Go Girls

Go Girls
Created by	Gavin Strawhan Rachel Lang
Developed by	South Pacific Pictures
Starring	Anna Hutchison Alix Bushnell Bronwyn Turei Jay Ryan
Narrated by	Jay Ryan
Opening theme	"Piece of my Heart" by The Electric Confectionaires
Country of origin	New Zealand
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	13
Production
Executive producers	John Barnett Simon Bennett Gavin Strawhan Rachel Lang
Original release
Network	TV2
Release	19 February 2009 – Ongoing

Go Girls is a New Zealand comedy/drama television series produced by South Pacific Pictures. The show aired on TV2 on Thursday evenings, and began in February, 2009. The show continued through its first season and ended in May, 2009 with its 13th episode. The pilot episode aired on 19 February 2009, with the final episode airing 17 May 2009 in New Zealand. The pilot aired in Australia on the 8th of August 2009, right after So You Think You Can Dance on Network Ten.

The series centres around four adult friends, Amy, Britta, Cody and Kevin, who live on the North Shore, Auckland. Dissatisfied with their lives, they make challenging promises to each other that they endeavour to fulfill throughout the series.

The show was created by Rachel Lang, responsible for the popular Outrageous Fortune television series, and Gavin Strawhan (Burying Brian). The two are responsible for the writing of the show, along with Kate McDermott.

Production

The first season consists of 13x 1 hour episodes. Filming began on May 26, 2008 on, in and around the North Shore area in Auckland, New Zealand.

Exterior shots of character's homes are located in Mairangi Bay, Takapuna, Vauxhall and Cheltenham, North Shore respectively. The interior shots of the homes are constructed completely inside South Pacific Pictures' studio facilities on the North Shore.

The workshop 'Ezytune', of which characters Cody and Kevin work at, is actually a Midas workshop located on Wairau Road in Glenfield, North Shore City. The show's producers acquire use of the workshop and simply place an 'Ezytune' sign over the existing Midas lettering during filming.

Characters Britta and Wanda's workplace, 'The Taka' is a completely fictitious premises and was constructed within a studio. An enlarged photograph of the Hauraki Gulf, with volcano Rangitoto in the background, is used as the backdrop outside of the windows of the bar, this can be noticed in some scenes filmed on the bar's decking area.

Music

Continuing with co-producer Lang's theme throughout Outrageous Fortune of using only New Zealand music within the series, Go Girls features an array of New Zealand bands and artists. The opening theme to the show "Piece of my Heart" by The Electric Confectionaires, was fittingly chosen as the band originate from the North Shore area.

As well as an eclectic mix of New Zealand songs throughout the season's episodes, a few set artists and songs were chosen to represent the show. The set score of the show most notably consists of music by three specific artists. Used in almost every episode to set mood, is music taken mostly from the New Zealand band, The Brunettes 2002 debut album, Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks. At least one song from this album can be found in every one of the 13 episodes of season one. A cover of the song "End of the Runway" from the album is sung by actress Alix Bushnell, who plays Britta McMann, in the final episode during characters Cody and Eli's wedding dance.

Another artist from the North Shore, Lydia Cole, features often with her song "Come With'", from her 2008 album Twenty Years.

The Electric Confectioniaires song "Mr Whippy" is also used to great effect many times within the show.

Reviews

The show initially received mixed reviews upon its release. This was mostly because many compared it to co-producer Rachel Lang's other major work, television series Outrageous Fortune. Many believed it to be a North Shore-set version of the West Auckland-set Outrageous Fortune series; however this was not the case as later reviews proved and acurately described Go Girls as a show which depicted its own characters and settings in an original and realistic way.

The premiere episode easily won its time slot with TV2’s target audience, 18–39 year-olds, with a 11.9 rating and a 37.1% share.

Season Two

On April 29, 2009 TVNZ and NZ On Air confirmed that the show had been commissioned for a second season due to strong ratings. Production will commence in late 2009 and will screen on TV2 in 2010.

Cast

Actor(s)	Character	First Appearance
Anna Hutchison	Amy Smart	2009 -
Alix Bushnell	Britta McMann	2009 -
Bronwyn Turei	Cody Latimer	2009 -
Jay Ryan	Kevin	2009 -
Matt Whelan	Brad Caulfield	2009 -
Tania Nolan	Angelina Caulfield	2009 -
Stephen Lovatt	Larry Smart	2009 -
Theresa Healey	Alison Smart	2009 -
Ingrid Park	Fran McMann	2009 -
Annie Whittle	Jan McMann	2009 -
Irene Wood	Nan McMann	2009 -
Bronwyn Bradley	Gwen Latimer	2009 -
Brittany Wakelin	Possum Latimer	2009 -
William Davis	Wiri Latimer	2009 -
Jared Turner	Ben Maddox	2009 -
John Tui	Timbo	2009 -
Elliott McKee	Jesse	2009 -
Joseph Naufahu	Eli	2009 -
Brooke Williams	Wanda	2009 -
Gareth Reeves	Philippe	2009 -
James Napier	Mark	2009 -
Ari Boyland	Scott Smart	2009 -
Charmaine Guest	Lia	2009 -
Dean O'Gorman	Marco	2009 -
Phil Brooks	Steve	2009 -
Lynette Forday	Antonia Li	2009 -
Caleb Griffiths	Gabriel Li	2009 -
Roy Ward	Don	2009 -
Sophie Nathan	Tuscany	2009 -
Alexander Barrington Nash	Young Kevin	2009 -
Katie Begbie	Young Amy	2009 -
Imogen Williams	Young Britta	2009 -
Sarah Owen	Sandra	2009 -

External links

• TV review: Friends' chemistry enlivens Shore's answer to Westie icon
• Go Girls leads new season TV schedule