australian television information archive

Fall From Grace

Episode 4.01 (13)
Sun, October 29, 2017
Written by Pip Hall
Directed by Helena Brooks

When Kristin, Breen, and Gina celebrate Mike's birthday with a picnic in Brokenwood Domain, they are witness to a fatal skydiving accident.

To make matters worse, Kristin knows the victim — entrepreneur Andre Barringtonwan ex-boyfriend who moved onto another woman, Grace Turner, an adrenalin junkie and fellow skydiver.

As the investigation unfolds, an unsettling truth is revealed. Andre's parachute was never going to open as the cords were severed. Was it an elaborate suicide or was Grace having second thoughts about Andre?

Then again, Andre's older brother Felix was tired of living in his shadow, and his mother Lorraine's maternal love verged on the side of sinister. Both of them were jumping with Andre too. And what about Andre's business partner Dean Young, who was less than impressed by Andre's work ethic?

Mike and his team are forced to confront the old adage: 'what goes up must come down'… but not always in the way you want.

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Elizabeth Mcrae as Mrs Marlowe, Colin Moy as Hughes, Tracy Lee Gray as Trudy, Jason Hoyte as Ray, Esther Stephens as Grace, Louise Wallace as Lorraine, Kelson Henderson as Felix, Matthew Arbuckle as Andre, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Zara Cormack as Kimberly, Daniel Sing as Dean, Serena Cotton as Nina, Christel Chapman as Mihiata, Carl Bland as Sydney

Stone Cold Dead

Episode 4.02 (14)
Sun, November 05, 2017
Written by Tim Balme
Directed by Murray Keane

Charity Highmore-Browne is the owner and curator of Brokenwood's Historic Village. A stickler for all things Victorian, Charity lives in a time warp.

Her sudden death by an arrow brings Mike and his team into the realm of New Zealand's colonial past as they deal with a blacksmith, a missionary and the local postmaster. Not to be overlooked is Charity's sister who once represented the country at the Olympics, missing out on a bronze medal in archery.

As the investigation brings up questions about Charity's lifestyle and the mysterious disappearance of her husband seven years earlier, the team are faced with the possibility that Brokenwood is dealing with its first serial killer.

Things are complicated further when Mike is forced out of the office due to a health scare and Kristin takes charge of the case. But can Mike truly hand over the reins?

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Elizabeth Mcrae as Mrs Marlowe, Colin Moy as Hughes, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Jacqueline Nairn as Charity, Phil Peleton as Neil, Scott Wills as Jack, Violet O'Halloran as Evie, Edward Newborn as Wally, David Van Horn as Patrick, Grae Burton as David, Taimi Allan as Anna, Dan Veint as Billy, Geoff Houtman as Nigel, Sally Stockwell as Debra, Brett O'Gorman as Tony, Peter Ford as Ron, Shane Cortese as Dennis, Ascia Maybury as Doctor Darlton

The Scarecrow

Episode 4.03 (15)
Sun, November 12, 2017
Written by Greg McGee
Directed by Josh Frizzell

Philip Henderson stands next to an impressive scarecrow amidst a field of damaged vegetation. His whole crop has failed. The scarecrow may have kept the birds away but this catastrophe is something bigger. Angered and distraught, he confronts his neighbour, the cantankerous Doug Randall, and accuses him of spray drift. Doug is having none of it and an ugly altercation ensues.

The following day Philip is discovered dead in his field — the victim of an obscure poison.

Suspicion falls on Doug and his new wife, the strident and doggedly loyal Trudy Neilson, whom it was well known had ongoing tensions with Philip over an unpaid bar tab at her pub, The Toad and Lion.

But as Mike and the team dig further into the mystery, more suspects come into play. Philip's other neighbour is the cagey Tamati Taylor, who is less than forthcoming, but as it transpires Philip had a twin brother. Why does he seem remarkably unmoved by the death of his sibling?

Following a hunch, Kristin turns attention to the little organic café in town called the Sage Locust and her friend, the owner Dahlia Freyberg. Philip was one of her suppliers — but a supplier of what? And what exactly was in the salad Philip ate when he last visited the Sage Locust?

And if the scarecrow was meant to frighten the birds why have all the bees disappeared too?

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Elizabeth Mcrae as Mrs Marlowe, Tracy Lee Gray as Trudy, Mike Edward as Phillip & Thomas, Tai Berdinner Blades as Dahlia, Jason Hoyte as Ray, Peter Tait as Doug, Mark Ruka as Tamati, Brooklyn Nathan as Hemi, Atticus Iti as Whetu, Adam Gardiner as Larry, Carl Bland as Sydney

Note: see article The Brokenwood Mysteries' Mike Edward on the joy of playing the bad guy

As If Nothing Had Happened

Episode 4.04 (16)
Sun, November 19, 2017
Written by Tim Balme
Directed by Mark Beesley

Sunset Manor is a rest home in Brokenwood for the aged and bewildered. The new resident is Edward Alderston. Having recently lost his wife, his family has decided Sunset Manor is the best place for him, especially now that the Alzheimer's is taking hold.

Mrs Marlowe is a regular visitor, offering sing-alongs at the piano for the residents. But Edward is hoping for more of an ally than that. He's planning an escape. In fact he's been practicing. The only problem is he can't remember the plan.

But when a man is found with a Samurai sword through his back floating in his swimming pool in the neighbouring street, Edward's exact whereabouts becomes of real importance.

The man was Mitch Waterson, an ex-finance company high-flyer, responsible for the loss of many millions to many people — in particular, he is the one responsible for many elderly losing their life savings. Mitch was responsible but never held accountable. It would seem now that the accountability has been sought. Revenge has been exacted.

So when Mike, Kristin and Breen begin searching for motive they need look no further than Sunset Manor. Many of the residents were victims to Mitch Waterson's Ponzi schemes and are thrilled to know he's met a grisly end.

However, the problem is not only who might have had the gumption and opportunity to do it but — can they remember doing it?

Cast: Neill Rea as Mike, Fern Sutherland as Kristin, Nic Sampson as D.C. Breen, Cristina Ionda as Gina, Rawiri Jobe as Kahu, Elizabeth Mcrae as Mrs Marlowe, Colin Moy as Hughes, Shane Cortese as Dennis, Karl Willetts as Frodo, Ian Mune as Kenny, Stuart Devenie as Wes, Catherine Wilkin as Catherine, Lynette Forday as Lydia, Ken Blackburn as Edward, Ingrid Park as Jools, William Davis as George, Iris Chrurn as Desiree, Elizabeth Pendergrast as Margaret, Milo Cawthorne as Christopher, Christopher Hodge as Mitch, Zara Cormack as Kimberly, Kiri Lightfoot as Nurse Amber

Music: "Hopeful and Hopeless" written and performed by Reb Fountain