Best New Zealand drama series

The four Johnson brothers have inherited the powers of the Norse gods. Because the gods lived eons ago, however, time has diluted the powers. The unique ability that each brother possesses isn't very strong, and they still have the same desires and faults that mortals do. Their lives include sibling rivalry, trying to get girls, and hanging out; but they also want to be stronger, and so they embark on a quest to fulfill an ancient prophecy in hope of gaining the full strength of their abilities.

In the near future, creatures from ancient Aboriginal mythology endowed with extraordinary physical traits have emerged and must coexist with humans. Known as 'Hairypeople' they battle for survival in a world that wants to exploit and destroy them. One young man – The Cleverman – struggles with his own power and the responsibility to unite this divided world, but he must first overcome a deep estrangement from his older brother.

In a seemingly quiet country town the newest resident, Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd, finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location.

The 19th-century tale of love, murder and revenge as men and women travel across the world to make their fortunes on the wild West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.

Penny’s world implodes when she accuses her husband Phil of a sex crime against her daughter’s teenage friend and nobody believes her.

Creamerie is set in a post-apocalyptic future where a viral plague has wiped out 99% of men, and Earth has become a planet run by and for women. There’ll be plenty to laugh at when three Kiwi-Asian women running a dairy farm encounter – shock, horror – a man!

The Wests are a one-family crime wave with a proud tradition in thievery, larceny and petty crime, until now. When patriarch Wolfgang West is sentenced to four years in jail, his wife Cheryl decides enough is enough; the family are cleaning up their act and going straight. Can the Wests live up to Cheryl's resolve and stay out of crime? It's not easy to be a saint when you have the DNA of a sinner. Outrageous Fortune follows one cheerfully trashy crime family's attempts to stay out of trouble: matriarch Cheryl, determined to save her brood from following in their father's footsteps, eldest son Jethro, an ambitious lawyer-to-be with a few secrets, Jethro's twin Van (identical except in the brains department) who only wants to be like his dad, 18-year-old Pascalle, who wants to be Rachel Hunter, 15-year-old movie buff Loretta, who is blackmailing her teacher, and Grandpa Ted, who may have Alzheimer's - unless he's just playing it up to annoy people. Then there's Detective Sergeant Wayne Judd, the West family nemesis; the Hongs, a wealthy Asian family who may or may not have Triad connections, Caroline Darling, Loretta's deputy principal, who has been having an affair with Jethro since he was a 15-year-old student, Munter, Van's best mate and partner in crime, and Wolf himself, who does not intend to take his wife's sudden wave of righteousness lying down. Outrageous Fortune is a family comedy-drama about the wrong sort of people trying to do the right thing when the rewards for going straight are neither immediate nor bountiful. Outrageous Fortune is a bold, fresh comedy-drama which is by turns bawdy, action-packed, satirical and trashy - but only ever a heartbeat away from reality.

The Tribe is a New Zealand/British post-apocalyptic fictional TV series primarily aimed at teenagers. It is set in a near-future in which all adults have been wiped out by a deadly virus, leaving the children of the world to fend for themselves. The show's focus is on an unnamed city inhabited by tribes of children and teenagers. It was primarily filmed in and around Wellington, New Zealand. The series was created by Raymond Thompson and Harry Duffin and was developed and produced by the Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group in conjunction with the UK's Channel 5. It has aired on over 40 broadcast networks around the world.

By day, Joe is a cleaner at the police station. But by night, he has another line of work - he's a serial killer who's been dubbed The Christchurch Carver. When another woman is murdered, the police suspect The Carver, but Joe knows it wasn't him.

During a murder investigation in Queenstown, an ambitious young detective reawakens a spiritual gift that endangers the case, his career and his life.

Set against the backdrop of the stunning Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand, Maggie and Tom arrive to escape his oppressive family and start a business. When Tom disappears, buried secrets and family plots make paradise less than perfect.

Anaís Mallory is a smart and savvy homicide investigator who after returning to her hometown, and taking the lead detective position, faces a series of startlingly complex murders with links to her family's tragic history.

This Is Not My Life is a 2010 New Zealand television mystery thriller which originally aired on Television New Zealand's TV ONE channel on Thursday nights. Set in the 2020s, the show centres on Alec Ross who awakes one morning to find that he doesn't know who or where he is and doesn't recognise his wife or children. The story is set in the fictional town of Waimoana. The series is written by Rachel Lang and Gavin Strawhan and directed by Robert Sarkies and Peter Salmon. Thirteen episodes have been produced. Though the show only lasted one season, it has been announced American network ABC has purchased the series to adapt for an American audience.

The story of legendary safe cracker and career criminal Ted West and his firecracker of a wife, Rita. Combining real events and the rich folklore of the West family and associates, this is rollicking history, and a tempestuous romance, set at a time of great social upheaval.

