Following the demise of alternative music show Radio with Pictures, TVNZ tried a new approach to feeding the country’s diverse audience of music fans. Taking over in the same Sunday night time slot as RWP, new show CV began each evening by concentrating on mainstream music, then progressively widened the musical palette as it got later in the evening. After an elaborate animated opening, enthused young presenters Robert Rakete, Larnie Gifford and Mark Tierney offered a new style to the minimalist cool seen on RWP. 

In this April 1989 excerpt from music show CV, local bluesman Midge Marsden interviews BB King between flights at Auckland Airport. Sitting with his beloved Gibson guitar Lucille, King reveals his dissatisfaction with his own guitar playing, his family's distaste for blues music while growing up, and his belief that the growing sophistication of blues has helped it win increased popularity. He also mentions Bono writing him a song ('When Love Comes to Town'), and his take on friends James Brown and Ike Turner getting in trouble with the law.  

In this clip from music show CV, young interviewer Robert Rakete breaks out his bass guitar for a jam with the king of the blues. Visiting New Zealand in November 1989 as part of U2's Lovetown tour, BB King sits down to talk about the value of "policing yourself" and paying your dues. Taking up the invitation to name some names, he lists a range of musical influences (the single string blues of T-Bone Walker made him go "crazy") and enthuses about some of those met along the way — from the "good at heart" Elvis Presley, to the positivity of U2. BB King passed away in May 2015.

In late 1989 U2 played to 60,000 at Lancaster Park. Exhausted by a relentless schedule and criticism of their recent explorations of American music, the band hoped for a short, fun tour with BB King. These performances were shot for music show CV. Reaction to show opener ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ shows it was a good idea not to give up on the song during recording. After the classic ‘I Will Follow’, Bono invites a cool as a cucumber audience member up to play guitar on ‘People Get Ready’. U2 went on to reinvent themselves in Berlin with the acclaimed Achtung Baby.

The departure of Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone dominates this 1989 interview with the pioneering punk rockers, represented here by guitarist Johnny Ramone and new member CJ (Ramone). Johnny talks with contained amazement about Dee Dee leaving the band, and flirting with rap. He also mentions playing on Stephen King film Pet Sematary, and fails to recall the movie that features a “great” performance by The Swingers (Australia's Starstruck). Alongside offering staunch support from behind his sunglasses, CJ describes the joy of joining the Ramones, having been a big fan. 

Sam Neill has acted in forgotten Kiwi TV dramas (The City of No) and classic Kiwi movies (Sleeping Dogs, The Piano, Hunt for the Wilderpeople). His career has taken him from the UK (Reilly: Ace of Spies) to Hawaii (Jurassic Park) to dodgy Melbourne nightclubs (Death in Brunswick). As Neill turns 70, this collection celebrates his range, modesty and style — and the fact he was directing films before winning acting fame. In these backgrounders, friends Ian Mune and Roger Donaldson raise a glass to a talented, self-deprecating actor and fan of good music and pinot noir.

NZ On Screen's Car Collection is loaded with vehicles of every make and vintage, as a line-up of legendary Kiwis get behind the wheel — some acting the part. The talent includes Bruce McLaren, Scott Dixon, Bruno Lawrence, a clever canine, and a great many bent fenders. Onetime car show host Danny Mulheron tells tales, and picks out some personal favourites here. 

Designed to inspire school leavers to find their career, Pathways sees a selection of young New Zealanders talk about their job paths. The pilot episode of this 1994 Careers NZ resource is bookended with a 'mini-drama' about young people flatting together, which includes some familiar faces. Karl Urban plays lazy surfer Wayne, while Robbie Magasiva is the sales assistant whose plans of climbing the career ladder go awry. Marcus Lush plays a DJ who links a series of interviews with people either working or training. Later Lush interviews experts on youth employment prospects.

This TVNZ doco chronicles New Zealand’s participation in 18 Empire and Commonwealth Games — beginning at Hamilton, Canada in 1930 when a Kiwi team of 18 participated in four sports. A cavalcade of gold medallists (including Yvette Williams, Dick Tayler, Anna Simcic and Neroli Fairhall) recall their glory days at the event which was set up to be “merrier and less stern” than The Olympics. Special emphasis is placed on the three New Zealand-hosted Games: at Auckland in 1950 and 1990, and Christchurch in 1974 (which hastened the local arrival of colour television).

This best of special culls history and highlights from 40 seasons of the longest running show on NZ television. Farming, forestry and fishing are all on the roster, but this edition is as much about observing people and the land. There is footage of high country musters, helicopter deer capture, floods and blizzards, as well as radio-controlled dogs and mice farmers. Longtime Country Calendar figures like John Gordon and Tony Trotter share their memories, and the show sets out to catch up again with some of the colourful New Zealanders that have featured on screen.