Against a blue backdrop, Soph and Indy sit, dressed up in disco costumes. Indy is holding a guitar. Placed on the floor in front of them is a disco ball.

This Is Wheel Life (New Season)

13m

NEW SEASON | Episodes Monday @ 3pm. This series digs into the wild, raw lives of Soph, a 20-something quadriplegic, and her choice-as cousin Indy, her carer and ally.

S1: Made with the support of NZ On Air | S2: Made possible with funding from RNZ

Series details.

Credits

Rachale Davies
Creator & Producer
Alexis Smith
S2 - Producer & Director
Parehuia Mackay & Rachale Davies
S1 - Directors
Sophia Malthus & Indy Henman
Key Talent
Megan Whelan
RNZ Head of Content
Harrison Pali
S2 - TAHI
Evie Orpe & Liam Brown
S1 - TAHI
Tim Burnell
RNZ Commissioning
Jodhi Hoani
S1 - RNZ Commissioning

Season 2:

Your twenties are already a chaotic cocktail of existential dread, student loans, and figuring out how to boil an egg. But for Sophia Malthus, things got a little extra when a horse-riding accident at 19 left her a quadriplegic. Enter Indy, her cousin—flat broke, and clinging to her acting dreams—who stepped in as Soph’s carer. It was a match made in mildly dysfunctional heaven.

Fast forward two years and, apart from longer hair and slightly deeper emotional scars, not much has changed… or has it? In series two, Soph is on the brink of becoming a real-life lawyer (yes, objections and all), and Indy has ditched the stage for the whiteboard, pursuing a career in teaching.

But before they dive into adulthood with matching tote bags and professional burnout, they're still in their final study stretch, still flatting, still bickering, and still proving that disability doesn't get in the way of a big life... Just add more snacks, sarcasm, and sideways glances to the mix.

Together, Soph and Indy dive into these conversations head-on, meeting with experts and exploring how to make life in your twenties more accessible, empowering, and a little bit easier for people like Soph.

This digital series is made by an award-winning production team, including New Zealand’s Rachale Davies (Producer), and Alexis Smith (Director/Producer).

Season 1:

As if navigating your 20s isn’t hard enough, Sophia Malthus became a quadriplegic at age 19 after a horse-riding accident. Finding carers to help her 24 hours a day is no easy task. Luckily for Soph, her broke cousin Indy was on the hunt for a job to pay the bills while she pursued a career in acting.

As far as Soph and Indy are concerned, Soph’s disability doesn’t get in the way of a fulfilling life -- it just keeps things interesting. However, it is undeniable there are many challenges for a disabled person living in a world made for the non-disabled. Accessibility is incredibly limiting not only in public spaces, but even in Soph’s own home. Navigating sex and relationships is a whole new ball game. How does one even look after a body that is 87% paralysed?

Soph and Indy explore all of these topics and more as they meet with experts to find new ways to make the typical 20s a little more accessible for people like Soph.

This digital series is made by an award-winning production team, including New Zealand’s Rachale Davies (Producer), Hunter Crouchley (Director of Photography), and Parehuia MacKay (Director).

Produced by

Boxed Media partner logo for use on dark background

Produced for

TAHI

S1 - Made with the support of

Partner Logo for NZ on Air for use on dark background

S2 - Made possible with funding from

RNZ

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