australian television information archive

Scared To Death

Episode 5.01 (17)
Sun, October 28, 2018
Written by Tim Balme
Directed by Murray Keane

It's the annual Brokenwood A&P show, time for that special kind of Kiwi carnival! Amidst the shearing displays, the 'Calf Day' competition and wood chopping, is the usual assortment of fun rides and fairground attractions. The sun is shining on happy family entertainment and ever popular this year is the shonky old Ghost Train.

But when the surly A&P boss, Harold Wilbury, takes the minute-long ride as a safety check he gets the fright of his life. Shunted in his carriage through the final curtain, Harold greets daylight wide-eyed and dead. He is quite literally gone in 60 seconds.

When a man dies of fright surely there is no question of murder — it's just a case of bad luck. Then again how scary was the Ghost Train ride really?

Curiously, Madame Magdalena in the Fortune Teller's tent predicted the tragedy. Was that coincidence or a way of adding credence to her credibility? The Ghost Train operator, Johnny Oades, swears it's nothing to do with him, but there is a question over falsified health and safety checks. And why is Daisy Rose the fairy princess so unhappy?

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Elizabeth McRae as Mrs Marlowe, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Jason Hoyte as Ray, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Zara Cormack as Kimberly, Phil Peleton as Neil, Katlyn Wong as Dr Jackie Lee, Greg Johnson as Harold, Olivia Tennet as Daisy Rose, Barry Duffield as Simon, Kerynn Walsh as Diane, Rachel Nash as Sandra, Nancy Brunning as Magdalena, Greta Gregory as Nicky, Jamie Irvine as Johnny, Neenah Dekkers-Reihana as Hine, Phillip C Gordon as Marty, Josh Harriman as Tough Guy, Cian Elyse White as Chontelle

Bride Not To Be

Episode 5.02 (18)
Sun, November 04, 2018
Written by Pip Hall & Tim Balme
Directed by Katie Wolfe

The Cream Boat is a charming vessel that chugs its way up the scenic Brokenwood waterways. It carries sightseers and Christmas parties and often Hen Parties. Professional tennis player, Ophelia (Fee) Marley, is one such lucky Hen. Her Bridesmaids have organised a big day migrating from the township via the Cream Boat to the Tidal View Lodge where they stay overnight.

The following morning the Cream Boat returns to pick up the girls, but as the captain is about to dock a macabre and ethereal sight greets him. Fee is floating semi-submerged downstream in her wedding dress and veil. At first it may seem a tragic drowning, a result perhaps of too much revelry, but Gina reveals she was in fact dead before she entered the river.

Where was Fee's fiancé the night of the murder? And why is Best Man Darryn so reluctant to co-operate? Is he covering for his mate or is it something else entirely? Darryn's reticence is partially explained by the fact that he is deaf. Kristin's knowledge of 'sign' comes in handy as the team works to solve this mystery.

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Colin Moy as Hughes, Elizabeth McRae as Mrs Marlowe, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Zara Cormack as Kimberly, Greta Gregory as Nicky, Cian Elyse White as Chontelle, Anna-Maree Thomas as Ophelia, Peter Feeney as Marcus, Dan Musgrove as Scotty, Leon Wadham as Darryn, Amanda Tito as Zoe, Stephen Lovatt as Alex, Caleb Thorn as Peter

Tontine

Episode 5.03 (19)
Sun, November 11, 2018
Written by James Griffin & Tim Balme
Directed by Thomas Robins

Cycling is very de rigour around the globe and no less in Brokenwood. When one such MAMIL, (Middle Aged Man In Lycra), Lester Nyman, reaches the top of a local mountain after a gruelling ride and suffers a massive coronary, it doesn't seem suspicious. But then Gina reveals his toxicology showed astronomical levels of caffeine in his system and Mike starts to look more closely.

It transpires Lester was one of ten people inheriting shares in a substantial local farm. The Will, left by Lester's father Karl, is legally known as a tontine. Curiously, four members of this tontine have recently died from natural causes or unfortunate accidents and as such their shares are absorbed by the remaining members.

Lester's brother Trevor is helpful in their enquiries but not so much his lawyer Madison Mathers. She sees her professional responsibility to execute the will to the best of her ability making sure everyone gets their fair share.

And why is Reverend Greene part of the tontine? It was no secret Karl didn't believe in the church. Was it simply that he wanted to goad the good Reverend into putting capitalist values above his service to the Lord?

The further Mike and his team delve it appears this was all a grand and malevolent plan by Karl Nyman to let his friends and family tear themselves apart in a feeding frenzy of greed and avarice.

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Elizabeth McRae as Mrs Marlowe, Pana Hema-Taylor as as Jared, Roy Ward as Reverend Greene, Will Hall as Trevor, Paul Glover as Lester, Peter Muller as Oscar, Debbie Newby-Ward as Madison, Gabrielle Henderson as Tammie, Kieran Foster as Manu, Ilona Rodgers as Mrs McTavish, Bede Skinner as Jethro, Kirsten Ibbetson as Awhina, Craig Walsh-Wrightson as Karl, Ingrid Park as Jools, Peter McCauley as Magnus, Jonny Moffatt as Dion, Kerynn Walsh as Diane

The Dark Angel

Episode 5.04 (20)
Sun, November 18, 2018
Written by Tim Balme
Directed by Mark Beesley

On the edge of Brokenwood sits an abandoned mental health facility, an asylum named Brokenwood Downes. Now derelict, the spooky buildings provide a great hideout for local teenagers.

But one young couple freak-out when they stumble upon the body of an elderly man in the old hospital wing strapped to a gurney with electrodes connected to his temples. It would seem he was the victim of electrocution by Electroconvulsive Therapy.

The victim is Jakob Deschler who used to be the Superintendent of the asylum when it closed in 2011. Recently released from jail for charges of torture it appears that his murder was a revenge for his past cruelty. Mike and the team focus on a group of ex-patients of Brokenwood Downes. The few that have remained in the area are an eclectic bunch of misfits still struggling to reintegrate into the mainstream of society.

However, several of them are under the care of local psychotherapist Amy Curnow, whose expertise enables Mike to get a greater insight into the minds of these unique characters. She also has a knack to get Mike to open up about some more personal things about himself. Could it be that our hero is taking a shine to Amy?

Mike's interrogation skills will be pitted against the smarts of this crack psychologist. Will it be a case of Mike finally meeting his match — in more ways than one?

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Colin Moy as Hughes, Elizabeth McRae as Mrs Marlowe, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Pana Hema-Taylor as Jared, Jason Hoyte as Ray, Shane Cortese as Dennis, Dean O’Gorman as Barnaby, Aidee Walker as Amy, Tandi Wright as Lulu, Alison Bruce as Fiona, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Phil Peleton as Neil, Greene Roy Ward as Reverend, Hera Dunleavy as Cassie, Milo Cawthorne as Christopher, Andrew Clay as Gerry, Nick Blake as Jakob, Katlyn Wong as Dr Jackie Lee