47 replies to this topic

[Cyril Washbrook]

New drama from the ABC.

Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge, Blue Murder, The Silence, The Hounds of the Baskervilles) and Matt Day (My Year Without Sex, Tangle, Shackleton) lead an outstanding list of actors and directors involved in the new eight-part ABC TV drama Rake, which goes into production in late April.

Other lead actors in the series are: Caroline Brazier (Packed to the Rafters, 30 Seconds)), Russell Dykstra (Romulus, My Father, Clubland), New Zealand actress Danielle Cormack (Separation City, Topless Women Talk about Their Lives), and Adrienne Pickering (All Saints, Candy).

Also on board are four of Australia’s most accomplished directors: Peter Duncan – who also is co-writer/co-creator/co-producer (Unfinished Sky, Hell Has Harbour Views, Children of the Revolution); Cate Shortland (Somersault, Secret Life of Us); Jeffrey Walker (Angry Boys – the new Chris Lilley series, Dance Academy, City Homicide), and Jessica Hobbs (Answered by Fire, Curtin, Love My Way).

Ian Collie (Hell Has Harbour Views, Rogue Nation) is producer, and co-producers are Richard Roxburgh and Peter Duncan. Co–writer on the series with Peter Duncan is Andrew Knight (SeaChange, After the Deluge, Tripping Over). Sydney barrister Charles Waterstreet is co-creator and legal consultant.

Rake tells the story of criminal defence barrister Cleaver Greene (Roxburgh), as he defends the indefensible - from bigamists to cannibals and everything in between. He’s champion of the lost cause ... both in the court room and in the bedroom.

“I’m thrilled that Richard Roxburgh is to star as Cleaver Greene – the reckless, brilliant, self-destructive, funny and bloody-minded anti-hero of Rake. And that such a dream-team is behind this fantastic series in the new ABC TV drama slate”, says Miranda Dear, ABC TV’s Head of Drama.

Producer Ian Collie, Essential Media and Entertainment, says “Peter Duncan and Andrew Knight have produced eight very clever and laugh-out-loud scripts. And to realise the scripts’ potential we have attracted some of Australia’s most experienced and exciting new directing and acting talent. It’s a very heady brew and augurs well for a fun series!”

[underarm]

At last the ABC may be producing a decent drama. I'm really looking forward to this one. And please ABC, no more Bed of Roses after series 3.

[Ryan]

Brilliant, iconoclastic and innately self-destructive, Cleaver Greene, played by Richard Roxburgh, is one of life's great addicts. Whether it's women, gambling or drugs, Cleaver can resist everything except temptation. His other addiction is the law – defending those who seem to be beyond redemption – society's hopeless: our drug dealers, our murderers, our cannibals. As charming and as irresistible as Cleaver Greene is, when you let him into your world, be warned, trouble is bound to follow. He is the very definition of a Rake.

Premiering Thursday 4 November, 8.30pm on ABC1, RAKE is an eight-part comedy/drama, chronicling the trials and tribulations of criminal barrister, Cleaver Greene – defender of the indefensible and champion of the lost cause...both in the court room and the bedroom.

On any single day, Cleaver Greene is described as many things. Whilst his ex-wife may call him ‘unreliable’, his son will call him ‘a mate’. To his learned friends at the bar table he is ‘a real wag’, to his jurors he is ‘hilarious’, and to most judges he is ‘an outrage’. To the Tax Office, he is ‘a defendant’, to a certain brothel owner ‘a legend’, and to his former cocaine dealer ‘a tragic loss’.

Rake also stars Matt Day, Russel Dykstra, Adrienne Pickering, Danielle Cormack and Caroline Brazier, and features special guest stars Rachel Griffiths, Hugo Weaving, Sam Neill, Lisa McCune and Noah Taylor.



 ABC_Rake_3meg_version.pdf   1.57MB   1 downloads

[J Bar]

The promo looks awesome.

[underarm]

At last a decent Aussie drama on a Thursday night

[Cyril Washbrook]

The promo looks awesome.