Rebecca Gibney and Charles Edwards star as two city slickers who inherit a failing vineyard in rural New Zealand.. the only problems are that neither of them has ever done a hard days' work- and they despise one another.

The (mostly) true story of how the most comically inept gang to ever join forces got half a billion dollars' worth of meth to New Zealand shores - and nearly to market. And they would have got away with it too, if it wasn't for a pesky 70-year-old Māori diesel mechanic and his aqua-aerobics instructing wife!

The lives and loves of the residents of Ferndale.

After skipping town a decade ago, transgender activist Caz Davis returns to the remote, politically divided dairy community of Rurangi, hoping to reconnect with his estranged father, who hasn't heard from him since before Caz transitioned.

Nothing Trivial is funny, warm and romantic and about people at a crossroads in their lives, particularly when it comes to finding that significant other to love and grow old with. It’s about people trying to find the answers to life’s big questions, while answering a whole lot of small and trivial ones… and winning the bar tab while they’re at it!

Three illegitimate children discover they each have a claim to the fortune of one of NZ's wealthiest men, John Truebridge. With so much money on the line, John's legitimate family will do anything to stop these new, unexpected heirs!

When office temp Jane discovers that Rose, the PA she is replacing, died under mysterious circumstances, she joins forces with Rose's best friend Linda to get justice for Rose. Along the way, they find others who need their help, victims of fraud, theft and injustice, and soon Jane, Linda - and a team of unlikely co-workers - are taking on the corporate bullies, fighting for justice and using their unique powers for good.

A group of horse-mad teenagers who are regulars at their local stables on the fictional NZ peninsula of Kauri Point. Worrying incidents surrounding a new industrial development prove the catalyst for a series of events that means the group have to risk everything in order to save their horses.

Sensing Murder is the New Zealand's and Australian psychic investigators on TV2 NZ/AU. Presented by Rebecca Gibney, the 90-minute episodes follow the team of gifted psychics – Australian Deb Webber and Kiwi’s Kelvin Cruickshank and Sue Nicholson – as they attempt to uncover new leads in more of New Zealand’s most intriguing unsolved cases. Each case puts two psychics to the test to see what they can uncover with a team of private investigators analysing their findings. The program recreates the victims’ last known living moments in a dramatic and stylised production. The reconstruction is based on forensic information, extensive research with case experts and family, along with interviews from police who were involved in the investigation. With no prior knowledge about the crime, the psychics reveal astounding new information about the victim, case and perpetrator – groundbreaking information that has the potential to break these cases wide open.

This drama charts the rise of high school rugby stars, Mana and Tai. Under the guidance of their step-father coach Vince and police officer mum Renee, the brothers fight to achieve the Kiwi dream of the black jersey.

Auckland, 1974 - in the face of increased racial-targeting, a group of Polynesian students and street gangsters form a revolutionary movement for justice and equality.

Classic saga of the merchant and his family shipwrecked on a South Seas island. This adaptation of the Johann David Wyss tale was one of the Pax network's initial offerings.

A surrogacy deal goes wrong when pregnant Nicole changes her mind about giving best friend Tessa the baby she is carrying for her. The ensuing emotional rift splits the small New Zealand town of Kaikōura - already physically torn apart from a recent earthquake.

Amy, Britta and Cody are three young women suffering their quarter century crisis: 25 and what have they achieved? They make a vow that in one year they’ll each fulfill their ambition. Their mate-since-childhood Kevin, admires their pluck but, to be honest, since Amy, Britta and Cody are currently Tragically Poor; Tragically Unknown; and Tragically Single, he reckons it’s going to be a bit of an ask.

Lulu, a loveable train wreck, goes on a laugh-out-loud ride as she struggles to balance her love of family and culture with finding her own path… one mistake at a time.

Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud is a six-part New Zealand television mini-series. The series originally aired from 17 August 2011 to 21 September 2011. It was the first Underbelly series to be created outside of Australia, and depicts events prior to and concurrent with Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities.

It is 2020. The destructive effects of global warming cause unimaginable devastation and panic worldwide. The human race finds itself contemplating the dawn of a new ice age.

Three lesbian friends make a pact which turns their weekly pot luck dinners into a search for love. Or not.

Billy-John is sick of doing nothing, going nowhere, and nothing ever-changing so he decides to leave small-town Papakura and head for the bright lights of the Gold Coast. He just needs to break the news to his best mate, his girlfriend, and his ragtag but close-knit family.

Jake is drawn into a world of mythical creatures and adventure when he finds a sealskin hidden on the rocky shores of his father's seaside home in Wellington.

On June 20, 1994, five members of the Bain family were found dead in their Dunedin home. The atrocity captured the nation, and it remains one of New Zealand’s most controversial cases. This dramatised version tells the story of each of the family members in the months leading up to their deaths.

