Outrageous Fortune returned to New Zealand TV last night for its fourth season - bringing the lives of our favourite Westies back to our small screens for another year. What is is store for us this season? Cheryl battles the forces of Wolf to defend her kids and her castle, Pascalle returns, and apparently we can expect some very risque sex scenes.

Some months ago, it was announced that the show would be made for US audiences when the rights for an American version of the show were sold to the ABC network, to be developed by the writer of popular shows Veronica Mars and Dawson’s Creek.

This follows a similar situation in Australia where their iconic show Kath & Kim was sold to a US network for production - and will star Hollywood scarlet Selma Blair. Who will take on the roles of the beloved West family stateside? Time will only tell. Outrageous Fortune has been immensely successful in New Zealand and is also showing in Australia and Britain in its current form. It’s also spawning international acting opportunities for some of the stars, it particular Grant Bowler who plays Wolf, who has been seen recently on several episodes of top rating show Lost.

Flight of the Conchords, another NZ TV show making headlines overseas has had some similar international success this week, with actress Jennifer Aniston expressing her interest in guest starring on the show’s second season. Rumor has it that Stephen Speilberg has also requested a copy of the first season from the lead Kiwi stars Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie.

Watch out world, Kiwis are storming small screens left, right, and centre this year!

Image from Flickr.

Flight of the Conchords - two of our best known (and funniest) comic ambassadors - have won a prestigious Grammy award for their EP, The Distant Future.

For those not familiar with this quirky musical duo, Flight of the Conchords is the comedy-child of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. As well as being stand-up comedy musicians (a hard act to pull off), the two stars have created their own self-titled television series, which is now into its second season - due on our screens later this year.

The Distant Future features original songs, each a classic in its own right. You’ll laugh out loud at their clever lyrics and dead-pan parodies - and set your player to repeat. Listen out for the heartfelt ‘Beautiful Girl’ (”you are the most beautiful girl in the room”) and the heartbroken ‘I’m Not Crying’ (”these aren’t tears, it’s just been raining on my face”).

Released in August last year, the Distant Future was just a taster of more to come - in the words of one reviewer, a tidbit “to satisfy the group’s growing rabid fan base” while a more substantial offering was recorded. A full-length album is due for release in the United States on 22 April. Until then, you’ll have to get your fix of offbeat comedy and alt-folk tunes by buying the award-winning Flight of the Conchords EP.

Am I the only one who feels a tingle of pride when Kiwis make it big overseas? We can all bask in the glow of successful, talented New Zealanders like Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, otherwise known as the Flight of the Conchords. (Yes, I have been heard to rave about Clement’s performance in Eagle vs Shark).

This comic musical duo has hit the bigtime in America, a notoriously difficult market to crack. With humour that’s refreshingly dry, the series has attracted a cult following in America, the United Kingdom and at home. Sure, they’re funny to us, but it’s rare for our comedy to translate so well globally. Defying the odds, the show has been dubbed “a very smart, very funny show” by reviewers (and viewers) everywhere. All those YouTube clips, ringtones, t-shirts and ‘Conchordisms’ being thrown around are sure signs these Kiwis are soaring to heady heights.

Now, I’ll admit I heard the hype long before I laid ears on the dulcet tones of these two quirky songbirds, but unlike many hyped acts these guys live up to their publicity. The show’s premise is simple: two Kiwi musicians head to London to make it big, with only a stalkeresque fan and a manager who can’t seem to land them any gigs. Sounds like this might be based on a true story?

If you’re not yet a Conchords convert, tune in for classic love ballads like these: “You’re so beautiful, you could be a waitress… You could be an air hostess in the Sixties… You’re so beautiful, you could be a part-time model, but you’d probably still have to keep your normal job.”

Mondays, 10:00pm on Prime Television. Be there.

Last night I was lucky enough to witness a battle between an eagle and a shark.

Alright, they were people dressed up in animal costumes, but all the same, it was even more entertaining than it sounds. I’m talking, of course, about the newly released Eagle vs Shark. This off-beat tale, from film maker Taika Waititi, takes us into the lives of a couple of misfits who turn out to be a perfect fit for one another.

It was refreshing to see a romantic comedy that was actually funny. Both Lily (Loren Horsley) and Jarrod (Jermaine Clement, of Flight of the Conchords fame) were likeable and believeable as quirky outsiders living on the fringes of society. With touches of bittersweetness, Eagle vs Shark was hilarious for the most part, featuring countless laugh-out-loud moments throughout. My pick for best scene must go to the game-off between Eagle and Shark, who fight to the death (in cyberspace), in front of a crowd of partygoers dressed as animals. Classic stuff. Watch for the horse boy.

This is a must-see movie, so get out there and support the Kiwi film industry!

For more New Zealanders on the big screen, visit our New Zealand movies category.