Rake (Australian TV series)

Rake
Genre	Comedy/drama
Created by	Peter Duncan, Richard Roxburgh, Charles Waterstreet
Written by	Peter Duncan, Andrew Knight
Directed by	Peter Duncan (episodes 1, 2) Rachel Ward (episodes 3, 4) Jeffrey Walker (episodes 5, 6) Jessica Hobbs (episodes 7, 8)
Starring	Richard Roxburgh as Cleaver Greene Matt Day as David Potter Adrienne Pickering as Missy (Melissa) Russell Dykstra as Barney Danielle Cormack as Scarlett Caroline Brazier as Wendy Geoff Morrell as Joe Sandilands, NSW Attorney General
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2 (as of 2012)
No. of episodes	16 (as of 25 October 2012)
Production
Executive producer	Miranda Dear
Producers	Peter Duncan, Richard Roxburgh, Ian Collie
Production locations	Sydney, Australia
Original release
Network	ABC1
Release	4 November 2010

Rake is an Australian television series, produced by Essential Media and Entertainment, that first aired on ABC1 in 2010. It stars Richard Roxburgh as rake Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive Sydney barrister.. In the United States, the show airs on DirecTV's Audience Network. The second season began on September 6, 2012. The ABC have also renewed the show for a third season

Each episode entails Greene defending a different (usually guilty) client.

Cast

Main cast

• Richard Roxburgh as Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive criminal defense barrister. According to his testamur, he holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales, and is admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The character is loosely based on Sydney's most colourful barrister and author Charles Waterstreet.
• Matt Day as David "Harry Sorry David" Potter, a tax lawyer suing Cleaver Greene and attempting to get into politics with the help of the Attorney General, Joe Sandilands. In Series 2, Potter is an MP of the Australian Labor Party and is Shadow Attorney General.
• Adrienne Pickering as Melissa "Missy" Partridge, a former prostitute now studying law at Sydney University, caught up between being Potter's girlfriend and helping Greene, a former client for whom she has developed feelings. By the end of the series, she reveals her true identity as Jane Doolan to Cleaver and David, and travels to several European countries. In Series 2, she returns to studying law, and writes a book based on her life in prostitution under the name of J.M. Doolan.
• Russell Dykstra as Barney Meagher, Cleaver's instructing solicitor and best friend. After Cleaver sleeps with his wife Scarlet, there is tension between their relationship.
• Danielle Cormack as Scarlet "Red" Meagher, Barney's wife, also a lawyer, is a criminal prosecutions barrister.
• Keegan Joyce as Finnegan "Fuzz" Greene, Cleaver and Wendy's teenage son, who is obsessed with MILFs.
• Geoff Morrell as Joe Sandilands, NSW Attorney General. After reports of himself being a regular customer of the brothel in which Missy worked, he commits suicide, and is replaced by corrupt Liberal politician Cal McGregor.
• Caroline Brazier as Wendy Greene, Cleaver's ex-wife, who is a psychologist in a hospital psychiatric ward, a nod to Charles Waterstreet, whom Cleaver is based on.
• Damien Garvey as Cal McGregor (season 2)
• Robyn Malcolm as Kirsty Corella (season 2)
• Steve Le Marquand as Col (season 2)
• Rhys Muldoon as Lincoln Lincoln (season 2)
• Kate Box as Nicole, Cleaver's long suffering secretary who has a drunken one night stand with Barney, days before her marriage

Guest cast, season one

Episode	Actor, role
1.1	Hugo Weaving as Professor Graham Murray Sacha Horler as Murray's wife
1.2	Lisa McCune as Lucy Marx
1.3	Lech Mackiewicz as George Dana Roy Billing as Judge Jordan
1.4	David Field as Denny Lorton Noah Taylor as Stanley Shrimpton
1.5	Heather Mitchell as Jan Chandler Sam Neill as Dr Bruce Chandler
1.6	Rachel Griffiths as Eddie Langhorn Jonathan Biggins as Martin Barry Crocker as Errol Greene, Cleaver's father
1.7	Victoria Thaine as Fiona McReady
1.8	Damon Herriman as Detective Maraco Richard Carter as Mick Corella Robyn Malcolm as Kirsty Corella Paul Gleeson as Nigel Steve Le Marquand as Col
2.1	Toni Collette as Premier Claudia
2.2	Don Hany as Famien Tengrove Garry McDonald as Lawrence Fenton Jack Thompson as Justice Beesdon
2.3	Marshall Napier as Prosecution
2.4	Angie Milliken as Therese Faulkner
2.5	Mary Coustas as Judge Ben Chris Haywood as Prosecution
2.6	Jacqueline McKenzie as Alannah Alford Martin Sacks as Roger Evans
2.7	Bille Brown as Dominic Sonia Todd as Jane
2.8	Maeve Dermody as Polly Nesbitt

