Kiwis have been quick to find inventive ways to cope with the shock resurgence of COVID-19 in our community.
Comedian Chris Parker has taken up felting again, the 'NZ Lockdown Memes' Instagram account is gearing up for a comeback and avid fans of the daily 1pm COVID-19 briefings are writing reviews of their "favourite show" on a dedicated IMDb page.
The '1pm Daily Update' page on the online film and television database already has seen a slew of reviews of "season two", starring Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield as the "heroic" leads.
Newshub political editor Tova O'Brien also features in the "cast".
At the time of publishing, 177 IMDb users have given the show a rating of 9.8/10, with many praising the "incredibly gripping" storylines and "dramatic twists".
Bloomfield is noted in one review as being "really the main reason for watching", with another dubbing his pairing with Ardern as "the best duo since Mulder and Scully".
"The dynamic duo are back on our screens giving us our daily dose of information. Season 2 has already started with a bang, what will happen next?" one review asks.
"The largely unknown cast has a bright future. Look out Hollywood, the Kiwis are coming!"
Another reviewer said the dynamic between Ardern and Bloomfield "make the virus the third wheel in the story and keep you captivated", asking "what more could you want as a reminder to eat lunch?".
"If you are one of the rare people who not impressed by the show I would suggest that you head to the supermarket and do the social distancing thing, everyone else is watching."
Many of the reviewers expressed surprise at the arrival of a "second series" so soon, "since the season one finale seemed to have wrapped up all the storylines".
"The introduction of the conspiracy theory subplot has certainly brought a new flavour - though it's a little soon to say whether it'll be able to hold my interest for more than a handful of episodes," one reviewer wrote.
Another hoped season two would have a short run, writing: "My main hope is that the channels have not ordered an overlong second season - I think a limited series would be ideal."
