Channel-hopping keeps interest alive
The trick for television on Saturday night was to make a one-horse race more exciting than it really was and TV One and TV3 both pulled that off with their competing coverage.
“I’ve been told to stop saying ‘fascinating’,” announced a semidelirious John Campbell in the heat of it all on TV3’s Decision 14, as he juggled commentators, analysts, interviews, comedy spots, sudden segues to excited reporters at party headquarters and often ill-timed speeches by all those party leaders.
One (Kim Dotcom) even apologised. Another (David Cunliffe) appeared oblivious to his own demise. The winner was triumphant, yet classy.
Yes, there was much drama in the United Future’s Peter Dunne keeps an eye on election coverage at the Khandallah Bowling Club. predictable, as National cruised like a big grey battleship to victory, smaller craft sunk or were damaged all around them, TV presenters variously honking (leftie Campbell) or smirking (rightie Hosking, on TV One’s Vote 2014).
Early on, there was far too much interest in the tragic buffet at United Future’s HQ, but as the votes moved from trickle to deluge and the inevitable took monstrous shape, it all got a little gripping.
TV One had the better show, solid, gimmick-free and none of 3’s nervy, slightly chaotic approach, but I happily spent the night drifting between the two. Rugby was the winner on the day. Well, Israel Dagg was. His “I just voted for JK” tweet was brought gleefully to the table by Heather du PlessisAllan, TV One’s social media snooper for the night.
The set-up at my place was also high-tech: a TV in the lounge, a radio in each of the bathrooms, a laptop in the kitchen. I learned that Hone Harawira was gone from Guyon Espiner while in the loo.
On TV One, for some reason, Toni Street was sitting on the panel. Probably a rostering stuff-up, we decided.
These things can happen in a big organisation.
Hosking was a steady hand on the tiller, he really enjoyed saying sentences that had “Labour” and “diabolically” and especially “an appalling campaign”.
On TV3 John Campbell was standing up, a good move as it’s always best to keep Paul Henry where you can see him. Henry was having fun, he also got good use of the words “diabolically” and “appalling”.
Overall TV3 had the edge, but TV One had Willie Jackson who added some much needed tabasco to proceedings before, predictably, erupting with his favourite word “disgrace!”
They also had Jehan Casinader who was in hilarious form at Peter Dunne’s party HQ.
It was less of a sausage sizzle on Maori TV, where an all-women panel presented the soberest broadcast of all three.