Things we're enjoying this week
Rec Room #2 – "One of the best things I've ever seen"
Kia ora, welcome back to the Rec Room.
It’s now been just under three weeks since an event I described at the time as “one of the best things I’ve ever seen”. I’m talking of course about the live recording of Youth Wings: The Debate at the Auckland Town Hall.
Man it was good. Just incredible theatre, you know? Granted it was the first and only political debate I’ve ever been to, but I can’t imagine how it could have possibly been any better with real politicians.
The full 34-minute special is available to watch now, if you want to see what I mean. And if you haven’t watched the five main episodes yet, you should definitely watch them all first.
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter, hope you find something you like in it.
– Cal
Culture editor Sam Brooks recommends Academy On Demand, Academy Cinema’s film streaming service where every day is like $5 Wednesday. “It's such an easy service to navigate, with a huge selection of really good films that aren't available anywhere else. I'm watching one or two a night.”
Podcast manager Jane Yee recommends Crossy Road Castle on Apple Arcade. “It’s 10.52pm on a Tuesday night and I can’t see myself heading to bed anytime soon because I’m a chicken bouncing around a castle with strangers on the internet… and I love it.”
Managing editor Duncan Greive recommends Snowball, the fourth season of the ABC’s Unravel true crime podcast. “Ripper yarn about a simple lovely NZ boy who fell under the spell of an amazing con-woman. Made by New Zealander Ollie Walls, who just got appointed head of music for TikTok NZ/AU.”
Everybody who’s tried it recommends the new Whittaker’s x Bundaberg Brewed Ginger Caramel chocolate. Food editor and Dietary Requirements podcast co-host Alice Neville’s initial reaction was “quite good”, but she later admitted “I can’t stop eating the Bundaberg choc.” Meanwhile intern Sherry Zhang posted the above pic with the caption “this shit slaps!!” Quite rare for a new food fusion product to receive such unanimous praise – seems like this one could be the real deal.
Youth Wings director Eddy Fifield recommends new A24-produced documentary Boys State on Apple TV+ (neither, but I signed up for the free seven-day trial on the strength of this recommendation alone). “An incredible documentary, it’s basically like the uber-American version of Youth Wings crossed with the The Stanford Prison Experiment.”
Partnerships director Matthew McAuley recommends The Moe Show. “This lockdown I’ve mostly been re-watching The Moe Show – It’s culturally inclusive, educational (it taught my four-year-old how to do a handstand while i was making coffee) and genuinely very funny, very often.” Season three is available on TVNZ On Demand, and all seasons are available on Vimeo.
Finally, live updates editor Stewart Sowman-Lund has a great ICYMI suggestion: “For anyone else as late as I was, SUCCESSION 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮” Honestly I’ve been meaning to watch Succession for ages and those emojis are the most persuasive recommendation I’ve seen yet. Both seasons are available on Neon.
Youth Wings
The final episode of Youth Wings came out on Monday, featuring Aryana Nafissi from the Young Nats. Poor old Aryana watched three different party leaders come and go in the time her episode was being filmed, but maintained a relentless positivity to rival that of Jacinda Ardern throughout. Youth Wings: The Debate, as previously mentioned, is an absolute must-see once you’ve finished all five episodes.
Alice Snedden’s Bad News
The Bad News juggernaut rolls on with two more huge episodes out this week. Available now is the fifth episode in the new series, Women’s Bodies, in which Alice attempts to normalise non-sexualised nudity by filming some extremely funny Shortland Street scenes with screen hubby Chris Parker. And tomorrow on The Spinoff is the Euthanasia episode, in which Alice invites a range of guests from across the ideological spectrum (including old nemesis David Seymour) to a special dinner party to help figure out what to vote on the assisted dying bill.
Gone By Lunchtime
The Spinoff’s flagship politics podcast has secured some new technology which made this week’s remote recording way less of an ordeal than last week. Regular trio Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas converged in the cloud last night to discuss the week’s political agenda, including the ongoing Covid response, the emergence of Dr Shane Reti as a viable opposition health spokesperson and whether or not the voting age should be lowered to 16. And if you listen right to the end, Ben Thomas tries a Mountain Dew flavoured Dorito.
Business Is Boring
The latest episode of Business Is Boring is all about fine wine. Simon Pound chats to Sam Harrop, one of fewer than 400 Masters of Wine in the world, who reckons the New Zealand fine wine scene has massive potential for growth. With operations both here and in Europe, Sam definitely knows his grapes – but he also has little time for wine snobbery, which makes him very easy to listen to on the topic.
Final Mix
Final Mix is a series in which music journalist Yadana Saw takes New Zealand musicians for a drive to road test their new tunes. So far she’s had Tami Nielson and Church & AP in the passenger seat, and coming this Friday there’s a new episode with Samuel Flynn-Scott from The Phoenix Foundation, who have a new album coming out very soon.
That’s all for this week. Reply to get in touch, and please share Rec Room with anyone else you think might like it.
See you next Wednesday 👋