City Life (TV series)
Encyclopedia
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 (Kevin Smith) 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.
The show initially rated well but executives were somewhat alarmed by a major drop in the show's audience in the first five minutes of the first episode (believed to be the result of the kiss between Damon and Ryan). Within weeks ratings had dropped to the point where the show was placed in a later timeslot. A few weeks later, the show was taken off air entirely, after ten episodes had been screened. The show was not brought back until late 1997, and the remaining episodes were screened until the beginning of 1998.
In total, 26 hour-long episodes were produced.
In January 2007, the series was rerun on the TVNZ channel TV2 during the early weekday mornings.\
The show screens every Tuesday nights on TVNZ Heartland
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
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
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand. The show was touted as New Zealand's answer to Melrose
Place.
The show starred Claudia Black
Claudia Black
Claudia Lee Black is an Australian actress and voice actor, known for her portrayals of Aeryn Sun in the science fiction television series Farscape, Vala Mal Doran in the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, Chloe Frazer in the Uncharted series, the witch Morrigan in Dragon Age: Origins and...
, Lisa Chappell
Lisa Chappell
Lisa Irene Chappell is an actress and musician from Auckland, New Zealand. She is best known for playing Claire McLeod on the Nine Network drama series McLeod's Daughters.-Early life and career:...
, Laurie Foell
Laurie Foell
Laurie Foell is an Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayal of both Angela "Angie" Russell and her cousin Josie, on the successful Australian television soap opera Home and Away. Foell also starred as Dr...
and Oliver Driver
Oliver Driver
Oliver Driver is a New Zealand actor, director, broadcaster and television presenter.-Television:Driver was the host of Let's Be Frank, and the Creative Director of New Zealand's only alternative music television station, ALT TV, The channel is now no longer on air...
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
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
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 (Kevin Smith) 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.
The show initially rated well but executives were somewhat alarmed by a major drop in the show's audience in the first five minutes of the first episode (believed to be the result of the kiss between Damon and Ryan). Within weeks ratings had dropped to the point where the show was placed in a later timeslot. A few weeks later, the show was taken off air entirely, after ten episodes had been screened. The show was not brought back until late 1997, and the remaining episodes were screened until the beginning of 1998.
In total, 26 hour-long episodes were produced.
In January 2007, the series was rerun on the TVNZ channel TV2 during the early weekday mornings.\
The show screens every Tuesday nights on TVNZ Heartland
TVNZ Heartland
TVNZ Heartland is a pay TV channel operated by TVNZ featuring 100% New Zealand made shows, most shows are re-runs of classic shows previously screen on New Zealand TV as well as some more recent shows. While TVNZ channels are traditionally available free to air TVNZ Heartland is available...
.
Cast and characters
- Claudia BlackClaudia BlackClaudia Lee Black is an Australian actress and voice actor, known for her portrayals of Aeryn Sun in the science fiction television series Farscape, Vala Mal Doran in the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, Chloe Frazer in the Uncharted series, the witch Morrigan in Dragon Age: Origins and...
as Angela Kostapas: A corporate lawyer, who later quits her cushy position and tries her hand at legal aide. She shares a past with Aaron (they had an affair and she ended up aborting his baby) and is accidentally responsible for the death of Damon South (Kevin Smith) in the first episode.
- Jack CampbellJack CampbellJack Campbell may refer to:* Jack Campbell , pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry* Jack M. Campbell , American politician* Jackie Campbell, Scottish footballer for Partick Thistle...
as Aaron Kellett: Despite being a member of the wealthy Kellett family, Aaron is a somewhat shady character who shares a past with Angela. Aaron has made a career for himself in event management, organising dance parties and other similar events. During the course of the series he becomes involved with drug dealing.
- Katrina Browne as Kristen Wood: A somewhat ditzy university student, Kristen considers herself to be a slacker and indulges herself by spending copius amounts of time on the internet discussing conspiracy theories. While this makes Kristen a nerd in the eyes of some, she is also spectacularly beautiful, a fact that Kristen seems totally unaware of. Kristen finally forms a relationship with her best friend Josh and loses her virginity to him after seemingly being frigid and uninterested in men throughout the series.
- Lisa ChappellLisa ChappellLisa Irene Chappell is an actress and musician from Auckland, New Zealand. She is best known for playing Claire McLeod on the Nine Network drama series McLeod's Daughters.-Early life and career:...
as Bronwyn Kellett: Aaron's spoilt sister who runs an art gallery. Her privileged Pakeha views often clash with Wiki's Maori sensibilities, though the two are usually close friends.
- Oliver DriverOliver DriverOliver Driver is a New Zealand actor, director, broadcaster and television presenter.-Television:Driver was the host of Let's Be Frank, and the Creative Director of New Zealand's only alternative music television station, ALT TV, The channel is now no longer on air...
as Josh Gribble: An aspiring comedian. As one would expect, Josh is often the source of humour for the series and is best known for his sarcastic one liners. Josh develops a crush on his best friend Kristen, which eventually leads to a relationship.
- Laurie FoellLaurie FoellLaurie Foell is an Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayal of both Angela "Angie" Russell and her cousin Josie, on the successful Australian television soap opera Home and Away. Foell also starred as Dr...
as Stephanie Cox: A former children's television presenter who longs to become a serious journalist. She is estranged from her parents as her father pimped her out to one of his friends when she was a teenager. This experience has affected her relationships with men.
- John FreemanJohn FreemanJohn Freeman may refer to:*John Freeman , character animator for Disney, Marvel Studios and others*John Freeman , Australian politician*John Freeman , writer and literary critic...
as Gideon Miller: An economist who used to work for the New Zealand treasury. He is known to his friends for his habit of one night stands, but falls deeply in love with Siobhan (Rachel BlakelyRachel BlakelyRachel Blakely is an Australian actress. Her works include films such as Love Until, Young Hercules and Counterstrike, as well as guest appearances on television shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess, State Coroner and Flipper; from 2006 to 2007 she starred as Glenda Fry in the Australian...
), a drug addict early in the series.
- Michelle Huirama as Wiki Taylor: An aspiring actress. Her ambition to become famous often leads her into sticky situations, most notably when she is raped while filming a love scene for a movie.
- Charles MesureCharles MesureCharles William David Mesure is an English born, Australian and New Zealand actor.When Mesure was five, his family moved to Australia and he grew up in Sydney. Mesure attended Newington College and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Australia, with a degree in Performing Arts...
as Ryan Waters: A gay bartender, who begins the series in love with Damon South. Later on he agrees to donate sperm to his boss Mia (played by Donogh Rees), whose husband can't have children. Ryan has a habit of falling for men who do not return the same level of affection, such as his best friend Damon South and later Michael Lee (Kenneth MoraledaKenneth MoraledaKenneth Moraleda is an actor.Of Filipino descent, Moraleda was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has lived in Seattle, the Philippines, Australia and is now based in Los Angeles, California...
).
- Peter Muller as Hugh Campbell: A photographer who has the unfortunate curse of being unlucky in love, having a few disastrous flings over the course of the series.
Episode list
- Episode 1
- Episode 2
- Episode 3
- Episode 4
- Episode 5
- Episode 6
- Episode 7
- Episode 8
- Episode 9
- Episode 10
- Episode 11
- Episode 12
- Episode 13
- Episode 14
- Episode 15
- Episode 16
- Episode 17
- Episode 18
- Episode 19
- Episode 20
- Episode 21
- Episode 22
- Episode 23
- Episode 24
- Episode 25
- Episode 26