Random: Three's new teen comedy is set in Gore
Plus: the second episode of docuseries Home Education, a deliciously dark British comedy and a new season of The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes NZ.
There’s not a lot of Gore in this new series about growing up in Gore
Most probably think of it as a small country town, but when I moved there from an even smaller country town at age 15, Gore was a metropolis. It had a Warehouse. It had a movie theatre next to a hairdressers that was open on a Wednesday (a Wednesday!) night. It had two supermarkets and a roundabout. It had lots of bogans and lots of centre parks. There were opportunities in Gore, especially if (like me) you enjoyed staring at the shiny ball gowns in Farry’s and then strutting next door to Deka for a big bag of pic’n’mix and dreams of golden days to come.
So it was with an optimistic heart and a brain full of repressed memories that I dived like an old brown trout into Three’s new coming-of-age comedy series n00b, which makes the rare move of setting its story in Gore. The year is 2005 and Nikau (Max Crean), captain of the first XV and most popular student at the fictional Gore College, is in the midst of a social downfall. In a time when the internet offered new ways to escape and connect, Nikau has a secret passion for writing fanfiction shipping Ashton Kutcher and Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. When his secret is exposed, his social stocks plummet.
Outed as gay, Nikau is ostracised by friends and family. He has to navigate the unpredictable social hurricane of high school – as well as the exciting world of the internet – so he can learn to embrace his true identity.
N00b began as a popular TikTok series created by Victoria Boult (who wrote and directed the TV series) and Rachel Fawcett (who produced). The expanded six-part series aims for a Sex Education vibe, a show that pours teenage angst and raging hormones into a rocket fuel of real world issues like sexuality, family tensions and unplanned pregnancy. The result is a hectic comedy cocktail, and a show that’s anything but subtle.
In n00b’s world, you know you’re not cool when the rugby lads refuse to do “soggy biscuit” with you any more. The first few episodes feature circle jerking, a beer bong up someone’s arse, projectile vomiting, electrocution and senior citizens dialling up cowboy porn in front of high school students. The team of young actors do a solid job of bringing the show’s archetypal characters to life. Some moments feel more genuine than others, like the all-encompassing rugby culture and the school trip to the freezing works (my fifth form school camp also included a tour of the Dunedin hospital laundry facilities, as well as the Ravensdown fertiliser factory).
There’s a lot going on in n00b, and it comes at you at a fierce, big energy pace. The tone is set in the opening moments, with a reenactment of Havoc and Newsboy’s infamous “gay man’s Gore” 1999 satirical rant. It was a moment that triggered a shameful over-reaction from some locals, but n00b is a useful new lens on this pop culture moment to explore how a teenager would come to terms with his own sexuality in such an environment.
But if you were hoping to see Nikau’s girlfriend Lauren Conrad (no, not the Lauren Conrad) walk the hallowed halls of H&J Smith’s or watch Nikau talk to the deer at Bannerman Park, think again. Apart from a few stock shots, n00b wasn’t filmed on location in Gore, and it’s missing some recognisably Gore-y details that would add authenticity to the story. It’s weird that nobody in this Gore rolls their r’s (this really was “thirty purple work shirts” time to shine). That might seem like a small, irrelevant point, but putting five thousand r’s in “curly-wurly” is an unavoidable part of growing up in Southland, which is the story that n00b purports to tell.
N00b reminds us that sometimes you can’t help where you live. Maybe it’s using Gore just for the punchline, or perhaps as the story unfolds, n00b will have something new to say about “gay old Gore”. But even if it is using Gore’s negative reputation to springboard into comedy, this series could be set in any New Zealand town where prejudice and ignorance simmer on the surface. The chaos and cliches in this teen dramedy won’t be for everyone, but if you’re nostalgic for the era when the internet was full of hope and escape – and you don’t mind watching numerous circle jerks – you’ll appreciate what n00b has to offer.
N00b streams on ThreeNow.
Why you should watch: Home Education (The Spinoff)
Our second episode features Felix, who is neurodiverse and found it difficult to find a school that fit him. Now, he’s making friends at Forest School where he goes weekly and building up his confidence at improv theatre classes. He’s taught at home by his mum Rachel, who never thought she would be home educating, ever. Struggling at times to keep Felix motivated in his learning at home, Rachel taps into his passion for world history (and their recent discovery of a former top-secret bunker in Mt Eden) as the means to inspire deeper engagement.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.
