families who watch a lot of TV and probably do passively in their seats watching a show and then watching what comes next.

And only to people who own their own homes, and if I was to generalise, I would imagine those people…

Perhaps networks should look at download stats on Pirate Bay et al and base their scheduling on that.

But Sky's already started their pr0n channel...

I can't belive in this day and age that people still sit passively in their seats watching a show and then watching what comes next anyway ... you are a dying breed and the networks love you.

Yeah I agree, that's when I saw that FotC was on at 10…

http://www.teara.govt.nz/NewZealanders/MaoriNewZealanders/WhanganuiTribes/3/ENZ-Resources/Standard/3/en

Moutua Gardens is on the stolen pa Pakaitore. This Pa was for Maori who fought against Hauhau = on Britains side.

Ok having watched both Paradise Lost and Conchords last night, I have a question for the Prime TV schedulers, do they not think they might have the shows in the wrong order? Shouldn't you lead in with your good show.

I second that emotion. Can't see anything about FOTC that…

That's true up to a point, but I'd also note for every Seinfeld and Gervais there's some fraking awful sit-coms based around stand-ups who haven't got their heads around that stand-up and a scripted sit-com aren't identical.

I agree, and would also suggest that sitcoms, whether based on standup or…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQVSvG5x54

And won't be getting 3 on DVD :-(

He also pointed out that the world's most successful sitcoms – Seinfeld, The Office, Little Britain – put established stand-ups on screen.

That's true up to a point, but I'd also note for every Seinfeld and Gervais there's some fraking awful sit-coms based around stand-ups who haven't got their heads…

Freudian.

Because Christ, that Paradise show is so so so bad…

BUT loving seeing Its Always Sunny... again. Can't wait for series 2 where Danny De Vito joins the cast

OMIGOD!

I wet myself watching this clip on Utoob. (nb on the comment "what the fuck is fred savage doing here?") This clip explained (to me) why FOTC was able to find…

"Ironically, one of the most pertinent criticisms levelled at Kiwi comedy came from the Conchords' Jemaine Clement.

Talking about their failed attempt to make a sitcom in New Zealand (TVNZ turned them down before HBO snapped…

It kinda finished very abruptly – is there more?

There is!

The second part of the doco is 11:25 next Sunday night.

I was amazed at the cocktail of drugs that these people were…

They've both gone on to greater things, of…

I often find SB to be trying just a little too hard, whereas John Oliver, Aasif Mandvi and Larry Wilmore just hit the spot for mine..

I love that Larry Wilmore gets introduced as 'Senior Black Correspondent', but it's Jason Jones's asshattery that I love the most, along with far-too-infrequent…

I seem to have been the only one who found…

Brilliant. I liked the way they built up the tension around the thing that burst out of Ray, only for George to completely destroy it by "reaping" it

Iif Dead Like Me had gone to a third season, apparently that was going to have some serious consequences for everyone. In…

Also, Vince Noir is so hot.

Is this due to his hair?

Ya, it's the hair. But watch out – he can use his straighteners as a weapon.

Also, Vince Noir is so hot.

Is this due to his hair?

I also like this show, particularly the bits about music. The debate on the comparative merits of Jazz and Electro was brilliant.

Unfortunately, real life, in other words, my job, keeps getting in the way of blogging

What is this thing you call real life?? It sounds interesting. Tell me more Human!

I kind of like that even if the blog posts are a bit late, the telly fiends among us can…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycu-pQYmUQQ

I've just been tardy lately and I realise the links were a bit late.

I kind of like that even if the blog posts are a bit late, the telly fiends among us can fill in the gaps with our own picks.

Oh, and let me put in a plug…

Oh, and am I the only person who thinks Radiation is the weirdest blog ever on PAS? I mean really, it's Wednesday so here are the Wednesday listing highlights? Is this some sort of quota fulfilment in order to keep the free MySKY Fiona??

Sadly, nothing so Machiavellian. Unfortunately, real…

which she did rather a lot during Dead Like Me's two seasons

Are you telling me there are only two seasons of Dead Like Me? Nooooooo...my favourite programme on telly by far.

That Drawn together is seriously weird, and weirded me out when I happened into it. Trying to describe…

Blackpool however – that was some appalling sub-Dennis Potter nonsense.

Sub-Dennis Potter ? Absolutely...

But he's dead, theres no more Dennis Potter coming along.... so anything even vaugely resembling it is bloody welcome I say. I really enjoyed Blackpool.

Stephen Fry doco on manic depression. on Prime at 11.25pm Sunday looks good.

Oh, I've seen that and it is a good one. Carrie Fisher makes an appearance, and this seems to reassure the lovely Stephen that he may be crazy but he's not that crazy.

And just when it…

Stephen Fry doco on manic depression. on Prime at 11.25pm Sunday looks good.

No it looks really, really, amazing good.

Actually on second thoughts it looks awful, piece of crap really.

OTOH, i think it should be a rivetting piece of documentary art.

Or not.

...

Shopping list:
Outrageous Fortune
Project Runway
Adios Sopranos
Doctor Who (but not loving the Daleks by numbers of the Manhattan episode)…

Oh, slightly off-topic: I saw The Real Thing at the Silo theatre last week, and Claire Chitham was brilliant, totally stole the show.

Good on her – Tom Stopard is the kind of playwright where the actors really have to be playing attention. As we're unlikely to ever see __…

I'm bored watching Jonathan Rhys Meyers dry hump everything in a skirt that isn't Sam Neil. Even beginning to wish he'd put on a buttoned up shirt now and then.

OMG, ME TOO! (lol, wtf, etc) And I was so excited at the start of the series...
That Kristen Holden-Reid's…

even though it 'bombed in New Zealand

Yes, because showing three episodes of a show and then abruptly yanking it is 'bombing'. Not 'completely cocking up by not letting it build a decent audience', or anything. (See also: Arrested Development, which I finally just borrowed on DVD instead of searching…

I'm bored watching Jonathan Rhys Meyers dry hump everything

just wait till you see the begining of episode ten.......

Argh.

I've asked some American fans about all the NZ in-jokes – mostly, they just fly right over their heads, but they still like the show.

At the risk of sounding really pretentious, I think the way to the universal is through the specific. TFoTC is resonating with people, because there…

Well, the reviews I've seen have been pretty mixed.

Metacritic gives it a 68 – 'generally favorable reviews'.

I've asked some American fans about all the NZ in-jokes – mostly, they just fly right over their heads, but they still like the show.

Anyone else laughing themselves silly over Drawn Together?

Very very 'kiwi' too, I'm quite surprised the americans audience actually gets it.

Well, the reviews I've seen have been pretty mixed. Then again, I don't get Entourage and wish I could give back Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Oh, and am I the only person for whom the impossible happened while…

fanboys, Ellen Muth is going to be at Armaggedon.

OK, I'd pay her good money to tell me to 'fuck off' (which she did rather a lot during Dead Like Me's two seasons) – just because I'm orally masochistic, and she's so good at the passive-aggressive whine.

But the Armageddon…

...and, fanboys, Ellen Muth is going to be at Armaggedon.

So. Jealous.

Very very 'kiwi' too, I'm quite surprised the americans audience actually gets it.

Cannot…