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This article is about the New Zealand soap opera. For the area containing the real Shortland Street, see Auckland City.
Shortland Street is a New Zealand soap opera/drama television series that was first broadcast on Monday, 25 May 1992. The show is set in a modern metropolitan hospital in the fictional suburb of Ferndale in Auckland City, and is produced by South Pacific Pictures. According to hints by TVNZ, the name may be associated with the former Shortland Street television studios in Auckland City, a mainstay for TVNZ in Auckland until the end of the 1980s.[citation needed] The real Shortland Street, in the central business district of Auckland City, has no connection with the program. In New Zealand, the show screens on Television New Zealand's TV2 weeknights, with an omnibus edition on Sunday mornings and repeats on weekday afternoons. The series is now the longest running soap opera in New Zealand.
SettingSee also: Ferndale, New Zealand Shortland Street is mainly set in and around Shortland Street Hospital, a fictitious Auckland City public hospital (which had been a private clinic until 2001 when it was sold to the government by Dr Warner). The hospital gets its name from its location on Shortland Street in the fictitious suburb of Ferndale. The hospital also houses the Shortland Street Primary Care Clinic, and its own café. There are several other locations, including The IV, a bar and restaurant, located opposite the hospital; Sugar, a café located somewhere in Ferndale; and Ferndale High School, the local state secondary school. The exterior views of the houses featured on the programme are located around the North Shore, West Auckland and Auckland City - the interiors are filmed on sets in the studio. Camera angles suggest that Ferndale is somewhere on the North Shore looking towards the Sky Tower and port of Auckland city. Other shots are views of Henderson and other parts of Auckland. From 29 June 2009, TVNZ 6 has started airing the 1992 episodes, dubbing it Shortland Street: In the Beginning [1] HistoryThe original core characters were:
StorylinesMain article: Storylines of Shortland Street See also: List of Shortland Street episodes Storylines are planned five months before they are due to be screened. Shortland Street has had a series of dramatic and scandalous storylines over the years. 1990sThe concept and format of the show was developed largely by NZ writer Ken Catran working with Fremantle Pictures. His scripts established the characters, setting and tone of the series.[citation needed] His first episode became infamous for having a sex scene between Doctor Chris Warner and an aerobics instructor, Jill (Suzy Aiken). The first episode also included the line, "You're not in Guatemala anymore, Dr. Ropata" which has since become one of the most widely recognised lines in New Zealand television. While the show was initially criticised for bad acting and poor storylines, it was praised for its sensitive portrayal of a teenage suicide storyline later on in its first year. Ratings were initially high, but within weeks they had fallen considerably. However, the show was saved from cancellation by the fact that TVNZ had pre-ordered a year's worth of episodes. By May 1993, the show was rating high enough that it was renewed, and later became the highest rating programme in the country for a brief period in August 1993. Since then, ratings have fallen somewhat, but the show remains in the overall top 10 highest rated New Zealand television shows, and still regularly rates number one in the 18-49 demographic, the key target audience for advertisers. Over the life of the series there have been many cast changes, but Michael Galvin, who plays Chris Warner, still remains from the original cast. 2000s2001, the show received much media attention in New Zealand when 14 cast members were either let go from their contracts or decided to leave. This was part of the revamp on the show which saw many new characters introduced, most notably the Hudson family, who were Maori. While Maori characters had always been featured on the show, the Hudsons were the first Maori family introduced into the show. 2003–04, the show introduced its first double killer with the Dominic Thompson storyline. Dominic was the brother of nurse Toni Thompson and was believed to be the illegitimate half-brother of Dr. Chris Warner, but after this was revealed as a lie, the pair became bitter enemies. Dominic's love affair with 17-year-old Delphi Greenlaw also created controversy and eventually saw the teenager leave town to escape him. He also killed two characters, Delphi's brother, Dr. Geoff Greenlaw (froze to death in chiller) and PA Avril Lucich (drowned in a bathtub) who had threatened to get in his way, before being killed off himself in an explosion after trying to kill Chris in an attempted murder-suicide. The storyline created immense popularity that saw the show ranked once again in the top ten highest rated shows in New Zealand. Martin Delaney also joined the cast as Samuel Whittaker for a brief period. The Irish actor played the loveable Scottish chef for a period of six months and left Delphi in search of broader horizons. 