Why you should watch: Sweetpea (Neon)
Rhiannon has a long list of people she’d like to kill, and it turns out that being overlooked and ignored by everyone is the perfect cover for being a serial killer. That’s the premise of this dark but delightful “coming-of-rage” dramedy Sweetpea, which follows the meek and mild Rhiannon (brilliantly played by Yellowjackets’ Ella Purnell) in her twisted journey to self-confidence through the art of murder. The series is made by the team behind Heartstopper and Slow Horses, and has plenty of self-deprecating British humour to balance out the bleakness. I loved this; one for fans of deliciously moody and quirky comedies.
Next week: Our most ambitious pop culture project ever
For over a decade, The Spinoff has been passionate about local television. Next week we launch our most ambitious project yet: a definitive list and ranking of the Top 100 New Zealand television shows of the 21st century.
A panel of seasoned critics and our in-house couch potatoes have made their calls. The countdown to number one starts Monday, October 21, at 9am.
As a Rec Room subscriber, you’ll get the rankings delivered directly to you as soon as they're live each day.
Why you should watch: The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes NZ (TVNZ+)
A new season of this local documentary series has just started on TVNZ+, and it promises to be as emotional and thought-provoking as the first. The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes sees renowned chef Ben Bayly return to oversee 10 new volunteers with young-onset dementia as they manage a busy restaurant. We watch the volunteers learn new skills in preparing meals, welcoming guests and running service, as the series reminds us that people with dementia still have valuable contributions to make to society. As we wrote last year, this is reality TV with purpose, a series that “allows everyone in our community to thrive, which is something reality television rarely does.” Bring tissues.
More pop culture news from The Spinoff:
The 2024 Celebrity Treasure Island champion has been crowned, and the season has come to an end. Enjoy Alex Casey’s final power ranking, and then check out our interview with the winner.
Speaking of CTI, this season’s most unlikely star and one-time Shortland Street addict Christian Cullen shared his life in TV with us.
Renowned New Zealand author Gavin Bishop reveals his secret reading habits in this week’s Book Confessional.
Alex Casey spoke to stars of The Office Australia (Prime Video) Felicity Ward and Edith Poor about bringing the beloved sitcom down under.
On the eve of the release of her new single, former Goldenhorse frontwoman Kristen Morrell shared her perfect weekend playlist.
Is celebrity book culture good, actually? Claire Mabey is a convert.
“Two things I am a very uncasual fan of is writing and punishing myself, which is how I found myself at the 24-hour film marathon at Auckland’s Hollywood Avondale theatre on Saturday night.” Lyric Waiwiri-Smith took one for the team and survived an epic 24 hour movie marathon.
It’s been 30 years (30!) since Heavenly Creatures was released, and I loved Alex Casey’s rewatch of the Peter Jackson classic, three decades later.
As always, we’ve got the best TV shows and movies to watch this week in our new to streaming list.
Why you should watch: Keeping Faith (TVNZ+)
I’ve been on a bit of a British crime drama binge on TVNZ+ recently, but it was a recommendation from my mum that led me to Keeping Faith. It’s the story of a lawyer who comes home from work one day to discover her husband has vanished. No note, no clues, but soon things start to get weird. Set in the beautiful Welsh countryside, and starring the reliably good Eve Myles (best known for her role in Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood), Keeping Faith sometimes risks veering into melodrama, but it’s never dull. The mystery holds you from the start and doesn’t let go – and it’s nice to have a crime drama that doesn’t rely on pairing two mismatched cops together. / Stewart Sowman-Lund
Before we pop off…
The NZ TV Award nominations were announced this week, with After the Party (TVNZ+) leading the charge with 10 nominations (including best actress for Robyn Malcolm, and best drama).
A groundbreaking new scripted drama series Tangata Pai is currently filming in Taranaki and Auckland. Starring Nicola Kāwana, Shavaughn Ruakere and Jayden Daniels, it’s the first primetime drama to feature 30% of dialogue spoken in te reo Māori. The series will launch on Three and ThreeNow next year.
Looking for a new hobby? Do you love robots and fighting? Gabi Lardies has you sorted.
Big news for Bluey fans, both young and old: Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show is heading to Aotearoa in April 2025. Who says cartoon dogs can’t be real?
Always here for Mariah Carey’s crusade against overhead lighting. Turn off the big light!
And finally, Lucy from Shit You Should Care About has some great and timely advice about how to grieve Liam Payne.
That’s it for Rec Room for this week. If you liked what you read, why not share Rec Room with your friends and whānau.