Two brothers from the same dysfunctional family, having escaped the desperate days of their early childhood, find their newly ordered lives falling apart when one becomes a suspect in a murder.

The Cult is a New Zealand serial drama television series in which a group of people try to rescue their loved ones from a mysterious cult called Two Gardens. The Cult held the 8:30-9:30 spot on TV2 in New Zealand. The series debuted in New Zealand on September 24, 2009 and finished with a 2 hour season finale on December 10. It was airing on Polish and Portuguese television in 2011, and commenced screening on Australian television from December 2012.

The Legend of William Tell is a 16-part television fantasy/drama series produced in 1998 by Cloud 9 Productions in New Zealand. The basic premise of the series — a crossbow-wielding rebel defies a corrupt governor — and the name of the title character were adopted from the traditional story, but the series was set in a fantasy world and featured supernatural themes. Described by executive producer Raymond Thompson as "Star Wars on the planet Earth", this is a fantasy saga of bravery, magic, myth and romance. William Tell is the youthful leader of a band of young, ‘brat pack' outlaws, forever hunted by the forces of darkness, led by Xax and Kreel, who have usurped power in their homeland. The series of self-contained stories follows Will's quest to restore young Princess Vara to her rightful place on the royal throne and defeat Xax and Kreel's forces — and by doing so, bring back peace and order to the Kingdom of Kale. There is action and adventure along the way, magic, creatures, mystery, intrigue — but also much human drama and interplay among Will's rebel band who must support each other in their quest. The group encounter a diverse range of people and situations on their journey — some help the resistance movement, others are cohorts of Xax and Kreel.

Take a look behind the bars at some of New Zealand's most famous cases of people being wrongly convicted of heinous crimes.

A historical saga, it tells the story of six young men and women who, in 1914, are full of plans and dreams for the future. Cutting between life at home, Gallipoli and Egypt, this spectacular drama begins in a time of optimism and hope, on the eve of war.

The life of the legendary mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, from his lonely childhood, to the man he became - Hillary the climber - a man that conquered Mt Everest, a man loved by a nation.

The Raffertys are a typical NZ family. But their entire life is based on a very dirty secret...

The New Tomorrow is a New Zealand-based television series produced by Cloud 9 and is a sequel to the cult television series The Tribe. The show was created by Raymond Thompson and premiered on 17 September 2005 on the Seven Network in Australia. The events of The New Tomorrow follow the final episode of series five of The Tribe but specific details of this link are yet to be revealed. It is unclear how much time has passed since The Tribe ended or what connections exist between the two shows.

Harry is a single story, six-part crime drama series set in Auckland which follows the intense psychological journey of Detective Harry Anglesea.

Atlantis High is a teen comedy TV show, shot in New Zealand in 2001. The plot revolves around 16-year-old Giles Gordon, who has just moved to Sunset Cove, "a beautiful coastal surfing town where the sun is always shining, the people are all beautiful and everything is perfect... or so it seems." He enrolls in Atlantis High School, where he soon discovers that Sunset Cove is unlike any town he's ever seen: populated by double-agents, aliens and high school students with blue hair and pointy ears, its inhabitants are eccentric lunatics who at times turn into superheroes or other whimsical figures. Atlantis High both parodies soap operas and pays homage to spoof television.

Uprooted from her home life in rural Ruakowhai, Beth Connolly is forced to move to a strange new suburb when her parents separate. Starting in a new town, in a new school, is a daunting process - especially when the place is filled with freaks who keep inexplicably staring at her. Scared and lonely, she needs the support of her mates to help her figure out what's going on.

The Strip is the story of corporate lawyer Melissa Walker, who decides her life needs a new direction and quits her job after finding her husband in bed with his male lover. She opens a male strip club, catering especially for women...

Twenty-something Matt Gibson had dreams of making it big in the music world with his brother Alex and then-girlfriend, Ivy. They head to L.A. to try their luck. However, things don't always turn out the way you plan and, while Ivy's music career flourishes, he soon finds himself back in New Zealand with his brother and another friend playing gigs as a covers band, 'The Silhouettes'.

Being Eve is a television series from New Zealand, originally shown on TV3 from 2001–2002, and rebroadcast on The N. Being Eve focuses on a teenage girl, Eve Baxter, and her daily problems. Her parents are divorced but live next door to each other. Eve was in love with a boy named Adam. They broke up at the beginning of the second season, and she ends up with another boy named Sam Hooper, whom she had her first kiss with when they were kids.

Rude Awakenings centres on two families who live next door to each other in a fashionable street in Ponsonby, a suburb of Auckland. The Rush family has just moved to their newly renovated house from a lifestyle block in Kumeu. They immediately hit a wrong chord with their new neighbours, the Short family.

