28 August

Melissa asks: When will season 5 be available on DVD in NZ

Hi Melissa,

Refer to the FAQ up the top of this page. Note a DVD isn’t released until the entire season has played on NZ television. Look out for a release later this year. We’ll keep you posted.

26 August

Craig Hall in the upcoming play, KILLER JOE:

Ansel Film PosterOutrageous Fortune‘s Craig Hall (plays Nicky Greegan) stars alongside Sara Wiseman (played Danielle), Beth Allen (Shortland Street), Charlie McDermott and Colin Moy in the upcoming play, KILLER JOE.

The play is by Tracy Letts and runs from Friday September 11th through to Saturday October 3rd at The Basement Theatre, Auckland.

Move over True Blood: the real trailer trash are coming to town. Heads roll, shatter and blow in KILLER JOE, the savagely funny, pitch-black comedy by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Tracy Letts, making its New Zealand debut.

Tickets: Preview: $20, Adults: $30, Concessions: $25, Actors Equity: $20.
Bookings through iticket – www.iticket.co.nz, or 09 361 1000. Door sales available on the night.

Further information: The Basement website.

25 August

Constant to My Purpose

Pascalle is channelling her grief into visiting Grandpa, who must be miserable. He disagrees and claims to be enjoying the peace and quiet. But in the exercise yard, he meets an angry Dane Harris – only to be rescued by none other than Sparky. So much for peace and quiet. Pascalle rarks up Jethro about Grandpa’s appeal, and then finds Jethro isn’t taking one because Grandpa has given no instructions. But Pascalle isn’t about to give up. Judd is surprised when Ngaire again appears for dinner and Cheryl suffers her abuse. Judd finds that this is yet another West Code: crime wives are entitled to free meals from their associates. Judd fears it will do bad things to Cheryl’s blood pressure, so visits Grandpa to suggest he plead guilty to get it over with. Grandpa, on principle, refuses. Sparky has slightly insane plans to break out of jail and insists he will take Grandpa with him.

Pascalle confronts Munter about his disloyalty in not visiting Grandpa, Munter is far too paranoid to visit someone involved in the job. He is therefore freaked when Gerard arrives at the pub – but it turns out this is to invite Pascalle for a drink. But she informs Gerard she cannot drink with him when the police opposed bail for Grandpa. Munter takes his fears to Nicky, who is disturbed to hear of the connection between Pascalle and Gerard.

Grandpa is appalled to find an injured Dane has been moved to his cell. Grandpa is sure that Dane is a plant, an attempt to get a cellmate confession and is angry. Sparky fears for Grandpa, but Grandpa is confident he can deal to Dane Harris. His method is cruel and unusual farting. Grandpa finds that Dane is a worthy adversary in this department, and also that he denies being a narc. Grandpa also finds that Dane has been moved in with him to save him from being beaten up and that he’s not as staunch as he makes out. Grandpa becomes an unlikely mentor to Dane on how to do time with pride and dignity.

Cheryl nearly blows her top with Ngaire, but this is interrupted as Nicky visits Pascalle to warn her against associating with Gerard. She spurns him and gives him the message she gave Gerard. She will never listen to him while Grandpa is inside.

“I’ve shat better cellmates.” – Grandpa

Nicky nobly tells Grandpa he can give him up if it will get Grandpa out. But Grandpa again refuses on principle. Nicky visits Jethro in frustration. The old man is clearly crazy and this should be grounds for an appeal. Nicky warns Gerard stay away from Pascalle, and realises Gerard is doing this to goad him. Despite giving Nicky short shrift, Jethro takes the insanity idea to the family, who are keen for various reasons. But when Pascalle proposes that Grandpa should feign madness to get out, he is appalled. Ngaire feels the same, but this gives Loretta an idea. So she visits Grandpa to suggest that Ngaire may be playing fast and loose. Grandpa is roused to jealousy, and will not believe Ngaire’s protestations of innocence. But he also decides that he will play mad.

As Ngaire swears her love for Grandpa. Pascalle now finds that the police are not opposing bail and Grandpa is released on compassionate grounds. She further finds that the insanity idea was Nicky’s. But Gerard turns this round to suggest that Nicky only did this so Grandpa would be declared unfit to testify against him. Grandpa returns home and after an impassioned appeal from Ngaire, forgives her. But since his bail conditions require him to live at West house, Cheryl realises they will never get rid of Ngaire. But now as Pascalle meets Gerard for that drink, we find that there has been a prison break, and Sparky did manage to escape. And Pascalle has decided to mend her broken heart by accepting comfort from Gerard.

  • Gutter Black

    (David McArtney)
    Southern Music Publ. Co. (A’Asia) Pty. Ltd

    Performed by Hello Sailor

    Courtesy of Zodiac

  • The Gap

    (Fuelset)

    

Control

    Performed by Fuelset

    Courtesy of Fuelset

  • Up For Air

    (A Thorne)


    

Native Tongue Music Publishing

    Performed by The Calico Brothers


    Courtesy of Double Happy Music

  • Pink And Red

    (B Parkes/MThomas/Helen Greenfield)
    Control

    Performed by The L.E.D.s


    Courtesy of The L.E.D.s


25 August

Good news, bad news…

Is it like some twisted rule of the universe that where there is good news, that bad news must automatically follow?

We got Grandpa out of prison today – which is good news (except if you have to use the toilet after he’s been in there). But the bad news is that because his bail conditions are so strict, and he basically can’t leave the house without notifying several government departments, that bloody Ngaire is infesting our place, like the human incarnation of one of Grandpa’s nastiest farts.

I tried my best to break them up, I swear. I saw an opening and I went for it, for Grandpa’s own good; but no, the hold that evil banshee has over him is unholy and she was last seen dragged him off her crypt, to feast on his blood. The saddest, scariest thing is that he was going willingly.

I often look at Ngaire…

Actually, that’s a lie, I try not to look at Ngaire if I can help it because she gives me the creeps. But when I am forced to gaze upon her I tend to wonder which horror film she has escaped from, to come and torment us here in the real world.

George A Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (or any of the sequels) is an obvious starting point when studying Ngaire’s place in the horror world. She has the general all-round pallor, demeanor and craving for human flesh of a good zombie, but with elements of Bride of Frankenstein and the 1960 Hammer horror The Brides of Dracula thrown in for good measure. Yet there is also more than a passing resemblance to the creature from Alien (especially around the mouth) plus the same skin tones as Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. For some reason Re-Animator also springs to mind, mainly when I see her in profile – I don’t know why.

So really, when you think about it, Ngaire is really just whole movie genre rolled in to one streak of evil. And right now she is downstairs, consuming Grandpa’s soul and consigning him to hell, which I guess makes them both The People Under the Stairs.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

I know I’ll be locking my door from now on.

25 August

Series 5 Episode 14: Tuesday 1 September, 9:30pm – TV3