- For the eponymous creature, see Taniwha (species).
"Taniwha" is the first episode of the second series of Wellington Paranormal, and the seventh episode overall. It aired on 16 October 2019.
Synopsis[]
Minogue and O'Leary head for the ocean when ten anglers disappear from around Wellington Harbour in mysterious circumstances.[1]
Plot Summary[]
Sergeant Maaka requests that the Paranormal Unit, along with an eager Constable Parker, investigate the recent disappearances of ten anglers, including Clarke Gayford, the Prime Minister’s fiancé, on Wellington Harbour. Due to the high amount of seismic activity, Maaka suspects the culprit may be a taniwha, a marine creature of Māori mythology.
On the beach, the group encounter an unhelpful fisherman who gives a contradicting account of what happened, but mentions other fishermen claiming to have seen “a monster”. Maaka asks Parker to camp on the beach, equipping him with a “pre-warning system” consisting of a mug of Milo connected to sensors.
The Paranormal Unit head to Tapu Point Jetty to board a Wellington Police Maritime Unit boat piloted by Captain Quinn. At 5:12 am, Maaka passes the time by telling the crew a traditional story of Ngake and Whātaitai, two taniwha brothers who lived in the harbour. A huge object suddenly appears on the sonar, and the crew are too distracted by this to notice the huge taniwha briefly peering through the boat window. Realising the object is heading towards Parker’s encampment, they drive back to the shore, only to find his tent empty and the camera crew filming him missing. O’Leary sees a giant footprint and Maaka realises the taniwha is amphibious. Minogue spots an arm sticking out of the water and runs to save them, but discovers that the arm has no body attached to it.
The Paranormal Unit follow the tracks into a cave and find the missing people, including Gayford and the fisherman, alive and stuck to the cave walls with seaweed to be stored as food for the taniwha. The Unit free the men and realise the arm belongs to the newly-amputated fisherman. As they leave the cave, a taniwha appears behind them and eats the fisherman, leaving only his legs behind. The team follow the beast and drive to Oriental Bay.
At the bay, the three take a moment to honour Parker’s memory. Parker suddenly appears beside them and admits he left the tent to avoid the coldness and water and meet his mother, while the camera crew got eaten. Two taniwha surface from the water and start mating, leading the Unit to realise that the two are not the brothers from legend. Maaka concludes that the two are therefore unlikely to cause any further harm.
Cast[]
- Mike Minogue as Officer Minogue
- Karen O'Leary as Officer O'Leary
- Maaka Pohatu as Sergeant Maaka
- Thomas Sainsbury as Constable Parker
- Byron Coll as Unhelpful Fisherman
- Clarke Gayford as Himself
- Jason Hoyte as Captain Quinn