The Brokenwood Mysteries is a New Zealand television detective whodunnit comedy-drama series that premiered on Prime (now Sky Open) in 2014. Each of the first six series comprises four episodes. From Series 7, seasons were extended to six episodes. The programme is set in the fictitious New Zealand town of Brokenwood in the North Island and is filmed in greater Auckland. Tim Balme is the current showrunner, having conceived the series, while also working as head writer and producer.
Since 2021, the programme moved networks and now screens on TVNZ 1.
The core cast includes Neill Rea as Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd, Fern Sutherland as Detective Kristin Sims, Nic Sampson as Detective Constable Sam Breen, Cristina Ionda as Dr. Gina Kadinsky, medical examiner, and Jarod Rawiri as Detective Constable Daniel Chalmers.
Synopsis Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd is sent from Auckland to Brokenwood to investigate a local police officer. With a possible murder investigation underway that might link the two, Shepherd takes charge. After the investigation, Shepherd reassesses his life and decides to stay on indefinitely, even though it means a demotion to Detective Senior Sergeant. Brokenwood is a seemingly quiet country town where Shepherd, who has an unconventional approach to police work, is assisted by local Detective Kristin Sims, who is precise and efficient at her job, to solve murders. As the series progresses, the working relationship between the two moves from rocky to functional as they begin to appreciate each other's talents.
Setting The fictional town of Brokenwood has a population of about 5,000 and is located some from the coast. It is in a farming area, with crops ranging from wheat to local wine, and the surrounding area is home to many people who have escaped city life (from retirees to alternative lifestylers)."The Place ", thebrokenwoodmysteries.com. Retrieved 29 September 2015. Though the exact location of Brokenwood is not stated, it was largely writtenManson, B. "Tim Balme's killer concept", stuff.co.nz, 27 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2015. and filmed in small towns immediately to the north of Auckland. The real-life town of Warkworth doubles as Brokenwood,Dickey, D. "Murder mystery comes to town", The Rodney Times, 1 May 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2015. and the Brokenwood Police Station is a 1911 building that was formerly the Helensville Post Office. In "Sour Grapes", Shepherd and Sims are seen travelling into Auckland across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, which would confirm that Brokenwood is also located to the north of the city. In the same episode, it is mentioned that it takes two and a half hours by road to get from Brokenwood to Auckland. This would put Brokenwood considerably farther north than either Warkworth or Helensville."Travel times and distances calculator," Tourism New Zealand. A map on the police station wall covers much of Whangarei District, from southern Bream Bay north to Matapouri, and another map shown in "Catch of the Day" locates Brokenwood close to the settlement of Whangārei Heads, at the northern end of Bream Bay.
Cast Main Neill Rea as Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd: a detective who decided to settle down in Brokenwood for a more peaceful life. He has many personal secrets, including several marriages, and a nephew with Down syndrome, with a love for country music and for his 1971 Holden Kingswood classic car. He often pursues criminals in a way that seems odd to his colleagues, for instance by talking to dead bodies. Fern Sutherland as Detective Kristin Sims: a cynical and intelligent young woman who has had many dating misfortunes. She is often irritated by Shepherd's methods and his blunt manner, but she gradually learns to appreciate his skills. Nic Sampson as Detective Constable Sam Breen (series 1-7): a young officer who often has embarrassing or awkward visits with suspects. His girlfriend Roxy gets a new job in the Solomon Islands and Breen moves away in the beginning of series 7. Jarod Rawiri as Detective Constable Daniel Chalmers (series 7-present): Chalmers replaces Breen after Breen moves to the Solomon Islands. Chalmers is Māori and an experienced former uniformed officer, and brings a no-nonsense style to the Brokenwood CIB. Cristina Ionda as Dr. Gina Kadinsky, the medical examiner. She is a highly eccentric Russian woman who often talks about how things were in Russia and doesn't quite understand "the English humour". She drops frequent hints that she is attracted to Shepherd, an attraction that is not reciprocated.
