As TVNZ makes its new season announcement, we take a look at the big bunch of new shows all the networks are debuting in the coming weeks.
Television New Zealand has announced its new season, the first of the local channels to reveal what it's got coming up going into 2016.
Many of the local drama in the announcement has already been revealed such as a major series about Sir Edmund Hillary, the Australian-NZ co production 800Words, and multi-night drama Filthy Rich all due next year.
But with an increasing number of shows being fast-tracked from the States, a glut of new shows out of the US for the northern autumn and increasing competition from video on demand services, it seems the new season really starts any day now.
So there is good news for those who won't be spending their couch time in the coming months watching Rugby World Cup replays.
There will be returns in the coming months of hip-hop dynasty drama Empire (TVNZ, starting September 29), Downton Abbey's final season (Prime), My Kitchen Rules (TVNZ) renovation reality show The Block (TV3 starts September 29), The Walking Dead (TVNZ), Flash and Arrow (TVNZ) The Blacklist (TV3), and local crime drama The Brokenwood Mysteries (Prime September 27).
While Sky's SoHo has - after some lacklustre recent months - a glut of returning shows starting in October. That includes new seasons of Homeland, The Leftovers, American Horror Story: Hotel, The Affair, Fargo and The Knick as well as new medieval series The Bastard Executioner starting at the end of this month.
Here's 10 hot new shows coming to a mostly free-to-air screen near you soon ...
1. The Muppets
No it's not a new show, though The Muppets haven't been on prime time here for many years. This revival follows the success of two movies - and the announcement that Kermit and Miss Piggy have consciously uncoupled.
The new show will be a mockumentary-style series, going behind the scenes of Miss Piggy's Up Late with Miss Piggy. Kermit remains executive producer, Fozzie is the warm-up comic and Gonzo the head writer.
2. Supergirl
Coming soon to TVNZ is, yes, yet another superhero show. Supergirl is the first female superheroine in a lead role on the small screen since Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman in the 1970s.
A scene from the TV show Supergirl.
Played by onetime Glee cast member Melissa Benoist, Supergirl/Kara works as an assistant for media mogul Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) when she's not saving the citizen of National City with the help of Daily Planet photographer James Olsen and her bioengineer sister Alex.
3. Funny Girls
Coming soon to TV3 is this all-female six-part comedy sketch series starring Rose Matafeo, Jacki van Beek, Laura Daniel, Kimberly Crossman, Siobhan Marshall, Natalie Medlock, Madeleine Sami, and Antonia Prebble among others.
Funny Girls.
Says the advance publicity: "Think Broad City meets, Inside Amy Schumer and alongside Key and Peele - it's very funny."
4. The Player
Nineties action star and former vampire Wesley Snipes stars in a thriller series set in a world where the a shadowy club of wealthy folk can wager on whether major crimes can be stopped before they happen. Snipes plays a Las Vegas pit boss co-ordinating the betting while ex-military guy Alex (Philip Winchester) has to stop the house from paying out while also seeking answers about the murder of his wife. Starts September 29.
5. Ash Vs Evil Dead
It's the TV show horror fans have been waiting for - and it was filmed in New Zealand. Ash vs Evil Dead sees the return of cult movie figure Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) as he takes on a cast of undead with his sidekick Pablo and his trusty chainsaw.
A scene from Ash vs Evil Dead.
It's from Sam Raimi. Lucy Lawless has a role. So you really should watch it when the series debuts on The Zone on Halloween.
6. Heroes Reborn
Starting September 28 on TV3, this is the reboot of the mid-noughties show following ordinary people discovering their superpowers.
A scene from Heroes Reborn.
Returning from the old show to a largely new cast is the shady Noah Bennet (Jack Coleman) the non-superpowered onetime government agent father of Claire Bennet. Also returning is the time-travelling Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka)
Harris is bringing his own to variety show to TVNZ on Friday nights from October 2. The show is based on the British telly fixture Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, the show is reportedly a collection of Youtube-friendly short segments including hidden camera pranks and a different live performance each week from the versatile host.
The Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris.
8. Limitless
Coming to Prime, this series is a spin-off of the Bradley Cooper hit movie about a washed up writer who turns into a massive over-achiever after a dose of designer drug NZT. The show picks up after the end of the movie with Cooper's character now a politician but the main character is Brian (Jake McDorman) as the pill-popping instantly omnipotent do-gooder doing the senator's bidding.
9. The Shannara Chronicles
Expected to start screening in January on The Zone, this MTV-backed fantasy series was filmed in New Zealand earlier this year and stars Manu Bennett and fellow Middle-earth old boy John Rhys-Davies in an adaptation of the novels by Terry Brooks.
10. Doctor Who
The new season of Doctor Who.
No it's not a hot new show. It is 50 years old. But it is starting its new season on Sunday September 20 with the coming week also seeing debuts by new sci-fi series Zoo and the return of The Big Bang Theory.
