City Life (1996)
City Life was a New Zealand soap opera that screened on TVNZ from 1996-1998. It was portrayed the lives and loves of ten singles who lived in an upmarket apartment building in Auckland, New Zealand. The show was touted as New Zealand's answer to Melrose Place. The show starred Claudia Black, Lisa Chappell, Laurie Foell and Oliver Driver and featured a guest appearance by well known New Zealand actor, Kevin Smith. The show had a long development period, and the original treatment for the show had it set in Wellington with the working title 96 Oriental Parade. However, it was decided to produce the show in Auckland instead, and as such, the shows setting was changed along with the name to City Life. The first episode began with a controversial first scene, featuring a drunken Damon who owned the apartment building, in a homosexual kiss with his former lover Ryan on the night before his wedding. Damon was later killed off in the same episode after being hit by a car on the way to his wedding, and he left his apartment building to all of his friends. However, Damon's fianceè vowed to fight for her share of Damon's estate, leading to a storyline that would span the show's first five episodes.
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Episode 1 - Episode 11
Release Date: 1997-12-04Wiki orchestrates a plot to get back at Nick. She fills her prop gun with real bullets and plans to kill him during the shooting of one of the action scenes. Angela opens her new law firm but there are few clients. Instead, Angela spends her time day-dreaming in her new office. Frustrated over not getting anywhere with Kristen, Josh meets an attractive forty-ish woman named Leonie and takes her home. However, Josh has a nasty surprise in store. Gideon orders Aaron to stop giving drugs to Siobhan but after a fight with Gideon, a depressed Siobhan steels drugs from Aaron and gets into big trouble.
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Episode 2 - Episode 12
Release Date: 1997-12-11Siobhan survives her drug overdose and recovers at the hospital but a furious Gideon holds Aaron responsible and punches him. Josh is mortified to discover that Leonie is Kristen's mother and is positive that all his chances with Kristen are spoiled for good. Stephanie is annoyed by the presence of Derek, a puppeteer who is doing some guest work on her children's TV programme. The producers seem to like Derek, though, and make him permanent co-host. An enraged Stephanie plots to get rid of Derek. Bronwyn and Hugh are frustrated by their respective love lives and decide to contact a video dating agency. Aaron finds a new girlfriend but she isn't quite what she seems to be.
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Episode 3 - Episode 13
Release Date: 1997-12-18Rose Crabtree is going to participate in a tango contest for the last time but her chances of winning the price are crushed when her long-term dance partner Ricardo falls and breaks his leg. Aaron is eventually persuaded to step in as a replacement. Stephanie writes fake complaint letters about Derek to the producers of her show but the plan backfires. Kristen fakes illness in order to trigger Leonie's maternal instincts but her mother is more concerned with Josh. Hugh is hurt to find out that Bronwyn doesn't remember that they kissed last night. Nicky and her partner Ross Palmer bug Aaron's flat.
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Episode 4 - Episode 14
Release Date: 1998-01-08Derek infuriates Stephanie by making a puppet resembling her, which he names 'Little Steph'. Creeped out by Derek's increasingly psychotic bevahior towards her, Stephanie tries in vain to prove to her producers that Derek is crazy. Angela gets her first case but it's doesn't turn out too well thanks to a nightmare client. Aaron is still totally unaware that Nicky is an undercover cop investigating his drug dealing. However, Nicky is starting to get a little too attached to Aaron.
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Episode 5 - Episode 15
Release Date: 1998-01-15Stephanie learns she is to receive an award from her TV company but in light of what happened to Derek, she feels she doesn't deserve any award. Michael meets Ryan's parents for the first time and accidentally mentions that Ryan has acted as sperm donor for Mia. Ryan's parents are shocked. Kristen hacks onto Gideon's computer and is shocked by what she discovers. Wiki is excited to get a part in an ice cream commericial but it turns out she may have been cheering a bit too soon.
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Episode 6 - Episode 16
Release Date: 1998-01-15When Gideon arrives at work, he is questioned by his boss; someone has leaked information to Roger Merritt. Gideon becomes very nervous. Bronwyn dispairs after not being able to get a job. None of the others understand why she who is so rich even needs a job. Ryan tries to help by letting her work as a waitress at the Lava Lounge; with dramatic consequences. Hugh falls for Wiki's gym instructor Debra and asks her to move in with them, but is this such a good idea? Nicky's superior, Ross, is getting impatient and wants to bust Aaron. He orders Nicky to plant drugs on Aaron.
