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Shark in the Park

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Shark in the Park
GenrePolice procedural
Created byGraeme Tetley[1]
Written byDuncan Holland
Charlie Strachan
Simon Morris
Donna Malane
Liddy Holloway
Fran Walsh
Directed byPeter Barrett
Lex Van Os
Steve La Hood
Yvonne Mackay
Keith Hunter
Dan McKirdy
Starring
ComposerPeter Blake
Country of originNew Zealand
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes38 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerDave Gibson (series 2–3)
ProducerRuth Franks
CinematographyWayne Vinten
Editors
  • Allan Honey
  • Geoff Conway
  • Annie Collins
  • Michael Bennett
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkTelevision One
Release5 April 1989 (1989-04-05) –
18 December 1991 (1991-12-18)

Shark in the Park is a New Zealand police procedural. It revolved around the professional and private lives of a group of officers at a Wellington police station under the command of Inspector Brian "Sharky" Finn. The title came from the informal code term used by officers to indicate that the Inspector was about and they should "look busy".

The series ran for three series from 1989–92, totalling 38 episodes. Many of the cast had regular roles in the series and several became well known throughout New Zealand as a result of the series. The show also featured actors in guest roles, among them Lucy Lawless, Michael Hurst, Temuera Morrison, and Karl Urban.

The series was produced by the Gibson Group and broadcast by Television One – it has since been repeated on TVNZ 6. Writers for the show included Fran Walsh, later to become well known through her association with Peter Jackson and her work on films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Cast and characters

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Main cast

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Recurring cast

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  • John Wraight as Smudge
  • David Geary as Gerald
  • Brett Bailey as UB1 (Uniform Branch 1)
  • Des Stephens as UB1 (Uniform Branch 1)
  • Jon Pheloung as Nifty

Guest cast

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Episodes

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Series 1 (1989)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Sunday Roast"Tony WilsonGraeme Tetley & Chris Hampson5 April 1989 (1989-04-05)
22"Loose Ends"Daniel McKirdyCharlie Strachan12 April 1989 (1989-04-12)
33"Lamb to the Slaughter"Ginette McDonaldNorelle Scott19 April 1989 (1989-04-19)
44"The Cost of Living"Lex van OsWendy Jackson10 May 1989 (1989-05-10)
55"Look Before You Leap"Lex van OsCharlie Strachan17 May 1989 (1989-05-17)
66"A Fair Cop"Lex van Os & Andrew ShawFran Walsh24 May 1989 (1989-05-24)
77"Lynn"Murray ReeceFran Walsh & Graeme Tetley31 May 1989 (1989-05-31)
88"Orchestral Manoevres"David CopelandSimon Morris7 June 1989 (1989-06-07)
99"A Ticket Home"Tony WilsonNorelle Scott14 June 1989 (1989-06-14)
1010"Domestics"Daniel McKirdyCharlie Strachan21 June 1989 (1989-06-21)

Series 2 (1990)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
111"Prospects"Lex van OsCharlie Strachan13 July 1990 (1990-07-13)
122"First Offence"Daniel McKirdySimon Morris20 July 1990 (1990-07-20)
133"The First Cut is the Deepest"Lex van OsDonna Malane27 July 1990 (1990-07-27)
144"Diversions"Daniel McKirdyMichael Wilson3 August 1990 (1990-08-03)
155"Victims"Lex van OsDuncan Holland10 August 1990 (1990-08-10)
166"Lies"Daniel McKirdyNorelle Scott17 August 1990 (1990-08-17)
177"Technical K.O."Guy HollierCharlie Strachan24 August 1990 (1990-08-24)
188"Acting Sergeant"Yvonne MacKaySimon Morris31 August 1990 (1990-08-31)
199"Whispering Grass"Peter BarrettFran Walsh7 September 1990 (1990-09-07)
2010"Fall From Grace"Yvonne MacKayDonna Malane &
Charlie Strachan
14 September 1990 (1990-09-14)
2111"Ten-Zero Dingo"Peter BarrettDuncan Holland21 September 1990 (1990-09-21)
2212"Out of Place"Yvonne MacKayMary Taylor28 September 1990 (1990-09-28)
2313"Guilty Knowledge"Peter BarrettFran Walsh5 October 1990 (1990-10-05)

Series 3 (1991)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
241"White Heat"Peter BarrettUnknown28 August 1991 (1991-08-28)
252"Allsorts"Keith HunterUnknown4 September 1991 (1991-09-04)
263"Silver Spurs"Lex van OsFrances Walsh11 September 1991 (1991-09-11)
274"You've Got to Have Mates"Peter BarrettSimon Morris18 September 1991 (1991-09-18)
285"Suffer the Little Children"Steve La HoodUnknown25 September 1991 (1991-09-25)
296"Thicker Than Water"Lex van OsUnknown2 October 1991 (1991-10-02)
307"Double or Quits"Peter BarrettUnknown16 October 1991 (1991-10-16)
318"Et Tu, Brute"Steve La HoodUnknown23 October 1991 (1991-10-23)
329"The Only Thing to Fear"David CopelandUnknown30 October 1991 (1991-10-30)
3310"Give a Dog a Bad Name"Peter BarrettJane Gallately13 November 1991 (1991-11-13)
3411"Lovers and Losers"Keith HunterUnknown20 November 1991 (1991-11-20)
3512"A Sensitive Family Matter"Steve La HoodUnknown27 November 1991 (1991-11-27)
3613"Loyalties"Peter BarrettUnknown4 December 1991 (1991-12-04)
3714"A Little Help From My Friend"Keith HunterUnknown11 December 1991 (1991-12-11)
3815"Nothing But the Truth"Steve La HoodUnknown18 December 1991 (1991-12-18)

References

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  1. ^ "Graeme Tetley". Nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
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