Finalists have been announced for this year’s NZ TV Awards, alongside the 2022 Television Legend award.
When it screened last year, TVNZ drama The Panthers broke streaming records on TVNZ On Demand (now TVNZ+) with their strongest-ever opening week for a drama. The Panthers impressed critics too, among them James Nokise whose review on Flicks called it a “slick new perspective on New Zealand’s turbulent 1970s”.
On Tuesday night at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards, Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi, Stephen Atutolu won the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award for their killer soundtrack, and today The Panthers finds itself leading the NZ TV Awards nominations, with 18 finalists in the 39 awards categories (and yes, Best Original Score is deservedly one of them). Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama/Comedy Drama, sees The Panthers guaranteed a win as it has impressively taken out all three finalist spots (with Tom Hern & Vea Mafile’o, Miki Magasiva and Chris Graham & Mario Faumui in the running).
Other major categories for The Panthers include Best Actor, where Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi goes up against Craig Hall (Head High) and 2021 TV Legend Ian Mune (The Pact); Best Supporting Actor, which sees The Panthers‘ Jordan Mooney and Jordan Vaha’akolo both finalists alongside Scotty Cotter (Kura); Chelsie Preston Crayford up for Best Supporting Actress, where the other finalists are Timmie Cameron (The Pact), Awa Puna (Ahikāroa). The Panther-free Best Actress category sees Grace Palmer (Good Grief), Miriama McDowell (Head High) and Irene Wood (The Pact) as finalists.
Janine Morrell-Gunn (Ngāti Kahungunu) is the 2022 Television Legend, recognising her contribution as former TVNZ Executive Producer for Children’s Programming and founder and director of WhitebaitMedia, which has a 23-year history of producing children’s content.
Moving family drama The Pact is up for six awards, including two nominations in the Best Script: Drama Category, with One Lane Bridge the other finalist. The Pact, The Panthers and 2020 winner One Lane Bridge go head to head in this year’s NZ On Air Best Drama category. Best Comedy sees the fourth season of hit comedy series Wellington Paranormal a finalist alongside Raised by Refugees and Kid Sister; while Best Māori Programme finalists are Ake, Ake, Ake, The Casketeers and Moana Jackson, Portrait of a Quiet Revolutionary.
In the doco/reality categories, A Mild Touch of Cancer, Stuff Circuit – Disordered and Recovery 29 are finalists for Best Documentary, while Best Original Reality Series finalists are The Ex Best Thing, Down for Love, First Responders and The Casketeers.
Kura Forrester hosts the 2022 New Zealand Television Awards gala, which will be held in Auckland on Thursday 24th November. We’re heading along, and will report back on the winners.
Until then, read on for the full list of finalists:
NZ On Air Best Drama
The Pact
The Panthers
One Lane Bridge
Best Comedy
Wellington Paranormal – Series 4
Raised by Refugees
Kid Sister
Best Factual Series
Ake, Ake, Ake
I AM: Series 3
Chatham Islanders
New Zealand On Air Best Documentary
A Mild Touch of Cancer
Stuff Circuit – Disordered
Recovery 29
Best Original Reality Series
The Ex Best Thing
Down for Love
First Responders
The Casketeers
Best Format Reality Series
MasterChef New Zealand
Lego Masters NZ
Match Fit – Series 2
Snack Masters NZ
Best Current Affairs Programme
Q+A with Jack Tame
Newsroom Investigates
Newsroom
Te Ao with Moana
New Zealand On Air Best Children’s Programme
Goodbye A.I.