The cast appears to be excellent as well.

[Lex]

Can't wait for this. Hopefully it'll be good, because I haven't warmed to any of ABC's recent dramas (East of Everything, Bed of Roses etc).

Normally I'd think ABC were stupid scheduling it against Rush and Cops but for them to schedule it in the worst slot in our opinion they'd have to have a pretty good reason. Either that the show is very different and will have a different audience to the other two, or that they're hoping to pick up some of the Rush/Cops audience when they end for the year, or some other reason... That said, figures between the three will be very interesting. And who knows, maybe Cops LAC won't be in that slot by the time Rake premiers.

[J Bar]

And who knows, maybe Cops LAC won't be in that slot by the time Rake premiers.

I'd say there's a very good chance of that. I'll be surprised if it's not moved to 9.30 after this week.

[jimbo]

At last a decent Aussie drama on a Thursday night

You've watched an episode already?? If you haven't, you can't really say something like that yet...

[underarm]

You've watched an episode already?? If you haven't, you can't really say something like that yet...

Of course you're right. Let me rephrase it - "At last a potentially decent Aussie drama on a Thursday night rather than the shit currently on offer from Nine & Ten".

[Josh4ita]

New Series SNEAK PREVIEW AVAILABLE ON IVIEW FROM OCTOBER 31 AT 8:30PM
The clients he loves the most - the cases that thrill him - are those that appear to be utterly hopeless. He will do whatever it takes to defend and save life's truly lost souls. The big sinners. Its drug lords. Its cannibals. Its bestialites. And at the same time, he will struggle to save himself, to stop himself falling back into the abyss that has characterised most of his self-destructive adult life thus far.

Despite his own hopelessness, his wit and charm have won him hordes of companions over the years. Most nights of the week, there is no shortage of invitations: dinner with a judge, drug dealers, or his copper mates.

He tends to wake up bruised. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. Usually it's a combination thereof.

Occasionally he wonders how his life came to this - living in a studio above a cafè in the Cross, without his wife and son, in love with a prostitute, defending hopeless cases.


In episode one - Cleaver's lover/friend/confident Missy (Adrienne Pickering) - a high class call girl - has left without a trace, and tax lawyer David Potter (Matt Day), is in hot pursuit. Scarlet (Danielle Cormack), his best friend Barney's (Russell Dykstra) wife, confides in him that she wants to leave home, and his 15-year-old son Fuzz (Keegan Joyce) draws him into a conspiracy to cover up his activities with his new girlfriend. But on the work front, Cleaver is presented with a case he can't resist - to defend a cannibal.


http://www.throng.com.au/rake/rake

[J Bar]

I wonder if showing these programs on iView before the premiere on telly is such a good idea.

Edited by J Bar, 25 October 2010 - 12:58 PM.

[Lex]

I wonder if showing these programs on iView before the premiere on telly is such a good idea.

Yeah I wonder how much of an effect it has on viewing figures. I know I'll be watching it on iView so I can watch Rush on Thursday.

[robertfrankin]

I wonder if showing these programs on iView before teh premiere on telly is such a good idea.

I thought showing a programme first on iView (especially a new show) would be to try and get people hooked at their own leisure. Doctor Who series four premiered in Australia on iView before television, but only the first programme, viewers then had wait over week to watch the next episode.

[J Bar]

Maybe that's the intention but don't know if it's taht effective. Maybe people will watch ten minutes of it online and make a decision against it without watching the whole episode.

[robertfrankin]

Great first episode.

"what do you mean cannibalism isn't illegal in this state!" lol

[InTheWild]

Brillant!

[Cyril Washbrook]

Fantastic viewing. Best quote: "I'm not a killer - I'm an economist!"

[Reuder7]

Fantastic result for Rake, Total Ppl Network ABC1 RAKE-EV 900,000 269,000 302,000 147,000 87,000 95,000

[underarm]

At last a decent Aussie drama on a Thursday night