I was like, OMG

Mark Richardson. Photo Facebook
Mark Richardson. Photo Facebook
I have long wondered what people like to watch on television.

Knowing is something that would give a unique insight into the minds of New Zealanders.

It would finally tell us if the country was the home of culturally literate, bookish, witty and deeply interesting people with long attention spans.

Or not.

What people like to watch on television, according to a news story I read (which is good enough for me) is (drum roll please, sergeant major) ... The Block NZ.

Yes - The Block NZ with Mark Richardson, in which four couples compete to do up four dilapidated houses thrashed within an inch of their lives by production crews.

The Block NZ with Mark Richardson, in which four couples try to build a box, then run around a heavily promoted DIY warehouse looking for a red thing, then run to a utility vehicle, then find their way to an Auckland suburb for something or other.

The Block NZ, in which four young couples are rude to each other, and say things like:

"Awwww Rhys, for &*%$'s sake ... "

"Pleeeeaaaase just do the latch Rhys."

"Ohhhh myyyy God!"

That is what people like to watch on television.

Apparently 370,000 tuned in to watch last Tuesday night's premiere of the renovation show, making it TV3's top-rating programme in 2012.

When the production company started looking for couples to "star" in the show, 1000 people applied to take part.

Last week 2000 people "liked" the show on Facebook.

On the weekend that had risen to more than 5000.

Thank God I am not some sort of cultural snob.

Imagine the cruel things I might say.

So.

The Block NZ is the first local version of an Australian renovation-reality series.

The four couples (actually one couple is brother and sister) have to fix up the homes in suburban Takapuna, where the average house price is $750,000.

Which is silly - the price, I mean.

They have to do the job in 10 weeks, while being distracted with what TV3 describes as Richardson's "quick wit and dry humour".

They are also distracted by financial constraints, resulting in what TV3 describes as "a rollercoaster ride with lots of surprises and twists".

There are plenty of responses on the Facebook site.

As James says: "Tyson and Rachael omg".

Or this from Louis: "Oh my god i love the block i would die to be on that show!"

And this from Bianca: "lol i knew i recognized Ginny Death. went to school with her."

What does all this tell us?

Something or other about New Zealanders.

Or something ...

What was the question again?

 
- Charles Loughrey.

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