7.2 /10 1 Votes
6.3/10 TV First episode date 31 May 2015 Number of episodes 16 Genres Comedy-drama, Crime film | 8.2/10 IMDb Composer(s) Joel Haines Network Three Executive producer John Laing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Created by Rachel Lang
James Griffin Written by Rachel Lang
James Griffin
Kate McDermott Directed by Mark Beesley
Murray Keane
Simon Bennett
Michael Hurst Starring Antonia Prebble
David de Lautour
Dan Musgrove
Esther Stephens
Todd Emerson
Pana Hema-Taylor
Xavier Horan
Sophie Hambleton
Reef Ireland Opening theme "Watch Your Back" by Hello Sailor Program creators Rachel Lang, James Griffin Similar Outrageous Fortune, The Blue Rose, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Step Dave, Nothing Trivial Profiles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Westside trailer
Westside is a New Zealand comedy crime drama television series created by Rachel Lang and James Griffin for South Pacific Pictures. It is a prequel to Outrageous Fortune, and chronicles the lives of Ted and Rita West in 1970s Auckland. The first series aired from 31 May to 5 July 2015 on Three.
Contents
On 28 July 2015, NZ on Air announced funding of the show for a second series, which premiered on 12 June 2016. Unlike the previous series chronicling a separate year in the 70s, the entirety of series 2 is set in 1981.
On 2 August 2016 NZ on Air announced funding for a third series. It will be set in 1982 and will air sometime in 2017
Inside westside s01e00
Plot
Set in the 1970s, it features a Westie couple, and stars Antonia Prebble and David de Lautour as Rita and Ted West. In the first episode, set in 1974, it features John Walker beating Rod Dixon in the 1500 metres at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. In series one each episode covers one year, from 1974 to 1979, with events like the Muldoon election, dawn raids on overstayers, carless days, and the birth of the punk rock scene in Auckland.
The second series is set in 1981, and follows the Springbok Tour. The series starts with Rita returning home from prison to find the West household in disrepair. Throughout the course of the series Ted's gang plots to steal from the South African's visiting New Zealand, preventing them from buying land.
Production
In July 2014, NZ on Air approved funding of NZ$4.8 million for the miniseries. On 28 July 2015, NZ on Air approved funding of NZ$7.6 million for a second series, and on 2 August 2016 NZ$6.6 million was approved for a third series.
Filming
Filming for series one commenced on 12 October and concluded on 17 December 2014. Filming for series two commenced on 27 September 2015 and concluded on 19 January 2016. Filming for series 3 commenced on 30 October 2016 and concluded on 3 February 2017.
Music
Westside: The Original Soundtrack was released for digital download on 8 July 2015 and CD on 10 July 2015. It peaked at number nineteen in New Zealand. Music from Westside Series Two was released for digital download on 1 July 2016
Charts
Broadcast
Series one premiered in Australia on 9Gem on 2 December 2015, and series two premiered on 8 August 2016.