Until now, The Leftovers hasn't been available for streaming in New Zealand. That made the show seem like it was cut from the old-school television model: a hidden treasure, something for those in the know, who heard about it only through word of mouth. If you cottonedon early to this piece of brilliance by Lost's Damon Lindelof, from the Tom Perrotta novel, its arrival on Neon might make it feel a little less exclusive.
But The Leftovers, which spends three seasons examining grief in the most harrowing, haunting way possible, deserves as large an audience as possible. The show depicts events after a worldwide disaster in which 2 per cent of the population randomly disappeared, narrowing its focus on to small-town cop Kevin Garvey and the formation of a cult called the Guilty Remnant. Then things get weird. Really, very weird.
It isn't an easy watch. If you're struggling with grief, choose something else. For everyone else, The Leftovers is one of the decade's best shows and definitely deserves repeat viewing.
Voiced by sports broadcasting legend Keith Quinn, Knives Out is a miniseries documentary following New Zealand's national butchery team. Dubbed the "Sharp Blacks," the four-time champions are heading to the World Butchers Challenge in Ireland in an attempt to bring the trophy home after a run of upsets. The task? To create 80 products for a butcher's shop window in less than three hours. The result? Well, you'll have to watch it to find out.
Pose (Neon)
Ryan Murphy clearly doesn't enjoy being bored. The man behind Glee is already helming new seasons of American Horror Story and American Crime Story, but he's also got a brand new one in Pose, a show already historic for featuring the largest cast of transgender actors ever assembled for a TV series. It follows the social scene of 1980s New York, and has already had rave reviews, with Vanity Fair saying: "Beneath that smooth style is a gushy, sincere heart."
All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks (Amazon Prime Video)
Taika Waititi narrates this documentary about the All Blacks' battle with the Lions during the 2017 Rugby Championship. It's notable for showing candid moments often not captured on the field, including training session arguments, Steve Hansen putting black sheeting around the boundary of his property for privacy, and his wife joking about her husband's "monotone" voice. With Taika narrating, this is not your normal sporting documentary.
Legion (Netflix, Neon)
The X-Men TV spinoff isn't just another superhero show. Sure, it's got characters with superhuman powers, and government officials out to get them. But it's much more than than: it's an in-depth examination of schizophrenia, thanks to the wayward personality traits of lead Haller (Dan Stevens), a mutant. Need more reasons to watch? The soundtrack is excellent, Aubrey Plaza's in it, and so is Jemaine Clement. Wondering where to see it? Bizarelly, season one is on both Neon and Netflix, while SoHo is currently screening season two. Season three has been confirmed.
