Series synopsis
Mercy Peak is a drama television series that premiered on TVNZ 1 on July 25, 2001. It ended on May 8, 2002. It stars Timothy Balme, Miriama Smith, Alison Bruce and Jeffrey Thomas.
Mercy Peak was a New Zealand television series that ran for three seasons on local network TV One, between 2001 and 2004. The series rated well in New Zealand and won multiple awards for its cast. Though an ensemble show, Mercy Peak centres on a doctor who leaves the city to work at a hospital in the small town of Bassett. She works alongside stuffy but caring doctor William Kingsley. The series was produced by Auckland company South Pacific Pictures; a number of those who worked on the show wou ...
Premise
Mercy Peak was a New Zealand television series that ran for three seasons on local network TV One, between 2001 and 2004. The series rated well in New Zealand and won multiple awards for its cast. Though an ensemble show, Mercy Peak centres on a doctor who leaves the city to work at a hospital in the small town of Bassett. She works alongside stuffy but caring doctor William Kingsley. The series was produced by Auckland company South Pacific Pictures; a number of those who worked on the show would have a big hand in South Pacific Pictures hit Outrageous Fortune, including co-creator Rachel Lang, directors Mark Beesley and Simon Bennett, and producer John Laing.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Timothy Balme
- Miriama Smith
- Alison Bruce
- Jeffrey Thomas
- Craig Parker
- Renato Bartolomei
- Dwayne Cameron
- Sara Wiseman
Guest cast
- James Napier Robertson
- Rose McIver as Gwyneth Couch
- Patrick Smith as Justice Sterne
- Richard Neame as Steve
- Mary Henderson as Carol
- Patrick Morrison as Aidan Sweet
- Vanessa Guy as Receptionist
- Gillian Baxter as Paula March
- Katy Beasley as Valda Somerville
- Madeleine Lynch as Chris
- Judy Rankin as Sheila
- Carole Seay as Liz
Episodes
This series spans 3 seasons with 60 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 20 | July 25, 2001 | May 8, 2002 |
| Season 2 | 20 | March 6, 2002 | April 18, 2003 |
| Season 3 | 20 | March 19, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
What She Least Expected Trauma registrar Nicky Somerville has a very bad night. She gets punched by a patient she is trying to save, then realises her boyfriend is having an affair. What's worse is her boyfriend is also her boss. A fresh start takes her to the small town of Bassett - only to find that she may be without a job. Her appointment hasn't been ratified by her new boss, Dr William Kingsley - but Nicky is adamant that she can't go back to town. Nicky makes waves by deciding to admit the victim of a car accident. When the resuscitation isn't straightforward, she discovers that the patient, Amanda Masefield is on anti-depressants. Her actions with Amanda only serve to make her more unpopular with William, who makes it clear she's not wanted. However, the administrator Louise seems desperate for her to stay. These reactions make her feel that something is rotten in the state of Bassett and with Dr Kingsley in particular. Nicky takes a depressed trip to the supermarket, where the manager seems determined |
July 25, 2001 |
| 2 |
Her Secret Passion Nicky is called to an emergency at Bassett High, where 13-year-old Hayley is in the final throes of labour. Despite limited experience, Nicky delivers the baby. She also meets the local midwife Rhonda, who doubles as Bassett's hairdresser. Nicky is keen to keep on-side with William, but wants to follow Hayley's case through. The plan that Hayley's parents will adopt the baby is thrown out when they discover that the baby is brown so the father must be Maori or Polynesian. Nicky starts to share their concerns that Hayley may have been abused in some way. She is not impressed with the social worker, Cliff, who seems to take a very casual attitude to the whole deal. Fired up, she calls on the help of local cop, Ken. Despite his apparent lack of enthusiasm, he pursues some enquiries, which take him to Kieran Masefield's vineyard where Martin Tiaki works. Nicky continues to disagree with Cliff, then gets in the middle of a confrontation, where Kieran wants more information on Martin. He gav |
August 1, 2001 |
| 3 |
Some Kind Of Madness William is not coping well with the end of his relationship to Louise. Uncharacteristically, he becomes something of a stalker and goes to her house to confront her. Louise is adamant that she won't reconsider, but as they conclude the conversation, Louise's husband Ross arrives home unexpectedly. William suspects that Ross has overheard the conversation. The feeling grows stronger when Ross insists on taking William by chopper to see a patient on an outlying farm. However, en route to this routine callout, Ross sees an injured man in the ranges. William is forced to join him on a tramp through the bush where Ross is holding the machete. The injured young man, Bryce, has shot himself and has a possible spinal injury, but the rescue helicopter is delayed. While they wait, Ross raises the topic of Louise and William is sure that it will end in confrontation. Instead, it seems Ross wants to discuss his relationship with Louise and more particularly, sex. The conversation is interrupted wh |
August 8, 2001 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Most Deserving Amanda and Alastair continue their affair as Amanda fights Kieran for everything he's got. However, Amanda is not pleased that Kieran isn't fighting her back and giving in which causes severe tension in the Macefield home and ends up causing Sascha to go on a drink bender at a party. After Kieran sees what the divorce is doing to his kids he decides to fight and offers her 60/40 of the property and joint custody. Amanda decides to move to Auckland with Taylor and as she prepares to leave she tells Nicky what she thinks of her. As a parting gesture to Kieran she torches his new vineyard and leaves Alastair to wait at their motel room. Elsewhere, Ken asks Dana out on their first date together but it doesn't work out very well as he's called to an emergency rescue of a toddler and subsequent tries at dates always end with an emergency. |
March 6, 2002 |
| 2 | Stand by Your Man | October 2, 2002 |
| 3 | The Making of Him | October 9, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oversexed, Overpaid and Over There | August 1, 2003 |
| 2 | Survival of the Fittest | August 8, 2003 |
| 3 | For Better, for Worse | August 15, 2003 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | TVNZ 1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | July 25, 2001 |
| Last aired | May 8, 2002 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Friday |