TV3's top secret project is out of the bag: The Pretender is a hoax. There is no Dennis Plant, there is no Wakatipu South, and there is no Janis Goodyear.

The reality is that network has been working under cover for the past eight weeks shooting a satirical political comedy to run in conjunction with this years' general election.

And The Pretender has won immediate praise from both The New Zealand Herald and National Radio...TV3's top secret project is out of the bag: The Pretender is a hoax. There is no Dennis Plant, there is no Wakatipu South, and there is no Janis Goodyear.

The reality is that network has been working under cover for the past eight weeks shooting a satirical political comedy to run in conjunction with this years' general election.

And The Pretender has won immediate praise from both The New Zealand Herald and National Radio...after its first screening on Sunday night. National Radio declared it was 'brilliant and funny, 100 times better than Facelift.
It is actually very amusing, very satirical. There are real shades of The Office in here. If you happened on to it you would almost think it was real," National Radio enthused.

The New Zealand reported that The Pretender proved good satire in New Zealand existed and was alive and well.

The five part mockumentary paths the politicial campaign of right wing property developer Dennis Plant as he campaigns against Janis Goodyear in the close fought seat of Wakatipu South, which is effectively Queenstown.

Plant is played by Holland based Kiwi actor comedian Bob Maclaren - who was cast and brought back to New Zealand specifically for the role.

Maclaren says it was important that nobody recognized him in New Zealand - as the mockumentary got underway.

He says he's surprised at the reaction to the first episode in which the New Zealand Herald compared him to the incomparable David Brent from The Office.

"The character is a real character you see in Otago. If you got a farmer, a property developer and a tourism operator, whacked them in a blender, then you'd have Dennis Plant."

The Pretender will run its final episode the night after the general election - with everyone wondering' "will Dennis Plant win - and head to Parliament". The writers of the show are keeping the result hush hush.

The Pretender
10:25 PM SUNDAY

Where is the real battle in Election 2005? 3 has found it in the deep south of New Zealand - where two candidates are locked in a ding-dong battle for power. See their struggle when The Pretender premieres on Sunday, August 21st at 10:30pm on 3.

The two candidates have been followed for the past month by Otago film maker Cassie Young, who originally started making the documentary for Otago Regional Television.

Now 3 has scooped up the rights - this material is extraordinary, insightful, sad, and bizarre.

"It is must-see-TV if you want to see a real election battle," network executives says. "We have never seen two candidates so hell-bent on consuming each other. As soon as we saw the material - we knew it had to go on national television.

"We couldn't believe the material Cassie Young was shooting," the executives continue. "She's found a cracking little story in the south. The two candidates are very funny - without realising it. She has got in very close to the yarn - a true skill - and peeled the skin off some very thick skinned people."

Otago Regional Television has released the documentary for national broadcast because the station felt it deserved a wider audience.

OTR Managing Director, Greg Brown, says the two politicians have been brave in allowing such access, but refuses to give the game away until broadcast.

"It is the classic political battle: right versus left; man versus woman; money versus common sense.

"We have all promised Cassie that we won't spoil her story until it gets to air. So everyone here is tight lipped. But we encourage everyone to take a look."

Cassie Young - the student documentary maker - says she decided to call the programme The Pretender - a nickname she has given one of the candidates.

"One candidate sits out there on the right, but really the stars are the politicians who have allowed me into their hearts and their homes. This is their story."

Young has been surprised at the depth of interest in the seat.

"Helen Clark appears in the first episode - and is really behind her candidate. It is amazing who has come through the town. It illustrates just how tight this seat is. Murray McCully, Bill English and Rodney Hyde all appear in the documentary backing this man."

Young says media commentators, including Matt McCarten, say the seat is so close it could be won on a handful of votes. And this, she says, has led to a fascinating and sometimes nasty battle.

Thanks to The Write Stuff - E-Bulletin to the New Zealand Writer's Guild.