2005 saw the departure of the show's longest-serving cast member, Karl Burnett, who played Nick Harrison, after almost 13 years. Burnett was the only cast member who had been with the show since its inception (although the character and the actor did take a sabbatical from the show in 2002). Burnett retains links with Shortland Street, behind the scenes as a sound operator. Original cast member Michael Galvin had a four year break from 1996 to 2000 before returning to the series. June 2006, Shortland Street celebrated its 14th birthday and 3,500 episodes. In November 2005, Shortland Street was the winner of Woman's Day TV Choice Award for Favourite New Zealand show at the 2005 Qantas TV Awards. They won the same award again in the 2006 Qantas TV Awards. 22 November 2006 actress Laurie Foell decided to leave the series and that her character of Justine Jones would be played by Lucy Wigmore. This marked the first instance of recasting with multiple actors playing the same role, excluding child characters such as Lucas Harrison and Harry Warner where the child actor is replaced. Another character that was recast was Dame Margot Warner who was first played by Glynis McNicoll during 1992-1997, then in 2003 Dinah Priestly assumed the role of Dame Margot for the character's death. May 2007 Shortland Street celebrated its 15th birthday, as a result there were many changes that have occurred such as a refurbished hospital, new uniforms, and a new logo. A television special celebrating 15 years was screened on 13 May 2007, and on Shortland Street's actual 15th birthday (25 May 2007), the episode featured photos of previous characters and settings, which "were found in the renovations", and a reworded edition of the infamous line from the first Shortland Street episode: "You're not in Hyderabad now, Nurse Kumari." (referring to Nurse Shanti Kumari's Hindu origins and reluctance to drink alcohol). Midway during 2007 a serial killer known as the Ferndale Strangler became a well-known storyline as five women associated with the Shortland Street Hospital became his victims. The killer's identify being revealed in the season's finale as nurse Joey Henderson set his sights of attacking Tania Jeffries. Other attacks on his female colleagues failed including a random attack on a woman walk in a park. Joey's final victim to be adbducted was nurse Alice Piper on whom he performed surgery and then tried to kill. The strangler's reign of terror ended at the start of 2008 when he committed suicide by plunging to death from a storage building he had used for his macabre operation. The storyline resulted in a viewership rating surge, which at one point in November reached 60%.[3].[3]. Episode 4000 saw the return of series original Dr. Hone Ropata for a six week stint in 2008. The most significant storylines over the past few years related to a corrupt pharmaceutical company Scott-Spear and their involvement in the murders of CEO Huia Samuels killed in a car bombing and long-serving character Dr. Craig Valentine who was beaten to death by thugs and placed in his car which was torched. The dodgy drug company was also responsible for the death of another long-standing character, Toni Warner who died as a result of renal failure, contributed to a drug distributed by Scott-Spear. The storyline eventually saw the departure of Dr. Justine Jones who used a bomb placed in her car to fake her death and flee to Australia where she is currently in witness protection. Midway through 2008 Ethan Pierce joined Justine Jones' surgical team but soon replaced her when she was put under police protection. Pierce was appointed Head of Surgery by Callum McKay against the advice of Chris Warner. Ethan's hostile relationship with Brooke Freeman was not known as he set about to date Alice Piper. Ethan was overconfident as a surgeon which lead to him falling out with his theatre team. On several occasion Chris Warner was called in to continue an operation he wasn't able to complete. Ethan detested Maia which resulted in her attack on him and her being stood down from duty. The hospital were unaware that Ethan Pierce was harvesting bone tissue from cadavers in a funeral home, this was inadvertently discovered by Keiran Mitchell who like Callum McKay had bought shares in Pierce's company. Pierce forced Mitchell to drive an elderly woman to the funeral home on the premise that she was to view to her husband unaware that Pierce had killed her. Several patients became ill due to faulty bone tissue among them a child and Yvonne Jeffries lead to an investigation of Pierce's company. As the series finale drew to a close Pierce abandoned a patient in the middle of an operation and was challenged by Callum McKay who was knocked to the ground. Ethan fled to the funeral home where he killed his associate and stuffed him in the boot of a car. Ethan