Tamaiti Tū
Bird’s Eye View
Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Programme
Ake, Ake, Ake
The Casketeers
Moana Jackson. Portrait of a Quiet Revolutionary
Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Māori Programme
Nga Tohu Matariki o te Tau 2022
Te Karere
Match Fit
New Zealand On Air Best Pasifika Programme
Akanuanua
The Panthers
All Access: Moana Pasifika
Best News Coverage
Climate Change & Sea Level Rise – Newshub
Te Karere & 1 News Breaking Special – Parliament Protest
Russia Invades Ukraine – Newshub
Best Sports Programme
Scratched: Aotearoa’s Lost Sporting Legends
1-39: The Highlanders Story
East Coast Rising
Best Live Event Coverage
Super Saturday Vaxathon
Ngā Tohu Matariki o te Tau 2022 (Matariki Awards 2022)
Celebrate Matariki
Kahawai Productions / Whakaata Māori
Best Entertainment Programme
Stan Walker: Impossible Live
Semele
Jono & Ben: Good Sports
Best Director: Documentary/Factual
Johnny Agnew – Young and The Reckless
Kathleen Mantel – Chatham Islanders
Chris Graham – Scribe: Return of the Crusader
Whatanui Flavell – Ake, Ake, Ake
Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama / Comedy Drama
Tom Hern & Vea Mafile’o – The Panthers, Episode 3
Miki Magasiva – The Panthers, Episode 1
Chris Graham & Mario Faumui – The Panthers, Episode 6
Best Actress
Grace Palmer- Good Grief
Miriama McDowell – Head High
Irene Wood – The Pact
Best Supporting Actress
Chelsie Preston Crayford – The Panthers
Awa Puna – Ahikāroa
Timmie Cameron – The Pact
Best Actor
Craig Hall – Head High
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi – The Panthers
Ian Mune – The Pact
Best Supporting Actor
Scotty Cotter – Kura
Jordan Mooney – The Panthers
Jordan Vaha’akolo – The Panthers
Reporter of the Year
Lisette Reymer – Newshub Live at 6
Patrick Gower – Newshub
Barbara Dreaver – 1 News
Best Presenter: Entertainment
Kanoa Lloyd – Sort Your Life Out NZ
Nore Martin – Moon Tide Fishing
Tāmati Rimene-Sproat – Hongi To Hāngī: And Everything In Between
Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce – Jono & Ben: Good Sports
Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs
Oriini Kaipara – Newshub Nation
Jack Tame – Q+A with Jack Tame
Ryan Bridge – Newshub & AM
Scotty Morrison – Te Karere & Marae
Best Editing: Documentary or Factual
Toby Longbottom – Stuff Circuit
Sacha Campbell – Scribe: Return of the Crusader
Prisca Bouchet, Julie Alp and Annie Goldson – A Mild Touch of Cancer
Best Editing: Drama / Comedy Drama
Margot Francis – The Panthers
Bryan Shaw – One Lane Bridge
Sacha Campbell – The Panthers
Best Camerawork: Documentary or Factual
Timothy Firkin – Waka Huia
Bevan Crothers – Moko
Dominic Fryer – Chatham Islanders
Best Director: Multi Camera
Matt Quin – Rugby League: NZ v Tonga Double Header (Men)
Mitchell Hawkes – Stan Walker: Impossible Live
Tobias Jones – Celebrate Matariki
Images & Sound Best Cinematography: Drama / Comedy Drama
Nina Wells – Good Grief: Season 2
Tim Flower – Kura: Season 2
Andrew McGeorge – The Panthers
Best Contribution to a Soundtrack
Tom Miskin, Melanie Graham, Mike Bayliss, Steve Finnigan – Mystic
Native Audio – The Panthers
Gareth Van Niekerk, Brendon Morrow, Steve Finnigan – Albularyo
Images & Sound Best Original Score
David Long & Stephen Gallagher – Mystic: Series 2
Tihema Bennett – Beyond the Veil: Te Kohu (The Mist)
Jonathan Crayford, P.Smith, choicevaughan & Diggy Dupé – The Panthers
Best Post Production Design
Paul Lear – Mystic
James Gardner – The Panthers
Alana Cotton – Beyond the Veil: Te Kohu (The Mist)
Best Production Design
Gary Mackay – Production Designer, Alistair Kay Supervising Art Director, Anneke Botha – Set Decorator – Cowboy Bebop
Jane Bucknell – The Panthers
Melissa Spicer – Wellington Paranormal: Series 4
Best Costume Design
Sarah Aldridge – Under The Vines
Sammy Salsa – The Panthers
Jane Holland – Cowboy Bebop
Best Makeup Design
Sarah O’Gorman – Under The Vines
Amanda Ashton – Ahikāroa: Season 4
Kelly Mitchell – The Panthers
Best Script: Comedy
Pax Assadi – Raised by Refugees
Nick Ward – Wellington Paranormal – Series 4, Episode 5
Tom Sainsbury – Wellington Paranormal – Series 4, Episode 4
Best Script: Drama
Pip Hall – One Lane Bridge, Series 2, Episode 1
Harry McNaughton and Natalie Medlock – The Pact, Episode 2
Harry McNaughton and Natalie Medlock – The Pact, Episode 5
