Underbelly series 1
Underbelly series 1 | |
---|---|
![]() Underbelly logo | |
Genre | Drama |
Starring | Les Hill Gyton Grantley Kat Stewart Damian Walshe-Howling Rodger Corser Caroline Craig Vince Colosimo Martin Sacks |
Opening theme | Burkhard Dallwitz "Underbelly Opening Theme" |
Country of origin | ![]() |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Des Monaghan Jo Horsburgh |
Producers | Greg Haddrick Brenda Pam |
Running time | 60 minutes (including commercials) |
Original release | |
Network | Nine Network |
Release | 13 February 2008 |
Underbelly is an Australian television drama series, based on the real events of the 1995–2004 gang war in Melbourne. The series began screening on 13 February 2008 on the Nine Network (and affiliates) in all states and territories except Victoria, due to a court injunction. Underbelly is a 13-part mini-series, based on the book Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld, by Age journalists John Silvester and Andrew Rule.
Synopsis
The key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Moran family and their rival, the maverick Carl Williams, are featured using their real names.
The major factions, as presented in the story, are the Morans, including Lewis, Mark, and Jason Moran, the "Carlton Crew", which included Alphonse Gangitano, Domenic "Mick" Gatto, his lawyer George Defteros and Mario Condello, "the Russians", led by Nik "The Russian" Radev, and the Williams family, which included Carl Williams, Tony Mokbel, Andrew "Benji" Veniamin and, at different times, Victor Brincat and Dino Dibra.
The police investigators, Steve Owen and Jacqui James, are fictional, but based on amalgamations of several officers who worked on the Purana Task Force, which was charged with investigating the gangland war and halting the killing.
According to its marketing, the series "uses the framework of the murderous war between the two gangs, and the bigger moral war between the gangs and the Purana Task Force, to explore a complex array of individual stories and relationships - some touching, some incredible, all breathtaking - it is a mini-series that examines the kaleidoscopic nature of loyalty, love, revenge and pride when the normal and identifiable emotions of human attachment are moved from the context of social decency to social indecency."[1]
Production
Underbelly was filmed on location in Melbourne. Parts of the series have been filmed in the Essendon area, near many of the houses and schools associated with the 'Underworld'. Much of the Carlton scenes were actually filmed in North Melbourne.
Cast
The Nine Network claims Underbelly as having the biggest all star cast on Australian TV. The following are listed as the main cast:[2]
Actor/Actress | Character |
---|---|
Daniel Amalm | Dino Dibra |
Lliam Amor | Greg Workman |
Lauren Clair | Tracey Seymour |
Vince Colosimo | Alphonse Gangitano |
Rodger Corser | Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Owen |
Caroline Craig | Senior Detective Jacqui James |
Nathaniel Dean | Sidney Martin |
Alex Dimitriades | Victor "The Runner" Brincat (credited as Mr. T) |
Caroline Gillmer | Judy Moran |
Marcus Graham | Lewis Caine |
Gyton Grantley | Carl Williams |
Don Hany | Nikolai "The Russian" Radev |
Les Hill | Jason Moran |
Frankie J. Holden | Garry Butterworth |
Ryan Johnson | Rocco Arico |
Gerard Kennedy | Graham "The Munster" Kinniburgh |
Callan Mulvey | Mark Moran |
Martin Sacks | Mario Condello |
Kat Stewart | Roberta Williams |
Damian Walshe-Howling | Andrew "Benji" Veniamin |
Simon Westaway | Mick Gatto |
Dan Wyllie | "Mad" Richard Mladenich |
Marketing
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Underbelly-melbtram.jpg/200px-Underbelly-melbtram.jpg)
The lead-up to Underbelly resulted in a heavy marketing campaign which covered radio, print, billboards and an increased online presence, including the use of social networking tools.[3]
When the CEO of the Nine network, David Gyngell noted the need to up its online presence, and embrace social networking as a valuable marketing tool,[4] the official website was launched. The original website was launched on 15 January 2008, with only a 3 minute trailer; while the full site, with all its features, launched on 1 February, 2008.[5] It was announced that the full first episode would be availible for download on the site on 10 February, three days before the show premieres on television,[6] but this option was made unavailible due to the Supreme court suppression case.[7] This intention follows a similar, and successful, strategy used for the launch of Sea Patrol in 2007.[6] The site was "poised to become" the biggest and most detailed website the Nine Network has hosted for a show so far, including features such as behind the scenes footage, profiles, visitor interactivity and the use of social networking tools.[3]
Reception
Critical response
The first episode of the series was screened privately to media on 17 January 2008, prior the media had been treated with extracts and trailers promoting the series.
