One Lane Bridge was filmed in Queenstown, Glenorchy and places around Arrowtown. The crime thriller has a budget of NZ$7 million.
The series further stars Michelle Langstone as Charlotte McCrae, Phil Brown as Mark ‘Haggis’ McCrae, Nathalie Morris as Emma Ryder, Alex Walker as Joe, Phoebe McKellar as Tilly, and Jared Turner as Rob Ryder.
It showcases the events around the mysterious deaths that have occurred on the infamous one-lane bridge near the town of Queenstown. It follows a young Maori Detective, Davis, who accidentally reawakens a spiritual gift that endangers a murder investigation.
Set in the made-up town of Akaroa, the series centers on various difficulties that the young detective, Davis, encounters while trying to connect to his past and solve a string of puzzling murders that have shaken the sleepy hamlet.
Introduced during the country’s first lockdown of the COVID pandemic, it has received generally mixed reviews, with Stuff’s James Croot describing season 1 as an ‘engrossing, evocative, supernatural-tingles, detective drama.’
One Lane Bridge Filming Location
One Lane Bridge was filmed in Queenstown, New Zealand. The filming for the third season began in September 2021 and was completed in 3 months.
Season 1 was filmed entirely in different locations in Queenstown for over three months in late 2019 by GSTV (Great Southern Television). The series had an initial budget of NZ$7 million, which was backed up by funding from NZ on Air, All3Media, and Australia’s Seven Network.
Around 200 cast and crew members were at the location at the end of the year. The production office was set up in a bygone warehouse on Frankton’s Glenda Drive. Several houses were also rented to the incoming cast and crew.
Everything was filmed on location, and the production team did not build any sets and go into a studio. The shooting started in September 2019. “The saying on the production is, ‘we’ll all be home for Christmas,” Great Southern’s CEO, Philip Smith, said.
The acclaimed New Zealand television series returned to Queenstown and Glenorchy for its second season. This time, the filming took place for over 10 weeks, starting in February 2021, with a slightly smaller budget of $6 million.
The shoot was believed to significantly boost the economy and render assistance to Covid-affected businesses. It provided many locals with significant employment opportunities following a complicated year that saw many losing their incomes.
One of the principal aspects and spots in the show was the Dart River Bridge, and for the second season, the filming once again concentrated on this icon. Season 2 of the series consisted of five episodes that landed on August 15, 2021, and concluded on August 27, 2021.
In September 2021, TVNZ shared that the acclaimed series had been renewed for a third season. Queenstown’s incredible vistas once again provided the setting for another season of the drama series.
Season 3 was built on the first two seasons’ talent development opportunities across production, directing, and scriptwriting for emerging practitioners. It landed on November 7, 2022, with five episodes.
Is The Sow Returning For Season 4?
TVNZ 1 is yet to announce the show’s return for the fourth season. With the end of Season 3, fans might wonder if the series will release a season 4 or if it’s finally over.
It is a popular New Zealand series that many viewers love, specifically fans of crime and drama. The previous season was undoubtedly fantastic and gave many topics to discuss on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
And as its fame has been accentuated for this reason, Season 4 is expected to address those issues. At this moment, there are gossips that the network will soon announce the release date of the awaited season 4.
Fans are hoping for the return of the series and expect it to be more impressive and exciting because the end of the previous season left a lot of storylines to be explored and addressed. “Love the show. I’m hoping there will be a season 4,” said one superfan.
Otherwise, there are no hints about the show’s cancellation. With this, fans are more eager to learn about the coming season. So far, the network will try to add more content to attract viewers, with new episodes, merchandising, or, why not, developing a feature film based on the same topic.
Speaking about Season 3, Davis’s life gets a considerable shake-up when his boss questions his integrity as a cop. As in charge of the homicide investigation, he must mentor Tilly Gardner, who has just joined the detective training program.
In the end, Davis learns Tilly was making an error of judgment. He was then forced to decide how to balance small-town politics and justice and where his loyalties lie. The young detective finally overcomes his inner demons, which helps him accept who he is.