Recurring Elizabeth McRae as Mrs. Jean Marlowe (series 2–7): a kindly older woman who often engages in gossip after a murder. Pana Hema Taylor as Jared Morehu (series 1–3; guest series 5; series 6): Shepherd's Māori neighbour. As a local who has many friends and interests, he often finds himself involved in murder investigations. Colin Moy as Simon Hughes: the senior police superintendent/commander (exact rank is uncertain) for the region and a close friend of DSS Shepherd. Karl Willetts as Frankie "Frodo" Oades: a former mechanic who later owns Frodo's Coffee trailer/cart. Jason Hoyte as Ray Neilson (series 2–present): the proprietor of several local pubs, including The Frog and Cheetah, and the owner of Porky Pigeon Pizzeria. Tracy Lee Gray as Trudy Neilson (series 3-4, 6-present): Ray Neilson's sister, co-proprietor of the hotels, and one-time resident of the Brokenwood Women's Prison. Shane Cortese as Dennis Buchanan (series 2–present): a canny and suave defence lawyer who often crosses swords with the police. Zara Cormack as Kimberly Mason, Frodo's not-quite girlfriend. Roy Ward as Reverend Lucas Greene (series 2–3, 5-present): a local Anglican priest who thinks well of others out of Christian charity. Phil Peleton as Neil Bloom (series 1-10): a local pharmacist and later mayor of Brokenwood. Rawiri Jobe as Kahu Taylor (series 4–5): Jared's cousin (or rather, Jared is his "brother's cousin", invariably provoking the question "how does that work?"). He's a self-employed plumber. Kauri Williams as Todd Taylor (series 7-present): the nephew of Walter Elliott, also related to Kahu Taylor and Jared Morehu. Cameron Rhodes as Dr Roger Plummer (series 3, 7-present): the local psychiatrist, member of volunteer fire-brigade, musical theatre society and lover of fine red wine. Ascia Maybury as Dr Abbi Carlton (series 3-present): the doctor of the local Brokenwood hospital. Bronwyn Bradley as Mrs. Becky Baker (series 8-present).
Guests Ben Barrington ("Leather & Lace") Amanda Billing ("Over Her Dead Body") Ken Blackburn as Edward ("Catch of the Day", "The Killing Machine", and "As If Nothing Had Happened") Alison Bruce ("The Dark Angel") John Callen ("A Real Page Turner") Lisa Chappell ("Good as Gold") Shane Cortese ("Catch of the Day" and "A Merry Bloody Christmas") Kimberley Crossman ("Death n Bass") Josephine Davison ("Sour Grapes") Stuart Devenie ("As If Nothing Had Happened") Mike Edward ("Blood and Water" and "The Scarecrow") Peter Elliott ("Sour Grapes") David Fane ("The Killing Machine") JJ Fong ("Over Her Dead Body") Michael Galvin ("The Ghost in You") Rebecca Gibney as Tabatha Shepherd Mark Hadlow ("The Garotte and the Vinkelbraun") Miranda Harcourt ("To Die or Not to Die") Peter Hayden ("A Merry Bloody Christmas") Theresa Healey ("Over Her Dead Body") Laura Hill ("Over Her Dead Body" and "The Killing Machine") Chris Hobbs ("The Killing Machine") Xavier Horan ("Leather & Lace") Anna Jullienne ("Day of the Dead") Nicola Kawana ("Over Her Dead Body" and "A Merry Bloody Christmas") Michelle Langstone ("Going to the Dogs") Robyn Malcolm ("To Die or Not to Die") Ian Mune ("As If Nothing Had Happened") Miriama McDowell ("Blood and Water", "Hunting the Stag" and "Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson") Mark Mitchinson ("Over Her Dead Body") Jacqueline Nairn ("Stone Cold Dead") Rachel Nash ("Scared to Death") Dean O'Gorman ("The Dark Angel") Ingrid Park ("Catch of the Day", "As If Nothing Had Happened" and "Tontine") Bree Peters ("Three Coins in a Fountain") Donogh Rees ("Playing the Lie") Jodie Rimmer ("Leather & Lace", "To Die or Not to Die" and "Blood Pink") Ilona Rodgers ("Tontine") Emmett Skilton ("The Black Widower") Esther Stephens ("Fall From Grace") Olivia Tennet ("Scared to Death") Roz Turnbull ("Playing the Lie") Calvin Tuteao ("Playing the Lie") Jared Turner ("Hunting the Stag") Bronwyn Turei ("Blood Pink") Aidee Walker ("The Dark Angel") Catherine Wilkin ("As If Nothing Had Happened") Katie Wolfe ("The Black Widower") Tandi Wright ("The Dark Angel") Sara Wiseman ("Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson")
Casting changes Nic Sampson, the actor who played D.C. Sam Breen, left the show to move back to the United Kingdom. His character was replaced by D.C. Daniel Chalmers (played by Jarod Rawiri). who was introduced in series 7 episode 2.