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Episode 7 - Episode 17
Release Date: 1998-01-22Debra and Hugh decide to keep their love-making a secret since Wiki doesn't approve of sex between room-mates. Wrecked with a guilty conscience, Gideon is ready to confess to leaking the information to Roger Merritt. However, someone else has already taken the blame. Ross wonders whether Nicky is capable of separating between work and pleasure as far as Aaron is concerned but lets her keep on doing her job. At a beach party at the Lava Lounge, Aaron receives an unexpected ""gift"" which gets him in trouble.
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Episode 8 - Episode 18
Release Date: 1998-01-22Aaron is interrogated by Ross, who assures him he's not after him, but Avery, the man behind Aaron. Aaron reluctantly agrees to cooperate and is forced to pretend towards Avery that he and Nicky are still a couple. Hugh is crushed after Debra's one-night stand with Gideon and eventually demands her to move out. Debra, however, puts Hugh under pressure. Kristen deliberately sabotages the photocopier at her work because she's obsessed with the repairman's cute buns. Debra makes the moves on Stephanie.
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Episode 9 - Episode 19
Release Date: 1998-01-29Debra convinces Wiki and Stephanie that Hugh has mistreated her. Wiki and Stephanie believe her and demand Hugh to move out. After being the victim of a robbery, Josh makes a list of things he has to do before he dies; including reconciling his parents and declaring his love for Kristen. The corrupt Ross decides to get of rid of both Aaron and Avery; a violent blood-bath ensues.
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Episode 10 - Episode 20
Release Date: 1998-01-29Josh is embarrassed after his love declaration and avoids Kristen. Ryan and Michael are having love problems too. Ryan finally realizes he really loves Michael but Michael has been seeing someone else. Having seen through Debra's false act, Wiki, Stephanie and Hugh hatch a plot to get rid of her; playing on Debra's vanity. Nicky tells Aaron that the autopsy report proves that Ross and Avery shot each other. It looks as if Aaron is off the hook, however...
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Episode 11 - Episode 21
Release Date: 1998-02-05Aaron's uncle, Ernest, arrives in town with a brilliant lawyer to defend him of the murder charges, but Aaron insists on being defended by Angela, even though she lacks experience. Unfortunately, Angela messes up in court and Aaron is denied bail. Stephanie and Hugh get drunk and decide to have sex but problems occur. Ryan grieves over his break-up with Michael and receives support from Mia. Bronwyn and Wiki are working on a museum exhibit about the Maoris and discover there's a curse on the Kellett family!
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Episode 12 - Episode 22
Release Date: 1998-02-05Aaron's case is going badly and Angela knows her chances of winning are small. Nicky is unable to help her because all the evidence of Ross' corrupt dealings are destroyed. Angela doesn't give up, however, and discovers some new, interesting evidence which leads her to Ross' mother. Bronwyn has a strange dream about herself (as her grandmother) kissing Wiki's new boyfriend Cam. She realizes she's jealous of Wiki. Angela is furious when Aaron tells her he still loves her.
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Episode 13 - Episode 23
Release Date: 1998-02-12Bronwyn's dream comes through as she kisses Cam at the museum. However, they are observed by Wiki and the consequences are fatal. The unemployed Gideon is offered a job by an old friend but it's not a nice job. Ryan accompanies Mia to her lamaze class when her husband is unavailabe. He starts wondering if he'll be able to keep away after the baby is born. Hugh decides to start taking photos of real people, including an alcoholic derelict named Vernon.
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Episode 14 - Episode 24
Release Date: 1998-02-12Stephanie receives news that her father has died but ignores it. Instead she works on a pilot for a game show where couples find out how well they fit together. Stephanie has the perfect particpants for the show: Josh and Kristen. Hugh is pestered by Vernon and isn't able to get rid of him. Wiki decides to forgive Bronwyn in order to save their friendship.
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Episode 15 - Episode 25
Release Date: 1998-02-19Angela discovers she's pregnant and the father is Aaron. She considers an abortion but then Aaron shows up again. Stephanie receives her father's ashes and isn't sure what to do with them. Hugh is about to develop strong feelings for a close friend. Uncle Ernest is dead-set on breaking up Cam and Bronwyn and he gets too worked up for his own good.
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Episode 16 - Episode 26
Release Date: 1998-02-19Uncle Ernest is comatose after his collapse and Bronwyn is wrecked with guilt. Cam convinces Bronwyn to get married but his intentions aren't all good. Hugh tells Wiki how he feels about her. Mia goes into labor and Ryan must accompany her to the hospital. Can he deny his father-instinct for much longer? Meanwhile, Angela must make a decision about her baby.