Photo: 123RF
Looking for something a bit different to watch this summer break? RNZ has you covered.
There are more than 100 series and films available to watch in our video section, from current affairs and documentaries to kids’ shows and comedy.
Here are some of the highlights to check out, curated by us for you.
Popular Documentaries
From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes The Haka Party Incident, an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.
Or if literature is more your thing, try Joy, Full and Fearless, which follows the trauma and triumph of Joy Cowley’s astonishing life as New Zealand’s prolific, widely published and celebrated author of children’s fiction.
Untold Pacific History is a dynamic and often provocative account of NZ’s relationship with the Pacific, while Cutting the Curve is a bold docuseries on fashion, power, and visibility in an era of diet drugs and shrinking ideals.
Check out the full playlist of popular documentaries here.
Photo: RNZ
Hidden Gems
A collection of some of the best bits you might have missed this year, including This is Wheel Life, a look into the lives of Soph and Indy, the quadriplegic-carer-cousin duo.
Marauders promises glorious handycam footage from the Fat Freddy’s Drop 2003 debut European tour, while NZ Hip Hop Stand Up tells the stories behind some of the most influential tracks in Aotearoa hip hop.
Crown Lynn: A Māori Story is a riveting slice of New Zealand history, telling the iconic story of Crown Lynn pottery and the generations of Māori families that worked there.
Check out all the hidden gems here.
Photo: RNZ
Comedy Picks
Need a laugh?
Alice Snedden’s Bad News is an eight-episode docu-comedy about political and social issues confronting 2020 Aotearoa.
The Citizen’s Handbook is a 10-part video and podcast comedy series and civics class for all New Zealanders, created by the award-winning team behind the popular satirical web show White Man Behind a Desk, and starring Robbie Nicol.
Meanwhile, in each episode of ConspiraSeries, Bubbah gets first-hand insight from the locals, while motion graphics and animation visually represent the subject matter, whether it be the Te Anau moose, the flying spaghetti monster chilling over Mt Vic or the penis-shaped aviation patterns in Canterbury.
Find more of RNZ’s best comedy videos here.
Photo: RNZ
Tamariki
Get your young ‘uns into RNZ! Check out Music with Michal – sing, dance, laugh, and play while learning music.
Or perhaps they’d like Bigsies and Littles – two penguins exploring everyday life, finding big meaning in little moments – or Josh Thompson’s My Favourite Dead Person, a sketch show for kids that honours New Zealand history by telling some of our incredible, funny, inspiring, and outrageous stories, while highlighting what makes them unique and relevant to our special corner of the world.
What Will I Be Today? is a vibrant, imaginative pre-school series that celebrates curiosity, creativity, and cultural diversity.
And The Aotearoa History Show tells the story of New Zealand and its people from its geological origins to modern day.
More of RNZ’s original kids’ shows can be found here.
Photo: RNZ
Natural history and science
Want to spend summer filling your brain with facts? RNZ has you sorted.
In Our Other Islands, Troy Kingi, one of NZ’s most-beloved musicians, embarks on a journey to explore the fascinating “other” islands of Aotearoa, delving into their histories and legends, chatting with the locals, and enjoying some delicious kai.
In My Cyclone Gabrielle, four award-winning Kiwi filmmakers capture the aftermath of the storm from where they live, in some of the worst-affected regions of the country.
Antarctica in a Warming World exposes the continent’s dramatic climate shifts, from melting ice to rising seas, showing how changes at the world’s edge threaten Earth’s shared future.
Go here for the full natural history and science playlist.
Musician and composer Don McGlashan speaks to Guyon Espiner in studio for ’30 with Guyon Espiner’ season 4.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
2025 Releases
RNZ’s newest video content includes some of the shows already mentioned, and more – including 30 With Guyon Espiner, a series of 30-minute interviews with prominent Kiwis, completely raw and unedited.
Bird’s Eye View focuses on four feathered friends who love to ponder and debate the bizarre behaviours of humans in their natural habitat, while Shine On Katherine Mansfield introduces a cast of Kiwi characters inspired by her writing, her short stories, and her tempestuous life.
The All Goods Race is a fast-paced, feel-good reality adventure that throws two of Aotearoa’s biggest social-media personalities, Torrell Tafa and Terewai “Trexx” Kopua, into the ultimate test of resilience, humour, and Kiwi spirit as they race across the motu.
Back to Timor follows the journey of four Kiwi military veterans who return to East Timor 25 years after serving as peacekeepers there. The big question for them: did they make a difference?
And that’s just scratching the surface! Check out all RNZ’s 2025 releases here.
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