- On 3 January 2008, The Sydney Morning Herald's critic Michael Idato declared the series "The Blue Murder of its time", referring to the critically acclaimed 1995 ABC TV drama Blue Murder, considered by many to be the finest crime drama ever produced in Australia.[8]
- In review on his blog on 17 January 2008, David Knox, stated that Underbelly "is our own Sopranos", and awarded it 4½; out of 5 stars. He also commented:
If there are any criticisms to be found with Underbelly, they are few. One or two shots give away that period Melbourne was actually shot in 2007. And while watching these gangsters thrive on power with ballsy disdain, it was hard not to think of the behaviour of some television executives in recent history. This aside, Underbelly looks set to be one of the highlights of the 2008 television year.[9]
- A review appeared in the Herald Sun on 18 January 2008, in which critic Paul Anderson quoted:
"Whether you followed the Melbourne gangland war or not, there's a fair chance you will be blown away by the coming TV series Underbelly. Underbelly is a slick, violent and sexually charged dramatisation backed by a ripping soundtrack."[10]
- In an article appearing on 31 January 2008, The Daily Telegraph's TV editor, Marcus Casey, said of Underbelly after viewing the first four episodes:
"If the quality is maintained then, while not perfect, Underbelly should equal, if not better, Australia's best ever crime dramas - the Phoenix series and Blue Murder."[11]
Family Groups reaction
On 11 February the Australian Family Association (AFA), was publicly outraged that Underbelly would be screening at 8:30pm, well within reach of children, after clips of the series were leaked onto the internet.[12] The clips highlighted the use of extreme profanities, and scenes that show a violent bashing, a cold-blooded murder, and a sexual encounter.[12]
The Nine Network defended the timeslot and the M classification, saying the clips, leaked from the Network's production department, were indeed from the series, but not all of them made the final cut.[12] The Network set its own classification, under the accepted rules of the Australian Commercial Television Code of Conduct.[12]
The Australian Family Association threatened to take the matter to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy if the content of the show was anything near that of an unauthorised promotional clip leaked from Nine's production department.[12]
Ratings
The opening double episodes, which aired on 13 February attracted 1,326,000 and 1,324,000 viewers nationally,[13] minus Victoria, where a court ban prevented its screening. In Victoria alone, the series was expected to atrract 800,000 to 1 million viewers,[14] which would have put Underbelly figures over the 2 million mark. The replacement movie for Underbelly in Victoria, The Shawshank Redemption, managed only 271,000 viewers.[13]
The third episode, which aired on 20 February, managed to hold most of its viewers from its premiere, attracting 1,273,000 viewers nationally (except Victoria),[15] a decline of only 50,000 viewers. In Victoria, CSI: Miami was broadcast in Underbelly's place.[16] The fourth episode, which aired on 27 February, managed to hold nearly all of its viewers from the previous episode, attracting 1,250,000 viewers nationally (except Victoria),[17] a decline of only 23,000 viewers.
Though leaked copies of episodes one through to nine are available online, the show is continuing to attract huge television audiences, according to The West Australian.[17]
Legal issues
Supreme Court writ threat
George Defteros, a high-profile lawyer cleared of charges relating to underworld war, disrupted the lead-up to the series' launch, when he threatened the Nine Network with a Supreme Court writ on 26 January 2008. Defteros, said to be portrayed by George Kapiniaris, engaged a top Melbourne defamation specialist, saying:
Any attempt to depict me as a lawyer of low impropriety and unethical behaviour will be met with legal proceedings instituted by my lawyers, I regard the depiction of the gangland wars, in particular my role as a lawyer acting for parties, as nothing more than farcical and pure pantomime. We'll be watching it very closely.[18]
Nine Network had subsequently said there would now be no direct reference to Mr Defteros, despite earlier publicity. A spokeswoman for the network said "There is no lawyer called Defteros in Underbelly" but Defteros said he could still be defamed by implication, noting "It's already been advertised as me".[18]
The case was dropped by Director of Public Prosecutions Paul Coghlan, QC, due to a lack of evidence.[18]
Supreme Court Suppression
The screening of Underbelly in Victoria was put into jeopardy, after last-minute legal proceedings took place due to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Rapke, QC.[19] Rapke secured an urgent viewing of the series, before he decided to seek an injunction stopping its broadcast in Victoria.[19][20][21] A Supreme Court judge called prosecutors and defence lawyers together after serious concerns were raised about whether the show could prejudice a jury for the trial this year of a man who has pleaded not guilty to the 2004 gangland killing of Lewis Moran. Although the accused man is not named in the series, there are concerns the show could hurt his chance of a fair trial.[20][19]
The Supreme court hearing took place on 11 February 2008 - only two days before the series' was due to premiere.[22] The Nine Network was ordered by a DPP subpoena to hand over tapes of all 13 episodes, as well as outlines and story lines, to the Victorian Supreme Court by 10am on 11 February 2008.[22][23] The Nine Network, refused to voluntarily hand over the tapes, saying they were incomplete and that the network's lawyers were closely supervising production but the Network was willing to comply with any Court order and took this matter very seriously.[22][23] The network is also adamant that the series makes no assertions about the guilt of the accused killer.[22][23] The court subpoena stated that copies of two completed episodes, along with uncut versions of the other 11 episodes, plus episode outlines and story lines, must be handed to the court by 10am on 11 February.[22][23] At the hearing, which took place at the Geelong Supreme Court, the judge, Justice Betty King, gave prosecution and defence lawyers 24 hours to view the series and return to court the following day to decide whether it had the potential to affect the forthcoming trial.[24][25] Justice King issued a suppression order on 12 February banning the Nine Network from broadcasting the series in the state of Victoria and on the internet indefinitely, until after the murder trial is completed.[26] It has also been ordered to remove character profiles from its official website.[27] The Nine Network offered to air a heavily edited version in Victoria, but the offer was rejected by Justice King.[27] It was initially planned that an alternative program, Underbelly: A Special Announcement, was going to air in Victoria instead, which was to discuss what the series is about.[27] This idea was scrapped, and the movie, The Shawshank Redemption, was aired in Victoria instead .[28]