Episodes

Series #	Episode #	Title	Director(s)	Original air date
1	1	"R v Murray"	Peter Duncan	4 November 2010 (2010-11-04)
Cleaver Greene defends Professor Murrary against the charge of murder after Murrary is found to be a cannibal.
1	2	"R v Marx"	Peter Duncan	11 November 2010 (2010-11-11)
Cleaver Greene attempts to badly defend Lucy Marx so that she may go to prison for jury tampering after her daughter is found guilty of murder, but things go wrong when he finds that she actually is guilty.
1	3	"R v Dana"	Rachel Ward	18 November 2010 (2010-11-18)
Cleaver Greene defends George Dana after he is found out to have been married to two women at the same time.
1	4	"R v Lorton"	Rachel Ward	25 November 2010 (2010-11-25)
Cleaver Greene defends Denny Lorton against a charge of murder of a 15 year old boy in a lane, only to later find that he was actually guilty of murder for the sake of art.
1	5	"R v Chandler"	Jeffrey Walker	2 December 2010 (2010-12-02)
Dr. Chandler is accused of having sex with the family dog and Cleaver Greene defends him.
1	6	"R v Langhorn"	Jeffrey Walker	9 December 2010 (2010-12-09)
Cleaver Greene defends Eddie Langhorn for inciting a race riot on her afternoon radio program.
1	7	"R v Tanner"	Jessica Hobbs	16 December 2010 (2010-12-16)
Cleaver is hit over the head during a botched robbery at a pharmacy, along with one of the robbers who is accidentally hit by his accomplice. Missy reveals her true identity to Greene just before the trial where she acts as a witness to save her brother (the accused), and tension increases between all characters after Mr. Sandilands commits suicide.
1	8	"R v Corella"	Jessica Hobbs	23 December 2010 (2010-12-23)
Cleaver Greene defends Mick Corella, a man who he owes much money from his gambling debts to, on the charge of murder of Nigel who was getting involved with his wife Kirsty after he hosted a swingers social party. Mick concocts a story that Nigel fell on his own knife and was a dangerous man after Nigel's body is found under concrete at his construction site with DNA evidence. Missy reveals all the details of her past to David and decides to leave him and Cleaver and go on a vacation. Cleaver finds his assistant has been stealing money from him and fires her, but promptly attempts to re-hire her after she was injured by a falling Gargoyle. Fuzz becomes depressed and anxious after Fiona left him for a younger boy at her new school. David Potter wins his seat in parliament but is consigned to the opposition as the Labor government is not returned, and becomes intent on destroying Greene after he realises that he was one of Missy's clients.
2	1	"R v Mohammed"	Jessica Hobbs	6 September 2012 (2012-09-06)
Cleaver Greene defends the wife of a newly-converted Muslim man who blew himself up outside the New South Wales Parliament House; mistaking it for the Federal Parliament in an attempt to kill the Prime Minister. However, he was the only one killed. The wife is charged with Conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism. Meanwhile, Cleaver is caught on camera having an affair with the Premier of New South Wales (Toni Collette), causing her husband, the Attorney-General to do everything in his power to destroy the hapless barrister. Meanwhile, Cleaver's nemesis David Potter has been left in a broken Opposition left with many ministerial positions; the major one being Shadow Attorney-General (Damien Garvey).
2	2	"R v Fenton"	Jessica Hobbs	13 September 2012 (2012-09-13)
An ex-English teacher (Garry McDonald), fed up with the lack of communication skills in a modern digital world, manages to sneak into a major political meeting between the British Secret Services and their Australian counterparts. In order to make an example of him, Attorney-General Cal McGregor manages to convince his Federal contacts to try Fenton under the Anti-Terrorism legislation by a very biased Federal judge. Meanwhile, Cleaver is still considered a persona non grata by Barney after getting in a fight with a drunk clown at a children's birthday party organised by Scarlet. Meanwhile, David Potter launches a defamation suit against Cleaver.
2	3	"R v Wooldridge & Anor"	Jessica Hobbs	20 September 2012 (2012-09-20)
