Brokenwood world famous out west
He’s an oddball who likes country music, talks to the dead and people often don’t understand his dark humour, but audiences just can’t get enough of him.
And there is one more thing Senior Seargent Mike Shepherd is great at solving crime.
New Zealand series Brokenwood Mysteries is returning for a third season to Prime TV this month.
‘‘I guess audiences like him because he is a guy who is genuinely interested in knowing more about people,’’ says Neill Rae who plays Shepherd on screen.
The actor says he can relate to the character in more ways than one.
‘‘He is a bit like me I guess, actually more like a serious older brother version of myself. I am a little less stern than Mike.’’
So does Rae like to connect with those on the other side just like his character?
‘‘I don’t talk to the dead. I haven’t done that recently anyway,’’ jokes the Titirangi resident.
The series has been primarily shot around west Auckland.
‘‘This area just lends itself really well to Mike’s town Brokenwood.’’
The locations include Oratia, Huapai, Kumeu and Helensville, he says.
‘‘I remember we were shooting this car scene on a loop road in Kumeu and I thought this just fits our needs exactly.’’
He says the team are trying to ‘‘portray’’ a town that Kiwis can relate to.
‘‘We want to show an urban as well as a rural setting and we can do that perfectly out west. I met someone who told me he thought one of the previous episodes was shot in Wanaka, we had actually shot it near Kumeu.’’
This season should grip audiences from the get go, he says.
‘‘We may also get a little glimpse into his relationship history.’’ Shepherd’s love life is a ‘‘bit of a mystery’’, he has at least one exwife but not much more is known about his past.
‘‘He’s different, with all his music taste and relationship stuff, but I don’t think Mike’s a weirdo, he is idiosyncratic - but definitely not a weirdo,’’ adds Rae.
The series has been produced by Henderson-based studio South Pacific Pictures. Rae will be a familiar face to Kiwi audiences. He starred in the film Scarfies. Brokenwood Mysteries season three premiers on Prime TV October 30 at 8.30pm.