Railing on the fence
Neighbours at War Monday, TV2, 8pm Kardashian, then tonight’s episode will really get you smiling. In a special guest appearance, Kardashian is introduced to Mandy Baxter at a book signing. Kardashian told Entertainment Tonight: ‘‘I play myself, so if I do bad at this, I have some issues.’’
TUESDAY New Girl
Four, 8pm An episode of New Girl is my ticket to at least one genuine laugh-outloud moment every week and that feels like excellent winter viewing therapy. Some people find main character Jess (Zooey Deschanel) slightly awkward and uncomfortable to watch, but that’s part of the charm to me, creating a nice bit of tension for the humour to hang off. There is some predictability to the show, the characters all have their ‘‘thing’’, and the will they, won’t they romance between Jess and housemate Nick clicks I was initially rather sceptical about watching a show dedicated entirely to exploring petty neighbourly spats but how wrong I was. Now in its sixth season Neighbours at War is a sweet and entertaining half hour glimpse into the homes and lives of New Zealanders around the country – the crocheted antimacassars on armchairs, the small town politics, the strange obsessions – all neatly and very funnily narrated by Bill Kerton who has some genius one-liners. After a break last week to allow for a feature-length episode of Shortlandstreet, it’s good to be back watching warring neighbours – this time two Aucklanders who are up in arms about a shared backyard. It’s a dispute that guest mediator and former Good Morning host Mary Lambie (Prime Minister John Key has also mediated on the show) will be hoping she can resolve.