Pierce then went home and calmly packed his bags only to be confronted by an unseen assailant who fired three shots causing him fall to the ground. The Who shot Ethan Pierce? storyline lead viewers into 2009 season, which premiered on January 19 2009. To keep viewers interested in the storyline during the summer hiatus, TVNZ created an imaginary website dedicated to finding Ethan Pierce's killer: www.ferndalehomicide.co.nz. This site, Webisodes featured never before seen interviews that were uploaded on certain days of possible suspects and the audience are again left to decide who Ethan's killer is. Photo evidence also been uploaded of Ethan's Beach Road home where he was murdered, the gun and blood on the floor of his home where he fell, and where Ethan's body ended up (Ethan's body was not found inside his home, After being shot, he stumbled out to the beach not far from his home). Also in the season finale for 2008 Tania Jefferies and Kingi Te Wake who were kidnapped by The Whitetails gang leader, Kane Harvey. As 2009 began seven people came under police observation. Tania Jefferies and Kingi Te Wake made their escape from the Whitetails gang leader, Kane Harvey who was arrested. Kingi then left for Australia. Alice Piper who was a suspect underwent hypnosis with Luke Durville and on 28 February a voice that played in her mind lead her to discover that Ethan's killer was Maia Jeffries. Morgan's surrogate pregnancy for the Watsons played on her mind found herself without the support of boyfriend Hunter McKay whereas former boyfried Gerald Tippet had offered the support she yearned for. Cindy Watson joined the hospital as an agency nurse which disturbed Morgan while Cindy's estrange husband tries to woo Morgan. Maia Jefferies guilt got the better of her, lashing out at staff members who she accused of reading her emails, and becoming suspicious of chatter between colleagues and her constant inference in Alice Piper's life saw Alice take leave. Libby Jeffies fled overseas when her attraction to Chris Warner began badly. Libby returned with a besotted surfer who was told by Kieran Mitchell that Libby was his partner to put him off and in turns asked her for a second chance. The Ethan Pierce murder was resolved with a confession by Maia Jefferies who had a mental breakdown and had been sectioned by her sister Tania. While in the mental health unit Maia began seeing and talking to Ethan Pierce's ghost. Maia went to trial but the case was dismissed on a technicality. July 2009 Justine returned for the Scott Spears trial. She was placed in a safe house which the family had been told about. A suspicious Brooke Freeman thinking Callum was up to no good followed him to the safe house and discovered Justine who answered the door. Brooke arrived at the IV and told Kieran Mitchell was overheard by a Scott Spear thug who text Grainger. Later thugs pretended to be police came to McKay home wanted Hunter to accompanied them, being suspicious he phoned the police. As a result the children moved to the safe house. The day before the trial the family including Brooke were placed in lockdown as Grainger's thugs were watching their movements. On trial day Justine, Callum and the children were to travel to court together but Brooke's tantrums meant that Callum travelled together. Don Lennox laid in wait in bushes near the court saw two blonde women and didn't know which of them was Justine. Lennoz fired his gun when he saw Brooke who he was Justine embrace Callum. With his target down he fled pursued by the police. Brooke was admitted to hospital for treatment. Later Justine told Callum that she would return to Australia alone and she could see that he loves Brooke and should remain with her. Brooke and Callum's relationship ended briefly when he discovered that she had encouraged his daughter, Sophie, to continue a relationship, Kieran Mitchell. Gerald Tippett and Morgan Braithwaite separated. Hunter Mckay began a relationship with Aroha Reed to annoy his father over his relationship with Brooke. Hunter's love life took a knock when Aroha abruptly quit nursing to pursue a singing career on a cruise ship. Chris returned from overseas and Libby meets him at his refurbished house where she learnt that he wants to be with Gabrielle. Maxwell Avia, Kip Denton's replacement, in ED refuses to admit to gambling addiction much to the annoyance of colleague Tracey Morrison and flat-mate Brooke Freeman. Daniel Potts returned to Samoa following a brutal boxing confrontation with White Tail gang members which saw Daniel replace Tupac in a bout. After this Daniel returned briefly to Samoa, the storyline was rewritten to mention the tsumani and the mayham it cause. Shanti Kumari died suddenly from a loss of blood and kidney failure after she developed stomach cramps and it was reveal she had ectopic pregancy. soon after that it was revealed she actualy had denghi fever Current charactersSee also: List of Shortland Street characters Main characters
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