Shortland Street - 2002 Christmas cliffhanger (Rachel's car crash)

...since the first one in 1994, Shortland Street's Christmas cliffhangers have become a New Zealand television tradition. The cliffhanger weeks are carefully planned in advance, so that several key storylines come to a climax at the end of every year. There's usually a major, unexpected plot twist, and a dramatic turn of events.

– Article on Shortland Street's annual cliffhanger, on TVNZ's Shortland Street page

Get out you self-righteous git — just sod off and die!

– Toni (Laura Hill) breaks up with Adam (Leighton Cardno), at the start of this excerpt

Listen, while I've got you in a good mood, um I've got some news...Tama's gonna be a father.

– Te Hana Hudson (Vanessa Rare) announces some big news about her son to Victor (Calvin Tuteao)

I don't want to see you right now. Rachel, I'm not at your beck and call. You've had days, weeks to talk to me.

– Chris (Michael Galvin) takes a phone call from Rachel, after their break-up

Shut your mouth, and do what I tell ya. Where's your phone? C'mon, you rich doctors got phones.

– Escaped prisoner Kurt (Gordon Hatfield) threatens Adam (Leighthon Cardno)

I've just received your mammogram result — take a seat.

– Doctor Ho (Daniel Sing) to Waverley (Claire Chitham)

In a phone poll of drunk people, 100 per cent of those surveyed said they hoped that dipso Rachel survives the car crash . . . at the end of last year's Shortland Street season. And that she returns to knock off super-surgeon, super-drone Chris, who was last seen trying to stick his tongue down ambulance-boss Donna's throat.

– NZ Herald writer Michele Hewitson welcomes Shortland Street's 2003 season, January 2003