Episode 0001

This is the the first ever episode of Shortland Street which aired on 25th May 1992.
==Synopsis==
Dr Hone Ropata arrives at Shortland Street after a stint in Guatemala. Stuart Neilson brings his pregnant friend into the Clinic claiming that he is the father. Dr Hone ruffles feathers by performing an emergency caesarean on Stuart's pregnant friend, even though the clinic is not equipped for such a procedure.
==Cast List==
*Danielle Cormack as Alison Raynor
*Lisa Crittenden as Carrie Burton
*Michael Galvin as Chris Warner
*Temuera Morrison as Hone Ropata
*Angela Marie Dotchin as Kirsty Knight
*Elizabeth McRae as Marjorie Neilson
*Paul Gittins as Michael Mckenna
*Adrian Keeling as Tom Neilson
*Rene Naufahu as Sam Aleni
*Andrew Binns as Steve Mills
*Martin Henderson as Stuart Neilson
*Suzy Aiken as Jill Johnstone
*Anna Cathie as Lisa Stanton
* Krista Nobilo as Tara Milburn
* Bronte Bell as Rebecca Stanton
==Episode Summary==
Shortland Street's first episode starts with a shot of paramedics Sam Aleni and Tom Neilson driving down a road in their ambulance with the sirens on. Next we see Kirsty Knight, Marjorie Neilson and Carrie Burton in Shortland Street clinic's reception. Marj answers the phone saying the first words ever spoken on the show, "Shortland Street accident and emergency center." We cut back to Tom and Sam arriving at the scene of a car crash involving Marj and Tom's son, Stuart Neilson, and a pregant girl in labour, Lisa Stanton. Sam wants to bring Lisa to Shortland Street due to her head injury, but Tom disagrees as Shortland Street isn't equipped for delivering babies. Stuart begs them to take her somewhere close, and Tom gives in. 
Back at the clinic an impatient patient with a cut hand, Tara Milburn, is taken to an exam room by Alison Raynor. Dr. Hone Ropata arrives at reception and Carrie mistakes him as a patient. She asks Marj to page Dr. Chris Warner if he doesn't get back from his break in five minutes. Hone tells Marj he's there to speak with the CEO, Michael Mckenna. Kirsty is on the phone with him and tells him Hone has arrived. Michael speaks to Hone on the phone explaining his board meeting ran late, and asks if Hone can wait for half an hour. Carrie introduces herself to Hone and asks about his time in Guatemala, saying he'll find things a little different at Shortland Street. 
Kirsty gives Hone a tour of the clinic, interrupting Alison in an exam room who is having trouble with Tara. Carrie enters when Hone and Kirsty leave, asking Alison to have Chris take care of Tara, but Alison says he's still not back, and Carrie storms out. 
Chris meets aerobics instructor Jill Johnstone at the gym for a quick hook up. He says they can take their time as "they can always beep me". She checks around the corner for Brad Johnstone, and Chris says it "would be a lousy way to meet your husband". Jill pushes a button on Chris's pager before they enter a room. 
Alison and Carrie re-enter the exam room and find Tara rifling through supplies on the shelves. "You won't be needing those!" says Carrie. Marj interrupts while Carrie looks at Tara's hand, letting her know an emergency is on it's way. Carrie says the cut is only a scratch and leaves Alison to dress it, to Tara and Alison's displeasure. Carrie tells Alison "you're not in the sticks now, girl." 
Later, Tara has calmed down and starts talking to Alison while her wound is dressed. She says she's from the country, Alison begins to respond saying "so do I, I'm from Te Kuiti! -" but Tara bulldozes on, confessing she ran away from home and hasn't been able to find a job, even had to eat out of rubbish bins. A man let her stay with him, but locked her in a room. She hurt her hand escaping by smashing a window. She says she can't ring her parents as her father is sick, nor go home as she has no money. Alison offers to give her some money. 
Later in the staffroom Alison gives Tara $40 asking if it's enough, increasing it to $50 when Tara says she'll wait to eat when she gets home. Tara thanks Alison, before asking Alison for a drink of water. While Alison's back is turned Tara steals her purse from her bag. 