Episodes Series overview
Series 1 (2014)
Series 2 (2015)
Series 3 (2016)
Series 4 (2017)
Series 5 (2018)
Series 6 (2019)
Series 7 (2021)
Series 8 (2022) Episode one aired on Friday, 1 July on Acorn in North America, with all the following episodes airing on the Mondays following (4 July, etc).
Series 9 (2023)
• Episode 1 began streaming on Acorn in North America on Monday, 10 April 2023 with each of the rest of the episodes released on successive Mondays.
Series 10 (2024)
Series 11 (2025)
Series 12 (2026)
Ratings
Series 1 Episode New Zealand ratings Original air date Live Rank Night "Blood & Water" 191.34 5 "Sour Grapes" 131.25 "Playing the Lie" 164.59 5 "Hunting the Stag" 141.98
Series 2 Episode New Zealand ratings Original air date Live Rank Night "Leather & Lace" 116.16 5 "To Die or Not to Die" 97.16 "Catch of the Day" 109.73 5 "Blood Pink" 117.11 5
International
In France the series is shown on France 3 with a viewer average of 3.4 million each episode and has been retitled Brokenwood. The series has also been shown in Denmark, the United States, Australia"Brokenwood wins at the New York festivals ", thebrokenwoodmysteries.com. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015. and Italy. The series premiered in Australia on 13th Street on 27 January 2016. It is also shown on the 9Gem channel. The series premiered in the United States and Canada on Acorn TV the same day as New Zealand as one of the US co-producers and broadcasters. The series airs on Knowledge Network, the public television service of British Columbia. The series airs on television on several PBS stations. The series later premiered on Ovation (American TV channel) on 28 June 2021. The series started being shown in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the Drama Channel in February 2017.Drama Channel shows Brokenwood Mysteries The series were shown in Bulgaria by Fox Crime Bulgaria in March 2017. The series has been shown in Finland by YLE, the public broadcasting company, from 2017 on. In Finland the series title goes by the local name of "Murhia ja kantrimusiikkia", meaning "Murders and country-music". Episodes are shown in two pieces, ie 1/2 and 2/2. One half episode lasts for 45 minutes and has no ads. Episodes are shown every weekday, usually for the first time in traditional 17:10 slot. The series premiered in Italy on Giallo on 16 April 2016 titled I misteri di Brokenwood. The series premiered in Germany on Das Erste on 21 July 2019 titled Brokenwood - Mord in Neuseeland. The series premiered in Belgium on één, on 8 May 2020. The series has also been shown in Czech TV Prima titled Vraždy v Brokenwoodu. In the Netherlands it is shown on BBC First. Shown in Japan on AXN. In Norway the national broadcaster NRK has been broadcasting the series since April 2019
Reception and awards