Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

The Paper   Following up on the story from "The Office," the documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch discovers a disappearing Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters. This mockumentary follows the daily lives and struggles of dreamers in love with journalism, and their less-than-competent co-workers, trying to deliver acc...

The Roses   Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Theo and Ivy: successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. However, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentments soon emerge when Theo's career nosedives and Ivy's own ambitions take off.    Ice Road: Vengeance   A grieving American ice road trucker, Mike McCann, travels to Nepal to fulfil his late brother...

This is the perfect thing for a Father’s Day brekky or brunch – it’s so easy and you can adapt it for your dad’s taste buds by adding bacon, chorizo, flaked smoked fish, avocado, and the rest.   Serves 4     Ingredients  500g Agria potatoes, washed   1 medium onion, sliced thinly   2 tbsps. olive oil   2 tsp curry powder   1 tsp sea salt + decent grind black...

When you’re young you can’t imagine a point in your life when you’re living with physical limitations.   I mean, sure, maybe you’re not as strong as you’d like to be. Maybe you’re not quite as quick and fit as some of your mates. But for me at least, the thought of a relatively straightforward physical action being too difficult or too painful never even crossed my mind. You take health and d...

Lynda La Plante is the queen of crime fiction.  She has 50 novels to her name and is the creator of hit TV shows like Prime Suspect , Widows , and Above Suspicion. Her works place compelling and determined women centre stage – Anna Travis, Jane Tennison, and Lorraine Page just a few of them.   La Plante’s latest novel introduces a new lead detective, CSI Jessica Russell, as she brings to...

The fourth studio album from Auckland-based band The Beths, ‘Straight Line Was A Lie’ explores some deeply personal topics within the band’s classic indie-rock sound.   Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the band’s introspective album.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Bobbing about on my bucket list for far too long, I’ve finally just enjoyed my first foray to heart-stealing Hamilton Island. Glamourous and gorgeous in equal measure this holiday jewel in the Whitsundays archipelago completely smashed my expectations. With an embarrassing surfeit of island vacay options in Queensland, I had assumed Hamilton Island, or Hamo as the locals call it, might just be an...

There’s a common belief that having a pet is good for one’s wellbeing. You often hear stories about how looking into a dog’s eyes gives you an emotional boost or that using real and fake animals in rest homes boosts residents’ moods, but it turns out it’s not a guaranteed path to better mental health – reality is more nuanced.   Some studies do find that pet owners report lower anxiety and lo...

Manhattan Down by Michael Cordy   On the anniversary eve of the 9/11 terror attack, New York swelters under a heat dome of record temperatures. Even the global leaders assembled at the UN HQ are forced to admit that the climate crisis has reached boiling point and the world's time is running out.   That same day, at precisely 5-25 p.m., everyone on Manhattan Island - every man, woman and...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 30 August 2025, the grand dame of crime fiction, Lynda La Plante joins Jack to discuss how her characters fit in the modern world of publishing and her new book ‘Scene of the Crime’.  Jack weighs up the balance between transparency, trust, and the public service.  As thoughts turn towards summer, travel correspondent M...

Iron deficiencies are an important but often hidden issue – the most common mineral deficiency in the world. Not having enough iron in the body can lead to a range of health problems.      Why is iron so important in the body?   It’s important for making red blood cells in our blood, which carries oxygen around the body.   If we don’t have enough iron, we don’t produce eno...

Understaffed 911 call centres are turning to AI to help   911 callers come with some of the most urgent and serious issues, most of the time. But people also, stupidly, call 911 for noise complaints, lost wallets, and more. People see 911 as the way to reach the police.    This means the operators are run off their feet dealing with all sorts of nonsense. Now there's a startup train...

Atomic   Two civilians get caught up in a cartel's uranium smuggling across North Africa. Facing a nuclear threat, they must decide whether to save themselves or stop the bomb delivery while evading agencies and traffickers (TVNZ+).    King & Conqueror    In the mid-11th century, noblemen Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy are exploited as pawns in royal plots on...

