Two new comedy series will bring more uniquely kiwi laughs to TV screens in 2017.
Paranormal Event Response Unit is a series conceived by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi as a TV spin-off from their highly acclaimed feature film What We Do In The Shadows.
In Paranormal Event Response Unit police officers Karen and Mike keep us safe from supernatural phenomena in their own police reality series. It will screen on TVNZ 2.
Only In Aotearoa for Māori Television features short, sharp comedy skits from a distinctly Māori perspective. Based on a webseries funded by NZ On Air and Te Māngai Paho in 2015 and incorporating te reo, the comedy sketches discuss what young people could be worried about on a very bad day.
“Comedy is serious business and notoriously hard to get right. We are delighted that Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi are bringing their talents to smaller screens in Paranormal Event Response Unit. And we loved the Only In Aotearoawebseries so are delighted it is transitioning to television,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.
Topping off the comedy slate, perennial favourites Jono And Ben and 7 Days, both proven incubators for comedy new talent, will return to keep the comedy coming on TV3 on Friday nights.
Funding details
Jono And Ben 2017, 26 x 1 hr, MediaWorks TV for TV3, $1,717,042
Paranormal Event Response Unit, 6 x 30 mins, Two Canoes for TV2, $1,402,273
7 Days 2017, 32 x 30 mins, MediaWorks TV for TV3, $1,056,000
Only In Aotearoa, 8 x 30 mins, Kura Productions for Māori Television, $241,886