20 Best Shows on TVNZ
You can find some of the most captivating best shows on TVNZ, and the best part is that the service is available for free. However, You do need a VPN to watch TVNZ outside New Zealand, unlike other streaming services available in NZ.
Whether you’re a true crime fan or get a kick out of watching reality television, you will surely find something interesting to watch on the platform. So without any further delays, here’s our collection of the 20 best shows on TVNZ.
Best Shows on TVNZ to watch in 2022
Let’s take a look at the best shows on TVNZ in 2022.
1. Bel-Air (2022-)
Creators: T.J Brady, Susan Borowitz, Andy Borowitz
Cast: Jimmy Akingbola, Cassandra Freeman, Jabari Banks
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Watch Bel-Air trailer on YouTube
Top on our list of Best Shows on TVNZ is a reboot of old classic Bel-Air. The original series that starred Will Smith back in the 90s.
It follows Will, a young, ambitious boy who dreams of a life beyond the streets of West Philadelphia. It’s interesting to note that the show’s producer is Will Smith, along with Quincy Jones and Benny Medina. You can also watch more classic shows on Sling TV.
2. This Is Going to Hurt (2022-)
Creator: Adam Key
Cast: Ambika mod, Rory Fleck Byrne, Ben Whishaw
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Watch This Is Going To Hurt trailer on YouTube
This Is Going To Hurt is a TV adaptation of the book by the same name by Adam Kay. It is set in London in the year 2006, and it focuses on the lives of a group of young junior doctors at an NHS hospital.
The series explores their lives as they spend much of their time working in the Gynecology and Obstetrics department. The series has seven episodes, and it touches on various topics, such as underappreciated hospital staff and the long-term effects of long duty hours.
3. Creamerie (2021-)
Creator: Perlina Lau, Roseanne Liang, JJ Fong
Cast: Perlina Lau, JJ Fong, Ally Xue
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Watch Creamerie trailer on YouTube
The Creamerie is the best TVNZ on demands 2022 dark comedy based on a not-so-distant dystopian future where post-pandemic, 99.9% of men have been wiped off the Earth by a virus. Three friends run a dairy farm in this new, strange world governed by an organization called Wellness.
For more comedy shows and movies, read our Comedy Movies to Watch in 2022 recommendations.
4. Shortland Street (1992-)
Creator: Caterina De Nave, Bettina Hollings, Jason Daniel
Cast: Ben Mitchell, Sally Martin, Michael Galvin
IMDb Rating: 4.6/10
Watch Shortland Street trailer on YouTube
Shortland Street is a Kiwi prime-time soap opera that is set in a fictional place called Shortland Street Hospital. The series is New Zealand’s longest-running drama that has been broadcast for 30 years. It follows the professional and personal lives of the staff who work at the hospital. Using our guide, you can also watch Dancing with the Stars in New Zealand.
5. The Green Planet (2022)
Creator: Mike Gunton
Cast: Cong Liu, Elisabeth Oakham, David Attenborough
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
Watch The Green Planet trailer on YouTube
The Green Planet is a nature documentary in the ethereal style of presenting by David Attenborough. Viewers will be amazed to learn about the seemingly unknown world of plants and all that nature offers.
The series utilizes drones, time-lapse photography, and special camera rigs to capture the enchanting beauty of the plant world. Filming of the series took three years and in 27 countries.
Each episode in the series is based on a different environment and theme, and the best part is that at the end of each episode, viewers are walked through the different techniques used to capture the footage.
If you have a knack for documentaries, visit Amazon Prime to check Documentaries On Amazon Prime NZ.
6. Mystic (2020-)
Creators: Amy Shindler, Beth Chalmers
Cast: Max Cream, Antonia Robinson, Macey Chipping
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Watch Mystic trailer on YouTube
Mystic is based on the Pony Club Secrets books by Stacy Gregg, and it features a group of teenagers who are avid horse-riding lovers. They live in a fictional town called Kauri Point and soon have to band together in order to face a common enemy: an international conglomerate threatening the sanctity and peace of their quaint little town. Also watch some of the best shows on iON Television.
7. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World (2022-)
Creator: RuPaul, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell
Cast: Baga Chipz, RuPaul, Jujubee
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World trailer on YouTube
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. The World features renowned drag queens battling it out on an international level as they showcase their country’s drag. The winner takes home the title of Drag Race Superstar. So get ready for some fun, fiery, and fabulous action. Also, check out the list of best shows on Now TV.
8. Joe vs. Carole (2022-)
Creator: Etan Frankel
Cast: Brain Van Holt, John Cameron Mitchell, Kate McKinnon
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
Watch Joe Vs. Carole trailer on YouTube
Next, up is the TVNZ series named Joe vs. Carole. It is a limited drama series that features Carole Baskin, played by Kate McKinnon – a big cat rescuer. She embarks on a journey to close down Joe Exotic’s cub-breeding business, which ultimately pits them against one another in a 10-year-long feud. Also, check out our article on the best shows on Crackle TV or popular shows on CWTV in New Zealand.
9. Screw (2022-)
Creator: Rob Williams
Cast: Laura Checkley, Nina Sosanya, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Watch Screw trailer on YouTube
Prison dramas always captivate and enthrall audiences as they bring to light a system that, hopefully, no one has been a part of. So let’s take a peek into what happens behind bars on a lighter note.