The Courier smiled as he deposited the two catalogues on our door-step – he knows we’re Nature Nerds, and so do the lovely folk at Kings Seeds.    We both settled in front of the fireplace, going through the Nurture/Nourish reading. I was checking all the tomato varieties and other food delicacies, while Juuls browsed all the pretty stuff in Kings Seeds line-up.   Always interesting...

Caught Stealing   When his punk-rock neighbour asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, New York City bartender Hank Thompson suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters who all want a piece of him.     The Thursday Murder Club   Four retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing ta...

This is surely the quickest dinner at under 15 minutes from start to finish and you can serve it hold or cold!   Serves 2   Ingredients   160g dried soba noodles   2-3 cups good quality vegetable stock   150-200g fresh NZ salmon, 3cm cubed   2-4 stalks broccolini, halved lengthwise   ½ cup snow peas, halved lengthwise   1 teaspoon sesame oil   Black or...

Whether it’s the government, international organisations, higher education, or the media, one of the defining dynamics of the social media age is the deteriorating trust in public institutions.  It’s extraordinary, really. At a time when humans are on the whole wealthier, healthier, and more dominant than at any other time in our species’ history, we’re more distrustful of the institutions th...

A true New Zealand music legend, Don McGlashan has written some of our most-loved tunes.  From ‘Anchor Me’ in his time with the Mutton Birds, through to his incredible work as a solo artist and his compositions for film and television.  In 2023 McGlashan went on a very special tour around New Zealand, and off the back he’s released his first solo live album – ‘Take It To The Bridge’.&nbs...

"The Sunshine Coast’s sparkling reputation as a powerhouse of premium local produce continues to raise the bar. Brimming with over 900 food and drink producers, grazing from this constantly replenished larder of goodness helps underpin the region’s bragging rights as holiday heaven. I’m just back from a fresh dip with the Sunshine Coast, after indulgently noshing and sipping my way around her beac...

The third album from Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, ‘A Matter of Time’ represents a shift towards vulnerability and emotional expressiveness.  Her two earlier albums were heavily influenced by the ‘Great American Songbook’, filled with her now iconic blend of jazz, classical, and pop influences.  ‘A Matter of Time’ is a look inwards, Laufey’s interest in seeing how she could draw ou...

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbo    This killer has a story.  When a small-time crook is shot down in the streets of Minneapolis, all signs point to a lone wolf, a sniper who has vanished into thin air.  To tell it, he needs to get caught.  When the shooter strikes again, it’s maverick detective Bob Oz they call in to crack the case. They don’t think this victim will be the last.&nbs...

Growing your own vegetables is one way to stay sustainable in the kitchen, but it’s not the only way to keep your food habits sustainable.   It’s not just about the garden, there are simple kitchen swaps that reduce waste and packaging, and Kate Hall joined Jack Tame to run through a few of them, including:  DIY basics: making your own yoghurt, bread, or soda water (less packaging, fewer...

Haydn Jones is a little late to the trend, but this week he started baking sourdough.  Falling in between the craft beer and veggie garden stages, nothing says you’ve hit middle-aged quite like a sourdough starter.  This was exemplified for Haydn by the visit he and his friend made to Briscoes on their hunt for a good baking dish.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 23rd  August 2025, music legend Don McGlashan joins Jack to discuss his first ever solo live album, ‘Take It To The Bridge’, recorded during his very special 2023 NZ tour.  Jack reflects on the official confirmation of famine in Gaza. Good things come in twos and Francesca Rudkin contrasts two brand new comedy films –...

Before we lose our Winter Scenes, it might be an idea to get up at sunset and look around your garden (or a nearby forest, if you like). Spiders are in many places, despite the cold, icy conditions. The best time to see their “websites” is on dew-laden mornings – the owners are nearby and await the rising of that wintry sun.  Spider silk glands have liquid proteins called spidroins. They're a...