Five of Shortland Street's most dramatic Christmas cliffhangers

NZ Herald

19 Dec, 2019 12:48 AM5 mins to read

Chris Warner attempted to save the day during last year's dramatic plane crash. Photo / TVNZ screenshot

It wouldn't be Christmas without the annual Shortland Street cliffhanger, and this year the festive season is complete with a 90-minute long episode.

The episode screens tonight, so in the spirit of Christmas, here is a list of some of the best storylines that left viewers on the edge of their seats.

The Ferndale Strangler (2007)

The infamous name says it all. After six months of terror, the serial killer was revealed to be seemingly innocent nurse Joey Henderson. Viewers were on the edge of their seats as Tania fought against him as he attempted to strangle her with an IV line.

Chris was reunited with his family after months of them disappearing following his act of infidelity. His brother Guy flees with Toni and the kids – and ends up dramatically swerving to avoid a truck, sending the vehicle flying down the side of the road. Chris was left in shock, not knowing if any of his family had survived.

It was three more months in Ferndale before the killer's rampage came to a dramatic end. See footage from the 2008 episode below.

Anchor Me...(2013)

2013'S hour-long finale was steeped with drama – and it ended with a bang. Warner's family Christmas festivities were infiltrated with a bomb planted by Josh Gallagher. He was hell-bent on saving a few lives and getting his own back so he could serve a lighter jail sentence. Interesting tactic.

Oblivious to the impending doom was Chris Warner, who initiated an iconic singalong of the Mutton Birds' Anchor Me. What a way to rehash a classic tune.

The Actual Cliffhanger (2000)

In one of the show's early cliffhangers, the writers took the meaning of the phrase literally, and Eamon was left hanging on for his life on a cliff. Larsen was tasked with the decision to save his life or let him plummet to his death – Eamon had sexually assaulted her.

Meanwhile, Frank decided to treat a murderer, and viewers saw him lying in a pool of his own blood in a carpark – yikes.

The Plane Crash(2018)

Tasked with topping the drama from the previous cliffhangers, last year's rose to the challenge. Jack, Mo, Kate, Chris, Leanne, and Damo were all to head off on a private charter plane – but Leanne had a psychic revelation that the plane will crash. She and Damo back out.

The rest of the troupe head out on a private charter, and just as Leanne predicted (people really should have listened to her) the plane crashes into a forest. The pilot dies and Jack's life is hanging in the balance of his mangled leg. Warner attempted to save the day by finding a way to call emergency services. As help arrived, Mo collapses after he ignored his own injuries.

Serial rapist Ian Reid was sent to the emergency room after being stabbed in prison, and Nurse Claire was furious. Kylie took things into her own hands and killed him after crafting a well-timed, Christmas lights induced power cut. How festive!

Chris Warner attempted to save the day during last year's dramatic plane crash. Photo / TVNZ screenshot

Triple the Suspense (2015)

2015's Christmas special was a triple header, airing as a 90-minute episode.

Determined to take revenge against Drew, Gareth Hutchins stormed the hospital with firearms and took the hospital's Christmas party hostage. He managed to take out the hospital's guards and security as well.

Amongst the chaos there was meant to be wedding bells: Harper and Boyd were set to tie the knot at a vineyard.

Len's heroic efforts saw him tragically die when he was trying to lunge for Stevie, who Gareth was using as a shield. Mo and Vinnie decide to storm the gunman and save the day - and Gareth's gunshots alert the Armed Offenders Squad who storm the cafe.

Viewers had to wait for the next season to see if Drew and Wendy survived. Drew was also shot by a mysterious figure after being shot twice by Gareth.

Drew was left in a bad way after the 2015 cliff hanger. Photo / TVNZ

BONUS: Penis Gate (2017)

One of Shortland Street's most iconic cliffhangers wasn't a Christmas one, but it will still go down in history as one of the show's most dramatic episode endings. It encouraged memes, dub-step remixes and was even named New Zealand's quote of the year in 2017.

Chris Warner discovers a picture of his son Harry's penis on his tablet, which happened to be synced to Chris's phone. It ends with the shocking line from the Shorty Street Dad: "Please tell me that is not your penis!"