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This Is Not My Life
Genre	Mystery-thriller
Created by	Rachel Lang Gavin Strawhan Jason Daniel
Developed by	Rachel Lang Gavin Strawhan Vanessa Alexander Peter Cox
Written by	Gavin Strawhan Peter Cox Rachel Lang
Story by	Rachel Lang Gavin Strawhan Vanessa Alexander Peter Cox
Directed by	Rob Sarkies Peter Salmon
Starring	Charles Mesure Tandi Wright Miriama McDowell
Composer	Don McGlashan
Country of origin	New Zealand
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Gavin Strawhan Rachel Lang Steven O'Meagher Tim White
Producer	Tim Sanders
Cinematography	Andrew Commis
Editor	Paul Maxwell
Production companies	Desert Road Southern Light Films
Original release
Network	TV One
Release	29 July (2010-07-29) – 14 October 2010 (2010-10-14)

This Is Not My Life is a New Zealand television mystery-thriller which originally aired from 29 July to 14 October 2010 on Television New Zealand's TV One.

Plot

Set in the 2020s, the show centres on Alec Ross, who awakes one morning to find that he doesn't know who or where he is and doesn't recognise his wife or children. The story is set in the fictional town of Waimoana.

Cast and characters

Main

• Charles Mesure as Alec Ross, Alec wakes one morning to find himself in a life he doesn't believe is his. He sets out on a mission to find the truth of where he comes from and what the real truth is behind Waimoana.
• Tandi Wright as Callie Ross, Callie is Alec's wife and mother to his two children. Her greatest desire is to have the perfect family and will do almost anything it takes to keep it.
• Miriama McDowell as Jessica Wilmott, Jessica works as a cleaner at Waimoana Water. She befriends Alec and becomes his ally in digging the secrets from Waimoana.
• Tania Nolan as Dr Natasha Collins, Natasha is Alec's family's doctor at Waimoana's Wellness Clinic. She has some limited knowledge of the goings-on in Waimoana.
• Steven A. Davis as Gordy Leach, Gordy works for the surveillance company who makes sure everything in Waimoana stays safe. He has a deep-set desire to be a knight in shining armour.

Recurring

• John Bach as Harry Sheridan, A Waimoana executive who Alec has vague memories of from before his current life. Alec believes that he has something crucial to do with the mystery.
• Joel Tobeck as Richard Foster, He runs the Waimoana surveillance team and it is his job to make sure nothing is out of place. It is no surprise then that Alec Ross very quickly catches his attention.
• Peter Muller as Stephen Lovritch, Alec's boss at Waimoana Water.
• Katherine Kennard as Hope Lovritch, Stephen's wife. In the past she has had an affair with Alec.
• Alison Bruce as Jude, Alec's PA at Waimoana Water. She finds herself often holding the fort whenever he steps out for golf or on his own errands.
• Ariana Brunet as Becky Ross, Alec's young daughter, she is often plagued with nightmares of a green door and a 'bad man' called Harry.
• Tom Cameron as Christian Ross, Alec's teenage son and who having a secret relationship with Paige.
• Alexandra Foster as Paige Lovritch, Stephen and Hope's teenage daughter, Paige's sexual relationship with Christian causes a lot of tension between Callie and Hope when it is discovered.

Guest

• Matthew Sunderland as The Cleaner
• Simon Prast as Mike

Production

The series is created and written by Rachel Lang and Gavin Strawhan and directed by Rob Sarkies and Peter Salmon. Thirteen episodes were produced. It was produced by Tim Sanders, and executive produced by Gavin Strawhan, Rachel Lang, Steven O'Meagher, and Tim White. Don McGlashan composed the score.

Though the show only lasted one season, it was announced in 2011 that American network ABC had purchased the series to adapt for an American audience.

Episodes

Awards and nominations

In the 2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards, the series earned three awards:

• Best Drama Programme
• Best Original Music: Don McGlashan
• Best Production Design: Tracey Collins

In addition, Miriama McDowell and Tandi Wright were nominated for Best Actress - Drama/Comedy, and there were nominations in the Cinematography - Drama/Comedy, Editing - Drama/Comedy, and Contribution to Design categories (Visual Effects Supervisor Peter McCully).

Home media

The series was released on DVD on 29 June 2011.

References

1. Baillie, Russell (30 July 2010). "TV Review: This Is Not My Life". The New Zealand Herald.
2. ^ "Tim Sanders". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
3. Smith, Jacqueline (15 July 2010). "My so-called life". The New Zealand Herald.
4. "This is Not My Life: Credits". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
5. Kreft, Brad (7 February 2011). "American version of This Is Not My Life on the way". Throng. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011.
6. ^ "This is Not My Life". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
7. "This Is Not My Life (TV Show)". This Is Not My Life (TV Show). 30 May 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2016.

External links

• This Is Not My Life, Ep. 1 on NZ Screen
• This Is Not My Life at IMDb
• Archived film website on Ruffle

• 2010 New Zealand television series debuts
• 2010 New Zealand television series endings
• New Zealand mystery television series
• New Zealand science fiction television series
• Television shows filmed in New Zealand
• Television shows funded by NZ on Air
• Television shows set in New Zealand
• TVNZ 1 original programming