The Nine Network will appeal against the decision, and Network lawyers stated that they would exercise all legal options.[27]
Illegal distribution
Despite the ban on broadcasting the series in Victoria, Victorians have still been able to access episodes via illegal online distribution. The first episode was made available on torrent sites within 20 minutes of it concluding in New South Wales. The Nine Network has reportedly obtained the "ISP address" of the first person to upload the show, and network lawyers were considering legal action. The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) is currently investigating the matter, and is expected to make a list of recommendations to Victoria Police.[29][30]
Copies of advanced episodes of the series which are yet to air on the Nine Network have become available on the internet. Every episode of the 13-part series are currently available for download on a range of sites. It was reported that on mininova.org more than 3,000 users were attempting to download episode seven late on the afternoon of 27 February 2008. The Nine Network said it was considering legal action.[31] The broadcaster is also looking into how copies got into the hands of underworld figures in Victoria, including Roberta Williams, the former wife of gangland kingpin Carl Williams.[31][32]
Pirated copies of the entire series were also made available to the public. People were being offered a 4-disc DVD set for AUD $10 - $80 in public places such as carparks and building sites. The episodes were commercial-free and came with introductory station countdowns, suggesting a major leak from inside the network's production department.[33] Two network employees had been questioned by the network over the matter, but both denied distributing any copies of the series.[32]
Fears of inside leaks were again aroused, when advance screener versions of unaired episodes 4-8 were posted online on 26 February 2008.[34] Screener episodes are generally shown to select audiences, such as sales staff and executives, well in advance to being televised.
International distribution
The series will also air in New Zealand on TV3, Scandinavia, Canada and France.[35][36]
See also
References
- ^ "Projects 2006/2007 - Adult Television Drama (Underbelly)". Film Finance Corporation Australia Ltd. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- ^ "The Cast". Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- ^ a b Knox, David (2008-01-15). "Underbelly site launches". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Knox, David (2007-11-30). "Putting the Heart back into Nine". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-01-31). "Launch: Underbelly". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b Knox, David (2008-02-01). "Show Watch: Underbelly". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ David Knox (2008-02-09). "Downloads a key in Underbelly case". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- ^ Idato, Michael (2008-01-03). "Pick and mix". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-01-17). "First Review: Underbelly". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Anderson, Paul (2008-01-18). "The gang's all here in Underbelly". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Casey, Marcus (2008-01-31). "Butterflies in the Underbelly for gang show on Channel Nine". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ a b c d e "Judge New underworld drama Underbelly sparks outrage". Herald Sun. 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ a b Knox, David (2008-02-14). "Week 7". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ "Channel 9 scramble to replace gaps left by Underbelly". tvtonight.com.au. 2008-02-13. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-02-18). "Week 8". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-02-20). "Underbelly eyes Europe and Canada". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ a b "Leaked copies haven't hurt Underbelly ratings". thewest.com.au. 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
{{cite web}}
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value (help) - ^ a b c Michael, Warner (2008-01-26). "TV drama Underbelly under fire". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ a b c Buttler, Mark (2008-02-07). "Underbelly waits for DPP all-clear". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Underbelly under Supreme Court scrutiny". National Nine News. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-02-07). "Courts may stop Underbelly airing". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ^ a b c d e "Grave doubts over 'Underbelly': court". The Age. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b c d "Nine told to hand over Underbelly tapes". LIVENEWS.com.au. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ "Underbelly banned in Victoria". Media Spy. 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-02-11). "24hr wait on Underbelly". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ "Judge bans Underbelly in Victoria". The Age. 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ a b c d Power, Emily (2008-02-12). "Judge bans Underbelly TV drama indefinitely". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ Knox, David (2008-02-13). "The Underbelly Redemption". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
- ^ Henri Paget (2008-02-14). "'Underbelly' pirates could be tracked down". ninemsn. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ David Knox (2008-02-15). "The gangland war moves online". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ a b Katherine Field (2008-02-27). "Advance copies of Underbelly leaked online". news.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
- ^ a b David Knox (2008-02-22). "Nine staff questioned over Underbelly leaks". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ David Knox (2008-02-21). "Underbelly DVDs selling in Victoria". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ David Knox (2008-02-27). "More Underbelly leaks". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ http://www.ffc.gov.au/projects/2007/ffc_int_projects_adult.asp
- ^ Idato, Michael (2008-02-28). "The Age: Networking". theage.com.au. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- Filming kicks off, Herald Sun
- Cameras are rolling, Herald Sun
External Links
- Underbelly at the Australian Television Information Archive
- Underbelly at The TV IV
- Film Finance Corporation