Filthy Rich: First look at New Zealand's most expensive show

Shortland Street fans were the first to get a taste of the country's most expensive new drama, aptly titled Filthy Rich.

The multi-night show is set to screen on TV2 next year, after filming began in May.

A sneak peak of the drama was available during a 7.30pm ad break of the Shorty Street finale.

Filthy Rich follows three illegitimate children who discover they each have a claim to the fortune of one of New Zealand's wealthiest men - John Truebridge.

The promo clip shows Trubridge falling through the air, lamenting his untimely death.

"Bugger, this isn't how it was meant to go, everything I worked for my company, every single dollar of it now up for grabs," he says.

"And my family, how far will they go to get it all?"

When he dies, these unexpected heirs stand to share in his legacy, but not if his legitimate family has anything to do with it.

Miriama Smith is Brady - the ambitious, younger second wife of John Snr.

She thought she'd inherit everything, or at least share in the spoils with her step-son, John Jnr (Josh McKenzie).

But secrets are revealed and suddenly there are three after the fortune.

Alex Tarrant plays athletic Joe, who is shocked to find his whole life to date has been a lie, while newcomers Taylor Hall and Emma Fenton play secretive Vader and beautiful Savannah respectively.

In the new ad, cast members strut towards the camera as money rains down from the sky.

The series, produced by former Shortland Street producer Steven Zanoski, received $8.25 million of funding from New Zealand on Air, the most money ever to go to a debut series.

But that money will go further than most productions, with TVNZ commissioning 20 episodes of the drama, to run twice-weekly over 10 weeks.

The average drama series in New Zealand only runs for 13 episodes, making Filthy Rich cheaper per episode than several other productions.

- nzherald.co.nz