Missy's novel based on her life as a prostitute has caused a sensation. At her book signing she reveals to David that she's now engaged to the infamous founder of an on-line leaks site. Meanwhile, Cleaver's roving eye has led him to stray again, this time with Michelle, who tells him she's making a short film for Tropfest. He discovers she's not yet 16, and is horrified, but it's too late. Michelle is soon charged with accidentally killing a fellow actor while filming a scene, and blackmails Cleaver into defending her.
2	4	"R v Floyd"	Jessica Hobbs	27 September 2012 (2012-09-27)
Missy and Joshua are Australia's most newsworthy couple: she's a bestselling author, and he's facing treason charges. Meanwhile, Cleaver, having been ditched by Barney, is lamenting the lack of briefs coming his way, especially when Nicole is constantly reminding him about the cases Barney used to bring in. Cleaver tries to help his son Fuzz, who is still in anguish over his latest failed romantic endeavour, and they both end up in the confessional. But for Cleaver, there's no relief. He's under pressure to meet the emotional and physical needs of his sugar mummy, Kirsty (Robyn Malcolm), and he's being cleverly outplayed in his defamation case. But then Joshua shocks Cleaver and the Sydney bar by inviting Cleaver to represent him in the case of the decade. Cleaver now has a lucrative brief, secures his own chambers, and is mentioned in America Today as "leading human rights lawyer". Barney's back on board and things seem poised to go right - moments before something goes terribly, terribly wrong...
2	5	"R v Turner"	Jessica Hobbs	4 October 2012 (2012-10-04)
Missy is on trial for murdering her fiancé, but Cleaver plans to expose the conspiracy to murder Joshua by the security set-up he humiliated. Assisted by a mysterious smoking man, he follows the trail to ASIO, the CIA, and information that may bring down the international banking system and several governments. But he needs to find the evidence. Kirsty is furious that Cleaver is spending so much time with Missy, but when standover man Col threatens to express that disapproval in the usual manner, Cleaver recognises that Col has a secret. Delirious with a broken arm, Barney confesses to Scarlet that he's met someone else. Hurt and confused, Scarlet allows an innocent lunch with Harry-Sorry-David to progress down a primrose path that, with some help from Cal McGregor, will lead to perdition. Cal asks Scarlet to provide an alibi for his skipped meeting with the Premier. She does, believing it will also cover her indiscretion with David, but Cal has a darker purpose. Some of Joshua's personal secrets are revealed in court and Missy is horrified, not only by his betrayal, but that there is now a motive for murder. Can Cleaver maintain professional standards long enough to get Missy off?
2	6	"R v Alford"	Jessica Hobbs	11 October 2012 (2012-10-11)
When a piercing scream splits the dawn silence of a leafy, suburban arcadia Cleaver and Barney are soon defending an IT lecturer accused of severing his neighbour's penis with garden shears. Cleaver and Barney wade into the unfamiliar swamp of Rotarians, golf and backyard barbecues to uncover the truth behind the 'bobbitting'. Barney and Nicole have failed in their attempts to end their affair, despite Nicole's approaching wedding. And even incurious Cleaver works out that the emotional rollercoasters of both Nicole and Barney are moving in sync. Only one thing could worsen their situation... Cleaver deciding to help. Wendy is falling for Roger, the husband of Fuzz's ex-lover, while Fuzz has a surprise new girlfriend. When Cleaver attempts to cure Missy's depression at a dinner with his family, he ends up being everyone's target. Scarlet and David are firmly on Cal McGregor's hook, but David's colleagues push him to sacrifice Scarlet to save himself. Poised between political oblivion and the dangled promise of the Opposition leadership, David, typically, prevaricates. Cal will happily fire a bullet at Scarlet in the hope it also takes out David, even better if he can wing Cleaver too. Scarlet realises there is only one lawyer devious and unethical enough to get her out from under the sword of Damocles.
2	7	"Greene v Hole"	Kate Dennis	18 October 2012 (2012-10-18)
2	8	"Greene"	Kate Dennis	25 October 2012 (2012-10-25)

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Series	Result	Ref
2012	AACTA Awards	Best Television Drama Series			Nominated
2011	Equity Awards	Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series	Cast	–	Won

External links

• Rake (TV series 2010) at IMDb
• Rake at the Australian Television Information Archive