Prime Minister Helen Clark and National Party leader John Key were politeness personified last night when they participated in the final Television New Zealand leaders' debate of the 2008 election campaign.
After two previous television debates featuring shouting and interjecting - which reached a low point on Monday during the TV3 debate - the pair adopted the United States style of televised debate by waiting out their opponent and then providing a measured response.
Voters got a chance to see more of the person behind the facade last night, and the similarities were striking.
Those wanting fireworks should have looked outside as their neighbours lit sparklers.
Both leaders agreed there was no room in New Zealand for a grand coalition.
They were close on the way the global financial crisis had to be handled from a New Zealand perspective and both agreed intervention at an early age was a way to stop young people leading a life of crime.
However, it was the contentious issue of abortion that gave viewers the first insight into the personal feelings of the two leaders during this campaign by media.
Mr Key did not support any changes to the current abortion legislation.
National treated abortion as a conscience issue and he believed there were a wide range of views within his party; he would not want changes.
Miss Clark believed the decision was one for a woman to take in consultation with her doctor.
Moderator Mark Sainsbury asked both leaders if they believed in God.
Miss Clark did not believe in God, remaining agnostic, which she said meant nothing was proven.
"It's not something I spend a lot of time agonising on. I have my own set of values. I am a social democrat . . . but I think that the basic principles of Christianity dictate how I lead my life."
Mr Key did not believe in life after death, but he believed Christian principles helped in how he lived his life.
He did not worship but respected that other people had deep and personal faith.
When asked about the things that moved them personally, Miss Clark said she had been privileged to represent New Zealand at some moving international ceremonies.
She was moved by people succeeding against the odds like US President-elect Barack Obama and former South Africa president Nelson Mandela.
Mr Key was moved by the performance of the All Blacks and attending Anzac Day parades and having the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of people through politics.
It was difficult to pick a winner of the debate.
For the first 45 minutes, including advertisements, Miss Clark was clearly ahead.
Once the debate turned to topics Mr Key had obviously rehearsed, such as education and law and order, he refrained from constantly referring to the perceived failures of the "Helen Clark government" and took a more thoughtful approach to his answers.
He grew in stature as the debate progressed, although Miss Clark did not lose any of her composure.
Mr Key played to his strengths, something he has learnt to do in the four weeks of the campaign.
Miss Clark has a wide command of nearly all aspects of her government and its policies.
Mr Key showed he had learned not to take her on in every aspect but waited until his well-rehearsed lines could be used to effect.
Mr Key won the night.
The best lines
Miss Clark: "We do have core basic differences, but that doesn't mean you can't like people."
Mr Key: "Outside of politics, we see the good in each other."
