ROGER MORONEY
When he was a pupil at Karamu High School in Hastings a few decades back, James Griffin would have considered it outrageous to be enjoying the good fortune of co-writing what has arguably become New Zealand's most successful television drama series.
But here he is - along with writing accomplice
Rachel Lang - quietly enjoying the accolades Outrageous Fortune has attracted, and expressing delight and mild bemusement at how eagerly anticipated the fourth series, which begins tonight on TV3, has become.
``Yes it's all rather good,' he said from his Auckland home this morning.
Good going for a bloke who first set sail in the sea of writing by editing Karamu High School's newspaper in 1978 and '79.
After attending university in Auckland he initially went into television directing but soon got into writing.
Outrageous Fortune has become the pinnacle of his writing exploits, although he has also been working on a new comedy series for TVNZ called Diplomatic Immunity - which is set to screen at the end of the year.
He is clearly delighted at the way the West family's fortunes (and misfortunes) have been embraced by the Kiwi viewing public, and flattered other countries are making their own versions of the gritty family tale.
``I think they're making a version in Turkey,' he said.
``I'd love to see a Turkish version of West Auckland.'
James said he used to be heavily self-critical when watching his work.
``I used to mutter and curse, but I've chilled out a lot now.'
He's not sure where he'll watch the start of series four tonight.
``I'll probably end up with a roomful of people here at home,' he laughed.
And will there be a series five?
``I think we have enough life in these characters to get through to the end of a series five.'
Which is great news for the nearly 400,000 people who regularly tuned in to watch series three.