A charismatic young pastor clashes with his father’s powerful evangelical church. He forms an unlikely alliance with a queer podcaster, and they uncover a conspiracy of historic sexual abuse.

New Zealand. 1867. The rugged desolate coast of Taranaki. Three children washed ashore from a shipwreck. No food, no shelter.... no adults. Follow along as they search for their parents.

Sunny Skies is a New Zealand comedy television show that is slated to air on TV3 in the summer of 2013. The show stars Tammy Davis and Oliver Driver as two brothers who unwittingly inherit a local campground.

City Life was a New Zealand soap opera that screened on TVNZ from 1996-1998. It was portrayed the lives and loves of ten singles who lived in an upmarket apartment building in Auckland, New Zealand. The show was touted as New Zealand's answer to Melrose Place. The show starred Claudia Black, Lisa Chappell, Laurie Foell and Oliver Driver and featured a guest appearance by well known New Zealand actor, Kevin Smith. The show had a long development period, and the original treatment for the show had it set in Wellington with the working title 96 Oriental Parade. However, it was decided to produce the show in Auckland instead, and as such, the shows setting was changed along with the name to City Life. The first episode began with a controversial first scene, featuring a drunken Damon who owned the apartment building, in a homosexual kiss with his former lover Ryan on the night before his wedding. Damon was later killed off in the same episode after being hit by a car on the way to his wedding, and he left his apartment building to all of his friends. However, Damon's fianceè vowed to fight for her share of Damon's estate, leading to a storyline that would span the show's first five episodes.

A young Kiwi-Muslim songwriter named Said is having a crisis. His fiancee left him, his career's non-existent, and his mum worries he's losing touch with his faith. Said risks it all when he befriends an SIS agent.

This seven-part series is based around a diverse group of young people whose lives become inextricably inter-linked. When they are all implicated in a bizarre incident, the outcome of which forces them to examine and explore the loves that are at the core of their own lives - and not just romantic love - but love of life, love of self, love for children and parents, love of God, love of art, love gone wrong, love lost and unrequited love

A drama about the life and times of larger than life barrister, Michael Bungay. Spanning several decades chronicling good, evil, rights, wrongs, strengths and flaws, all centred around one of NZ's most infamous characters.

Children of Fire Mountain was a 13 part miniseries from New Zealand.

Three Kiwi-Asian girls live together in Auckland in this NZ take on Sex and the City.

The Insiders Guide To Happiness is a New Zealand drama series that explores the lives of a group of six previously unconnected people. Each life is connected by a bizarre car accident, the outcome of which forces them to examine and explore the happiness in their own lives. The series was followed by a prequel, The Insider's Guide To Love, with James the only character in common.

New Zealand crime drama series about a group of police and customs officers working to keep the country's borders secure. The core cast includes Nicholas Coghlan as Detective Sergeant Danny Wilder, Zoe Naylor as Senior Customs Officer Jane Durant, Mark Ruka as Detective Constable Zack Wiki, Stephen Hall as Superintendent Ron Maddock, and Nick Klempton as Officer Noel Bullerton.

Mercy Peak was a New Zealand television series that ran for three seasons on local network TV One, between 2001 and 2004. The series rated well in New Zealand and won multiple awards for its cast. Though an ensemble show, Mercy Peak centres on a doctor who leaves the city to work at a hospital in the small town of Bassett. She works alongside stuffy but caring doctor William Kingsley. The series was produced by Auckland company South Pacific Pictures; a number of those who worked on the show would have a big hand in South Pacific Pictures hit Outrageous Fortune, including co-creator Rachel Lang, directors Mark Beesley and Simon Bennett, and producer John Laing.

An eight part children's thriller involving stolen jewels and BMX bike riders. With the help of her brother, and new friends as diverse as a computer whizz-kid and a BMX stunt rider, Sandra must somehow outwit a ruthless motorbike phantom.

Gloss was a television drama series in New Zealand that screened from 1987-1990. The series was about a fictional publishing empire run by the Redfern family. It was a starting point for many actors who went on to many productions in New Zealand, Australia and around the world including Temuera Morrison, Miranda Harcourt, Peter Elliott, Lisa Chappell, Danielle Cormack and Kevin Smith. Writers for the show included James Griffin, who went on to write Outrageous Fortune, Rosemary McLeod and Ian Mune. The show's title theme song was performed by Beaver Morrison. The show has not been rescreened since its original screening, but selected extracts have been made available for viewing on NZ On Screen.

Dark Days in Monkey City is an Animal Planet documentary about the lives of wild Toque Macaques in Sri Lanka. In the tradition of Meerkat Manor it followed the stories of individual primates, but differed from earlier shows by adding special effects and transitional animation. It was devised as part of Animal Planet's strategy to re-brand itself as an "entertainment" network. Its entire 13 episode run was broadcast in 2009.