Westside (New Zealand TV series)

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Westside
GenreComedy drama[1]
Created by
Directed by
Starring
Opening theme"Watch Your Back" by Hello Sailor (series 1–2)
ComposerJoel Haines
Country of originNew Zealand
Original languageEnglish
No. of series6
No. of episodes52 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Chris Bailey
  • Kelly Martin
  • James Griffin
  • Andrew Szusterman
  • Sally Campbell
Producers
Cinematography
  • Marty Smith
  • David Paul
Editors
  • Bryan Shaw
  • Gary Hunt
  • Brough Johnson
  • Eric de Beus
  • Allanah Bazzard
  • Tom Eagles
Running time44–45 minutes
Production companySouth Pacific Pictures
Original release
NetworkThree
Release31 May 2015 (2015-05-31) –
16 November 2020 (2020-11-16)
Related
Outrageous Fortune

Westside is a New Zealand comedy drama[1] television series created by Rachel Lang and James Griffin[2] for South Pacific Pictures. It is a prequel to Outrageous Fortune, and chronicles the lives of Ted and Rita West. The show aired from 31 May 2015 to 16 November 2020 on Three.

Series 4 premiered on 9 July 2018.[3] On 21 July 2018 NZ on Air announced funding for a fifth series which will consist of 10 episodes.[4] On 19 July 2019, NZ on Air announced funding for a sixth and final series of Westside.[5]

Plot[edit]

The first series is 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. 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.[6]

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 Africans visiting New Zealand, preventing them from buying land, while Rita plans a job against developer Evan Lace.

The third series is set in 1982 and deals with the fallout from the Evan Lace job and Wolf's first meeting with his future wife, Cheryl.

Cast and characters[edit]

This table shows the show's characters and the cast members who have portrayed them.

Note: Only those appearing in more than one episode appear in this list, and only when the actor contributes new material to an episode.

Color key:

Character Series
1 2 3 4 5 6
Rita West Antonia Prebble[1][7][8]
Ted West David de Lautour[1][7][9][8]
Lefty Munroe Dan Musgrove[1][10]
Ngaire Munroe Esther Stephens[1][11]
Bilkey van Heeder Todd Emerson[1][12]
Bert Thompson Pana Hema-Taylor[1][13]
Phineas O'Driscoll Xavier Horan[1][14]
Carol O'Driscoll Sophie Hambleton[1][15]
Wolf West Reon Bell[16]
Liam Ferguson[17] 		Reef Ireland[18][8]
Cheryl Miller Ashleigh Cummings[19] Jessica Grace Smith[20]

Recurring cast[edit]

Mike McCarthy Will Hall[21][22][8]
Rod Nugent Jordan Mauger[21][23]
Darijo Doslic Glen Levy[24][25]
Falani Patrick Tafa[26][27]
Des McEwen Joel Tobeck[28][7]
Barry "Sparky" Gibbs Caleb Wells[29][27]
Eric Grady Jordan Mooney[30][27]
Evan Lace Dean O'Gorman[31][32]
Joanne Hannah Marshall[7]
Belinda Lace Laura Hill[7][33]
Terry Tim Carlsen[34]
Dave Stelios Yiakmis[7]
Riana Adams Kirsten Ibbetson[35]
Chelsea Munroe Salomé Grace[36]
Lisa Munroe Ella Shirtcliffe[37][38]
Trish Miller Jodie Dorday[39]
Jeanette Miller Jessie Lawrence[40]
Mandy Miller Lily Powell[41]
Danny Peters Shane Cortese[42]
Hayden Peters Pierre Beasley[43]
Theresa Deering Elizabeth Dowden[44]
Frankie Figgs Peter Elliott[45]
Bianca Figgs Michelle Langstone[45]
Krystle Figgs Emily McKenzie[46]
Keith Jason Wu[47]
Van and Jethro West Charlie Grey[48]
Aroha Piimio Mei
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