Stuart apologises to Lisa while in the back of the ambulance, she says it's not his fault but he says he'll make it up to her. Later, Marj sees them come into the clinic on the security camera while Carrie asks where Dr. Meredith Flemming is. Marj tells her Meredith is still in surgery and that Carrie is needed in triage. Marj excalims "Stuart!" when she sees him on the security feed and rushes to see him. 
Chaos ensues as everyone, including a wandering Hone, converges in triage. Hone insists on helping Lisa, despite Carrie's protests, taking her to an exam room with nurse Steve Mills. Marj tries to ask Stuart what he's doing there but is rebuffed. Carrie stops Stuart following Lisa in, saying only family is allowed, and Stuart announces "I'm the father!" to everyone's shock. 
Hone examines Lisa finding a problem, "it's a breached presentation". Hone and Carrie argue over the plan of action. Carrie wants to send Lisa to another hospital better equipped than Shortland Street, Hone believes they may not have time and wants to deliver the baby himself. Carrie asks Steve to go find Chris, telling Hone they need to wait for the doctor on duty. 
Carrie and Marj send Kirsty to look for Chris. Hone returns to reception to find Chris is still MIA, saying they can't wait much longer and that he'll deal with it. Carrie turns on him saying he doesn't even work at the clinic yet, it's too danerous to perform a cesarean, and utters Shortland Street's most famous line, "you're not in Guatemala now, Dr. Ropata!" Hone decides to deliver the baby anyway. In the exam room Carrie reminds Hone the ambulance is there if they need to transfer her, but for now she'll assist him. Stuart rubs Lisa's back as they get her in position to give birth. 
Chris and Jill finish up and Chris checks his pager, finding out that Jill turned it off to have his full attention. Chris angrily gets dressed telling Jill it was "a stupid thing to do". Kirsty bursts in on them finding Chris half dressed with Jill, "whoops!", and asks why he wasn't answering his pager, telling him he's in big trouble as he buttons up his shirt. 
Marj and Tom catch up in reception and discuss their shock at finding out Stuart is the father of Lisa's baby, who they don't even know. Tom worries about getting in trouble for bringing her to Shortland Street. 
Hone successfully delivers Lisa's baby, who's a girl. Hone asks Carrie to arrange a transfer to maternity, commenting the baby shows signs of mild respiratory distress, but will be fine with careful monitoring. Lisa thanks Stuart for staying. 
In reception, Marj tells Kirsty off for suggesting seaweed tablets to a patient. Marj mentions that Jill is married when Kirsty fills her in on Chris's rendezvous, and Kirsty replies "it's never stopped Chris before." Chris runs into reception still buttoning his shirt and begins to give Carrie an explanation but she stops him, telling him to get to work. 
Marj eavesdrops on Carrie explaining the day's drama to Michael when he arrives. He's very unhappy, and Carrie mentions the last thing she needs is "any more scandal. I would never have allowed this." 
Sam and Alison talk in the staffroom. He asks how her flat hunting is going, and she tells him she's bringing her bond to a place after work, but finds her purse is missing when she gets up to look for it. They realise Tara most likely stole it. 
Hone and Steve discuss Chris's shenanigans, Hone is unimpressed, but Steve assures him they'll be great friends. 
Later, Sam and Steve fight over giving Alison money when she says the police doubt she'll get her money back. She turns them down, upset she has to continue at her hostel, and save for another bond. Marj rushes in looking for Tom, explaining Michael's on the war path and talking with Hone, and she wants Tom to be able to defend himself. Sam says not to worry, everything turned out fine, and Marj storms off. 
Hone explains himself to Michael and Carrie. Michael is furious Hone broke the rules. Hone defends himself by mentioning Chris's absence. Chris shows up and says he can explain himself, and Michael says "it better be damn good!" 
==Other Information==
Michael Galvin who plays Chris Warner is the last remaining member of the original cast on the show as of 2025.
The actress of Lisa's baby, later named Rebecca, was not included in the credits for this episode. However The Spinoff launched a hunt for Shortland Street's first baby in 2024 and tracked down Rebecca's actress, Bronte Bell.
==Gallery==
Episode 0001/Gallery on Shortland Street Wiki
Category:Episodes
Category:1992 Episodes