Screw is a comedy-drama series set in an all-male prison in Britain where our protagonist is an old prison guard named Leigh. Along with a rookie officer by her side called Rose, the duo tries their best to keep a stronghold on the inmates.
You can also check out our article on the best movies on Freeview.
10. RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (2021-)
Creator: RuPaul, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell
Cast: Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Rhys Nicholson
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under trailer on YouTube
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under is a reality show taking inspiration from its American counterpart. The spin-off series follows drag queens from New Zealand and Australia who are competing for the top spot as Drag Superstars.
The series host is RuPaul, who puts on various hats within the show as mentor and head judge too. The remaining judges are Rhys Nicholson and Michelle Visage.
You can binge-watch more exciting shows on Sky TV.
11. Seven Sharp (2013-)
Creator: Andrew Hallberg. Alistair Wilkinson
Cast: Jeremy Wells, Hilary Barry, Jesse Mulligan
IMDb Rating: 4.0/10
Watch Seven Sharp trailer on YouTube
If you are a current affairs fan, Seven Sharp is the right program for you. The show format is 30 minutes long, and it deals with 3 newsworthy stories at a time. The show presenters are JeremyWells and Hilary Barry. ASB Bank sponsors the show.
12. Heartbreak Island (2018-)
Creator: Bettina Hollings, Darryl McEwen
Cast: Harry Jowsey, Matilda Rice, Mark Dye
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Watch Heartbreak Island trailer on YouTube
Heartbreak Island is a series that follows a group of single girls and guys as they mingle with one another to find their perfect soul mate. The activity places them in line to win $100,000.
If you like this show, you would absolutely love Love Island US. Do try it out.
13. Holding (2022-)
Creator: Kathy Burke
Cast: Demi Isaac Oviawe, Conleth Hill, Pauline McLynn
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Watch Holding trailer on YouTube
Holding is a four-episode series based on the novel by Graham Norton. It features the story of an Irish police officer Sergeant PJ Collins, a quiet, introverted individual who likes to keep to himself.
14. Vigil (2021-)
Creator: Tom Edge
Cast: Rose Leslie, Suranne Jones, Shaun Evans
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Watch Vigil trailer on YouTube
If you are a crime show fan, Vigil should be at the top of your list. The series features a conflict between British security services and the Navy as a Scottish fishing trawler goes missing along with a mysterious death aboard a classified submarine.
15. Killing Eve S4 (2022)
Creator: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Cast: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Watch Killing Eve S4 trailer on YouTube
If you haven’t yet watched Killing Eve, you must definitely be living underneath a rock. Starring Sandra oh, of Grey’s Anatomy fame, the series follows her as she tracks the whereabouts of a psychopath assassin all across Europe. So do yourself a favor and watch seasons 1-3 before jumping into Season 4.
Want to watch more of Sandra Oh, then Watch Grey’s Anatomy in New Zealand.
16. Trigger Point (2022-)
Creator: Daniel Brierley
Cast: Vicky McClure, Mark Stanley, Eric Shango
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Watch Trigger Point trailer on YouTube
Trigger Point is a British crime drama series that follows a bomb disposal officer. This one is sure to get you hooked as you follow the elite squad in the middle of various nerve-wracking situations within the city.
17. Friends: The Reunion (2021)
Creator: Ben Winston, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane
Cast: Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Watch Friends: Reunion trailer on YouTube
Friends: Reunion is something that every Friends fan has been hoping for ever since the series ended. Exactly 15 years later, the Friends cast regroups to talk about their time spent on the show and share the nostalgia with their fans. So get your tissues ready because this one going to be one hell of an emotional ride. Check out how to watch Friends Reunion in NZ.
18. Temptation Island (2019-)
Creator: Aliyah Silverstein, Brendan Wentworth
Cast: Deac Conti, Mark L. Walberg, Samantha Hoffman
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
Watch Temptation Island trailer on YouTube
Temptation Island is about a couples retreat in a beautiful location where the underlying premise is as follows: Once they’re at the resort, they have the option of choosing whether to stay with one another or not.
The resort also has a group of singles already there, ready to mingle with everyone. The series takes inspiration from the Dutch series called Blind Vertrouwen and is basically an ode to testing relationships.
19. Sabrina The Teenage Witch (1996-2003)
Creator: Nell Scovell, Jonathan Schmock
Cast: Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Melissa Joan Hart
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Watch Sabrina The Teenage Witch trailer on YouTube
Take a step back and dive into the world of Sabrina The Teenage Witch. A wildly popular show from our childhood, the show follows Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart), a 16-year-old girl who discovers that she is a witch.
Her aunts teach her how to use her magical powers. It also features an adorable talking cat called Salem.
You can also check out the best movies on TVNZ.
20. The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds Australia (2018)
Creator: Kate Douglas-Walker
Cast: George Wakeman, Jude Riordan, Simon Bundock
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Watch The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds Australia trailer on YouTube
This documentary-style series follows a bunch of kids aged 4,5, and 6 years old as they explore the world and all that’s in it. The children get up to all kinds of fun and mischief when the adults aren’t around. So, get ready to be bamboozled by the cuteness packed in each episode.
For more kids’ content, read Kids Movies to watch in 2022.
Final Thoughts
Got through the list? Don’t worry; You can read our TVNZ review to make up your mind about subscribing to the service and watching some of the best shows on TVNZ.
There are tons of recommendations (including TVNZ new shows 2022) where that came from. Just head over to TVNZ to check out more TV shows. Let us know your thoughts about our 20 best shows on TVNZ list.