Finalists announced for the New Zealand Television Awards

Jordan Mooney (centre) plays Jordan Luck in The Dance Exponents - Why Does Love?, up for 11 nominations at the NZ TV Awards. Photo / supplied

They made us question Why Does Love Do This to Me but come November 22, the bigger question will be Who Loves Who the Most, as Sunday Theatre drama The Dance Exponents vies for 11 prizes at the Huawei Mate20 NZTV Awards.

Kiwi stars of the small screen will be out in force at The Civic, where the industry's best and brightest will be honoured, including this year's frontrunner The Dance Exponents – Why Does Love.

Season two of Australian TV series Wanted, which was shot in Dunedin and Central Otago, follows with eight nominations, while Westside and The New Legends of Monkey follow with five each. Westside creators South Pacific Pictures also earned three nominations for the trans-tasman drama 800 Words.

Veteran journalist Tini Molyneux will receive this year's Television Legend award, recognising her work at Te Karere, Waka Huia, Marae and her 10 years as One News' Māori Affairs correspondent.

In the acting categories, Aidee Walker, Rebecca Gibney and Antonia Prebble will face off for best actress while Jordan Mooney, Rick Donald and Mark Mitchinson are up for best actor.

NZ On Air Best Drama Series

Wanted S2 (Three)
Cleverman (TVNZ On Demand/Duke)
Westside S3 (Three)

Best Feature Drama

The Dance Exponents – Why Does Love? (TVNZ 1)
Catching the Black Widow (TVNZ 1)
Resolve (TVNZ 1)

NZ On Air Best Factual Series

Coast New Zealand (TVNZ 1)
Grand Designs New Zealand (Three)
I Am… (TVNZ 1)

NZ On Air Best Documentary

NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka (RNZ)
Stan (Three)
The Valley (Stuff)

Best Original Reality Series

The Casketeers (TVNZ 1)
The Big Ward S2 (TVNZ 1)
Lost & Found (Three)

Stage & Screen Best Format Reality Series

My Kitchen Rules NZ S3 (TVNZ 1)
Dancing with the Stars NZ (Three)
Married at First Sight NZ (Three)
The Block NZ S6 (Three)

Best Lifestyle Programme

Topp Country S3 (TVNZ 1)
Karena and Kasey's Kitchen Diplomacy S2 (TVNZ 1)
Mind Over Money S2 (TVNZ 1)

Best Current Affairs Programme

The Hui (Three)
Taken by the State (Newsroom.co.nz)
Stuff Circuit (Stuff)

NZ On Air Best Web Series

Baby Mama's Club (TVNZ On Demand)
Friday Night Bites (TVNZ On Demand)
Lucy Lewis Can't Lose S2 (ThreeNow)
Alice Snedden's Bad News (TVNZ on Demand)

Best Children's Programme

Thunderbirds Are Go - Pukeko Pictures & ITV Studios (TVNZ On Demand)
The New Legends of Monkey - See-Saw Films (TVNZ 2)
What Now - WhitebaitMedia (TVNZ 2)

Te Māngai Pāho Best Maori Programme

NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka - Great Southern Film & Television (RNZ)
The Casketeers - Great Southern Film & Television (TVNZ 1)
Ahikāroa - Kura Productions Ltd (Māori Television)

Te Māngai Pāho Best Reo Programme

Whaikōrero - Enter The Dragon Ltd
Waka Huia – Timoti Karetu - Scottie Productions (TVNZ 1)
Te Karere (TVNZ)

Best Pasifika Programme

Fresh 2018 - Tikilounge Productions (TVNZ 2)
Tales Of Time – Coconet TV - Tikilounge Productions
Weaving Rainbows – Coconet TV - Tikilounge Productions

Best News Coverage

Te Kāea (Māori Television)
Newshub (Three)
1 News (TVNZ)

Monstavision Best Sports Programme
Race for Motutapu - Alex Lewis Productions (ALP) (Three)
McKayson NZ Women's Open Countdown - Sky Network Television
No Regrets - Sky Network Television

Best Live Event Coverage

ANZAC Dawn Service 2018 - Māori Television
Election Aotearoa Māori Seats Debate - Māori Television
Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards - Three

Best Comedy/Comedy Entertainment Programme

Funny Girls (Three)
Jono & Ben (Three)
High Road (Lightbox NZ)

Best Director: Documentary/Factual

Felicity Morgan-Rhind - Topp Country S3 (TVNZ 1)
Peter Burger - Artefact (Prime)
Mitchell Hawkes - Stan (Three)
Toby Longbottom - The Valley (Stuff Circuit)

Screen Auckland Best Director: Drama

Danny Mulheron - The Dance Exponents – Why Does Love? (TVNZ 1)
Peter Salmon - Wanted S2 (Three)
Michael Hurst - Westside S3 (Three)

Best Actress

Aidee Walker - Catching the Black Widow (TVNZ 1)
Rebecca Gibney - Wanted S2 (Three)
Antonia Prebble - Westside S3 (Three)

Best Actor

Jordan Mooney - The Dance Exponents – Why Does Love? (TVNZ 1)
Rick Donald - 800 Words S3 (TVNZ 1)
Mark Mitchinson - High Road (Lightbox NZ)

Reporter of the Year

Melanie Reid (Newsroom.co.nz)
Paula Penfold (Stuff)
Jehan Casinader (TVNZ)

Best Presenter: Entertainment

Mihingarangi Forbes - NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka (RNZ)
Chris Moller - Grand Designs New Zealand (Three)
Anika Moa - Anika Moa: Unleashed S1 (Maori Television / TVNZ On Demand)
Jono Pryor & Ben Boyce - Jono & Ben S7 (Three)

Best Presenter: News and Current Affairs

Mihingarangi Forbes - The Hui (Three)
Miriama Kamo - Marae (TVNZ 1)
Mike McRoberts - Newshub (Three)
Duncan Garner - The AM Show (Three)

Television Legend

Tini Molyneux