Shark in the Park is a New Zealand police procedural. It revolved around the professional and private lives of a group of officers at a Wellington police station under the command of Inspector Brian "Sharky" Finn. The title came from the informal code term used by officers to indicate that the Inspector was about and they should "look busy".
The series ran for three series from 1989–92, totalling 38 episodes. Many of the cast had regular roles in the series and several became well known throughout New Zealand as a result of the series. The show also featured actors in guest roles, among them Lucy Lawless, Michael Hurst, Temuera Morrison, and Karl Urban.
The series was produced by the Gibson Group and broadcast by Television One – it has since been repeated on TVNZ 6. Writers for the show included Fran Walsh, later to become well known through her association with Peter Jackson and her work on films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Cast and characters
Main cast
- Jeffrey Thomas as Inspector Brian Finn
- K. J. Wilson as Sergeant Ian Jesson
- Russell Smith as Detective Bernie Gregory
- William Kircher as B.P.
- Rima Te Wiata as Jacko (series 1–2)
- Joanna Briant as Margaret "Wally" Wallace
- Robert Pollock as Dingo (series 1–2)
- Geoffrey Heath as Roger Blackman
- Grant Tilly as Inspector Englebretsen (series 2–3)
- Nathaniel Lees as Barker (series 2–3)
- Darren Young as Om (series 2–3)
Recurring cast
- John Wraight as Smudge
- David Geary as Gerald
- Brett Bailey as UB1 (Uniform Branch 1)
- Des Stephens as UB1 (Uniform Branch 1)
- Jon Pheloung as Nifty
Guest cast
- Neil Gudsell as Constable Ra (series 1)
- Jenny Ludlam as Diane (series 1) / Josie Tucker (series 2)
- Mark Wright as Tony (series 1)
- Robyn Malcolm as Janice (series 1) / Janet Finn (series 2–3)
- Alan Brough (series 1)
- Ken Blackburn as Superintendent (series 2–3)
Episodes
Series 1 (1989)
Series 2 (1990)
Series 3 (1991)
References
External links
- Shark in the Park at IMDb
- Shark in the Park
- The Gibson Group
- Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
