Outrageous Fortune is a New Zealand family comedy crime drama television series, which ran from 12 July 2005 to 9 November 2010 on TV3.

The show concluded after 6 seasons and 107 episodes making it the longest running drama series made in New Zealand.

In 2014, TV3 announced a six-part prequel miniseries entitled Westside that chronicles the lives of Ted and Rita West in 1970s Auckland.

[2] Initially airing in May 2015, Westside was renewed for a second season in 2016; then repeatedly again up to the sixth and final series which concluded in November 2020.

When Wolf is incarcerated, Cheryl informs her family, Van (Antony Starr), Jethro (Antony Starr), Pascalle (Siobhan Marshall), Loretta (Antonia Prebble) and Ted (Frank Whitten), that they will obey the law and avoid committing any more crimes.

[3] When Lang heard a radio report on the low median number of women's income, she pondered why they did not turn to crime and realised the potential for a television show.

Cheryl is initially disillusioned by her attempts at earning a legal living, but she and a couple of her friends start a business called "Hoochie Mama" making and selling sexy underwear, all the while resisting the newly found attraction of policeman, Wayne Judd.

Judd is determined to tear him away from Cheryl, and attempts to entice Wolf to break his parole so that he is returned to prison.

She borrows money from Gary Savage to pay for a better lawyer for Judd, which results in his release, but the debt causes a strain in their relationship.

Loretta is outraged when Hayden edits their film to be more explicit for commercial gain, breaks up with him as punishment, and harasses him after he flatly accepts it, instead of trying to win her back.

Cheryl having broken up with Judd, starts to have feelings for Wolf again, who is in a rocky relationship with the much younger ex-stripper, named Sheree Greegan.

Ted courts and at the end of the season, marries the scheming Ngaire Munroe, the widow of his former gang mate, Lefty.

Detective Sergeant Zane Gerard becomes a fixture in the West's lives, due to his past involvement with Sheree and Nicky Greegan.

The season ends with Gerard trying to arrest Pascalle for offensive language, resulting in a brawl (in the midst of Loretta and Hayden's wedding), only to be stabbed in the neck by Cheryl and turning round to fire three bullets in her direction.

Season 6 returned with TV presenter John Campbell appearing as a news reporter in a small cameo.

In the aftermath of Loretta and Hayden's wedding, it was revealed that Pascalle was shot but survived, Cheryl was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, Munter, Kasey, Van, and Ted were arrested for various crimes, and Eric, who returned in the previous series, had taken residence in the Wests' home.

Over the course of the first episode, Detective Sergeant Zane Gerard dies, leaving Cheryl to be charged with his murder.

A previous adaptation developed by Rob Thomas, entitled Good Behavior, failed to be picked up for broadcast by any networks.