Tiger Country

Television (Full Length) – 1998

This Gibson Group TV movie is named after a colonial term for a wild and unpredictable landscape. It follows lead cop Tony 'Horse' Radiscich (Sean Duffy), freshly minted detective Stephanie Wilson (ex Shortland Street villain Laurie Foel) and the young team investigating a woman's murder in Wellington's northern suburbs. They encounter false leads, personal demons, and pressure from top brass (Peter Hambleton) to stay 'fiscally neutral'. Writer Tom Scott collaborated with Porirua District Commander Grant O'Fee to depict the pressures facing Kiwi cops. The hope was Tiger Country would become a series; Street Legal won out.

Horse has chosen not to take the next step forward [in his police career] because that would mean a desk job, and he still wants to be hands on. And he just can't be blowed with all that bureaucratic bullshit. He does care about the people he's dealing with. though probably too much sometimes, and that caring almost ends up being a bit of a problem, because it gets in the way of his home life.
– Actor Sean Duffy describes his character, Detective Senior Sergeant Tony 'Horse' Radisich, TV Guide, 27 November 1998