The Blue Rose

The Blue Rose
Genre Crime drama
Created by
  • Rachel Lang
  • James Griffin
Directed by
  • Mark Beesley
  • Simon Bennett
  • Michael Duignan
  • John Laing
Starring
Composer(s) Karl Steven
Country of origin New Zealand
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • John Barnett
  • Rachel Lang
  • Chris Bailey
Producer(s) Chris Bailey
Cinematography Marty Smith
Running time 43–45 minutes
Production company(s) South Pacific Pictures
Distributor All3Media International
Broadcast
Original channel TV3
Picture format PAL (576i)
HDTV 720p
Audio format Stereophonic
Original run 4 February 2013 – 29 April 2013
External links
Website
Production website

The Blue Rose is a New Zealand crime drama television series, which was created by Rachel Lang and James Griffin and produced by South Pacific Pictures. It stars Antonia Prebble as Jane and Siobhan Marshall as Linda.

The series aired in New Zealand on TV3 from 4 February to 29 April 2013, at 8:30 P.M. for three episodes; it then moved to 9:30 P.M. for three episodes, and then moved again to 9:40 P.M. for five episodes, before moving to 9:45 P.M. on Mondays for the remaining two episodes.

Production

Funding for the series was approved by NZ On Air in December 2011.[1]

Cancellation

The show was cancelled in December 2013 by a radio announcement on Radio New Zealand by TV3 programming boss Mark Caulton.[2]

Plot

Jane is a humble office temp who takes on a new post at an inner city law firm and soon realises she's not just filling in for a secretary with the flu - she's sitting in a dead woman's chair.

The deceased woman is Rose, whose best friend Linda is convinced that she was murdered despite police reports to the contrary. Linda quickly enlists Jane in her quest to find the truth and together they recruit the IT guy and the lady from payroll and form the Society of the Blue Rose.

With some help from others on the apparently lowlier rungs in the office - the group fight high-stakes crimes and shadowy corporate skulduggery to uncover the truth about Rose. They are united in purpose - and tattoos - to seek out further injustices. But proving guilt is always harder than suspecting it.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Series overview

Series Episodes Originally aired
Series premiere Series finale
1 13 4 February 2013 29 April 2013

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date N.Z. viewers
(thousand)
1"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"Mark BeesleyRachel Lang4 February 2013264.38 (38.33[a])[3]
2"What Difference Does It Make?"Mark BeesleyRachel Lang11 February 2013210.78[4]
3"Sheila Take a Bow"Simon BennettTiffany Zehnal and Rachel Lang18 February 2013150.34[4]
4"This Charming Man"Simon BennettJames Griffin25 February 2013145.66[5]
5"Pretty Girls Make Graves"Michael DuignanRachel Lang4 March 2013115.33[5]
6"Paint a Vulgar Picture"Michael DuignanKate McDermott11 March 2013113.35[6]
7"Money Changes Everything"Michael DuignanJames Griffin18 March 2013133.91[7]
8"Half a Person"John LaingKate McDermott25 March 2013
9"Suffer Little Children"John LaingMatthew Saville and Rachel Lang1 April 2013141.97[8]
10"Handsome Devil"Michael DuignanFiona Samuel and Rachel Lang8 April 2013113.67[8]
11"This Night Has Opened My Eyes"Michael DuignanJan Prettejohns15 April 2013
12"Girl Afraid"Mark BeesleyKate McDermott22 April 2013
13"Hand in Glove"Mark BeesleyRachel Lang29 April 2013

Broadcast

In Australia, the show premiered on Gem on 26 November 2013.[9]

Awards and nominations

Monte-Carlo Television Festival

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref
2013 Golden Nymph Drama TV Series The Blue Rose Nominated [10]

New York Festivals

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref
2014 Bronze World Medal Drama Rachel Lang, James Griffin, Chris Bailey and John Barnett Won [11]

Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref
2013 Television Award NZ on Air Best Television Feature or Drama Series The Almighty Johnsons Nominated [12]

Home video release

Title Set details DVD release dates Special features
Region 4[13]
The Blue Rose
  • Discs: 3
  • Episodes: 13
1 May 2013
  • Interviews with cast
  • Alternate endings

References

  1. "NZ On Air Television Funding Decisions". NZ On Air. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  2. Glucina, Rachel (11 December 2013). "The Diary: Show's creators hear of drama's axing on radio". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  3. Bexj (5 February 2013). "TV Ratings: 4 February 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Bexj (19 February 2013). "TV Ratings: 18 February 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Bexj (5 March 2013). "TV Ratings: 4 March 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  6. Regan (12 March 2013). "TV Ratings: 11 March 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. Brad (19 March 2013). "TV Ratings: 18 March 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Brad (9 April 2013). "TV Ratings: 8 April 2013". Nielsen. Throng. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  9. Alicia B (18 November 2013). "The Blue Rose – New Crime/Drama Coming To Gem". Throng. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  10. "Nominees 2013". Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  11. "Browse by Winners". New York Festivals. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  12. "NZ film award contenders revealed". NZ Herald. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  13. Region 4 DVD set:

External links