STAR LETTER

Other than the funny sci-fi series The Orville, which is tucked away on Duke in an evening slot, I find that a lot of my television viewing now comes from afternoon shows and I don’t mean game shows or soaps. Once Upon A Time, which was once deemed a high-rating show that demanded the much-coveted primetime slot of 8.30pm, is now relegated to a Saturday afternoon. So I record it and watch it in its primetime slot, in place of one of the many mind-numbing reality shows that are screened. Another afternoon gem, which has just come to an end, is Red Rock, an Irish police drama along the lines of The Bill. This too is watched in a primetime slot, knocking out another mindless reality show. And probably deemed too interesting or intelligent by network programmers to show at a normal time was the much-applauded The 9th Floor, a documentary series featuring interviews with past New Zealand Prime Ministers. Sadly, this was aired in the early afternoon on a weekend, but again shown in a primetime slot by me, dislodging another reality show from my evening screen. Of course, you may be thinking that there are more reality shows in primetime than interesting or entertaining programmes on television that I can find to show in their place. Wrong. You are forgetting entertaining dramas like Training Day,

Lethal Weapon, The Wrong Girl, Rizzoli & Isles and The Catch, which programmers have relegated to late-night viewing – so late, those working can’t stay up to watch. And not a swear word to be heard. Perhaps this is the reason they aren’t shown in primetime?

Terry (Whang rei)