Rake is an Australian television series produced by Essential Media and Entertainment for ABC TV. It stars Richard Roxburgh as the rakish Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive Sydney barrister,"A Rake's progress" by Graeme Blundell, The Australian (30 October 2010)"Rake's excess" by Louise Schwartzkoff, The Sydney Morning Herald (1 November 2010) defending a usually guilty client. The series aired for five seasons from 4 November 2010 to 7 October 2018.
Cast
Main cast Richard Roxburgh as Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive criminal defence barrister. The character is loosely based on colourful Sydney barristers Mervyn Ward and Charles Waterstreet,"Charles Waterstreet on Rake", Phillip Adams, Late Night Live, 16 April 2014 and was named after Cleaver Bunton."Roxburgh revels in Rake" by Gaye Pattison, ABC Goulburn Murray, 6 September 2012 At the end of the fourth series, he is elected to a seat as an independent senator. At the end of the fifth series, he is appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. Russell Dykstra as Barney "Barnyard" Meagher, one of Cleaver's instructing solicitors and his best friend. After Cleaver sleeps with his wife Scarlet, Barney feels betrayed and his relationships with both Cleaver and Scarlet are disrupted. In the second series, Barney begins an affair with Cleaver's secretary, Nicole. At the start of the third series, it is revealed that Barney and Nicole are having a child together, and that Barney is receiving treatment for testicular cancer. Danielle Cormack as Scarlet "Red" Engles SC, Barney's wife, a criminal prosecutions barrister. In the second series, she works part-time for Cal McGregor, the Attorney General, before returning to the bar as a criminal defence barrister in the third series. In addition to this, during the third series she has a short-lived affair with David Potter, another barrister with political ambitions, who is prosecuting Cleaver for non-payment of taxes. Scarlet succeeds in being promoted to Senior Counsel. Matt Day as David "Harry-Sorry, David" Potter, a tax lawyer prosecuting Cleaver Greene and attempting to get into politics with the help of Attorney General Joe Sandilands. In series 2, Potter is a member of the Parliament of New South Wales and of the Australian Labor Party and is Shadow Attorney General. In the third series, he has become the Leader of the NSW Australian Labor Party, and is having a secret affair with Scarlet. In the fourth series, he runs as a Senator for the Australian Greens. David is nicknamed "Harry-Sorry, David" as a joke on his surname and the fact that he wears Harry Potter-styled glasses. Adrienne Pickering as Melissa "Missy" Partridge, a former prostitute turned law student, caught between being Potter's girlfriend and helping Greene, a former client for whom she has developed feelings. By the end of the first series, she reveals her true identity as Jane Tanner (Turner) to Cleaver and David, and leave to travel around Europe. In series 2, she has written a book based on her life in prostitution under the name of "J.M. Doolan". In series 3, the book based on her life is made into a film. In series 4, she returns to Australia after a hiatus in America; she is addicted to a multitude of drugs and has to go through the process of removing the addiction of ice. In the end of series 4 she is pregnant with Finnegan Greene's child. Caroline Brazier as Wendy Greene, Cleaver's ex-wife, who is a psychologist in a hospital psychiatric ward. At the end of the second series, she starts dating Roger, an osteopath, and at the beginning of the third series she and Roger are engaged. Keegan Joyce as Finnegan "Fuzz" Greene, Cleaver and Wendy's teenage son, who often has sexual relationships with older women. By the end of the second series, he has started dating Tara, an evangelical Christian, and during the third series is planning on doing aid work in the Congo. Kate Box as Nicole Vargas, Cleaver's long-suffering secretary, who has a drunken one-night stand with Barney, days before her marriage. In the third series, she and Barney have a child out of wedlock. Damien Garvey as Cal McGregor, the successor of Joe Sandilands as Attorney General of New South Wales. He is corrupt and is sent to jail. He hates Cleaver because of an affair Cleaver had with Cal's ex-wife and former NSW Premier, Claudia McGregor, played by Toni Collette. Cal is released on parole at the start of the third series, and becomes a current affairs journalist and popular bombastic TV pundit. Geoff Morrell as Joe Sandilands, Labor Party Attorney General of New South Wales. 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. Robyn Malcolm plays Kirsty Corella, wife of imprisoned crime boss Mick Corella, whom Cleaver defended. Cleaver owes huge gambling debts to Mick and then to Kirsty, who takes over as boss while Mick is in prison. During the second series, she briefly dates Cleaver, before falling in love with Col, her "enforcer," who frequently pays Cleaver visits to "persuade" him to pay his gambling debts. Steve Le Marquand as Col Mancusi, Mick and Kirsty's henchman. He is in love with Kirsty and eventually enters a relationship with her, thanks to Cleaver's encouragement. Rhys Muldoon as Lincoln Lincoln, an incompetent solicitor who occasionally instructs on matters for Cleaver and Scarlet.
Guest cast Episode Actor, role 1.1 Hugo Weaving as Professor Graham MurraySacha Horler as Murray's wife 1.2 Lisa McCune as Lucy Marx Ryan Johnson as Marty 1.3 Lech Mackiewicz as George DanaRoy Billing as Judge Jordan 1.4 David Field as Denny LortonNoah Taylor as Stanley Shrimpton 1.5 Heather Mitchell as Jan ChandlerSam Neill as Dr Bruce Chandler 1.6 Rachel Griffiths as Eddie LanghornJonathan Biggins as MartinBarry Crocker as Errol Greene, Cleaver's father 1.7 Victoria Thaine as Fiona McReady 1.8 Damon Herriman as Detective MaracoRichard Carter as Mick CorellaRobyn Malcolm as Kirsty CorellaPaul Gleeson as NigelSteve Le Marquand as Col 2.1 Toni Collette as Premier Claudia Marshall 2.2 Don Hany as Damien TengroveGarry McDonald as Lawrence FentonJacinta John as AgathaJack Thompson as Justice Beesdon 2.3 Marshall Napier as Prosecution 2.4 Angie Milliken as Therese Faulkner Martin Henderson as Joshua FloydRhys Muldoon as Lincoln LincolnBen Oxenbould as Alistair Emery 2.5 Mary Coustas as Judge BenChris Haywood as Prosecution 2.6 Jacqueline McKenzie as Alannah AlfordMartin Sacks as Roger EvansStephen Curry as Alex Alford 2.7 Bille Brown as DominicSonia Todd as Jane 2.8 Maeve Dermody as Polly Nesbitt 3.1 Dan Wyllie as Malcolm FinnaneBruce Spence as George CorellaEmil Wolk as Justice Kieran Webster 3.2 John Noble as Clayton PostGenevieve Lemon as Tikki WendonSimon Westaway as Gordon MartinMarta Kaczmarek as Maria VargasGary Waddell as Harley 3.3 Jane Allsop as Felicity FinnaneAden Young as Joshua (in film)Elizabeth Debicki as Missy (in film)Cate Blanchett as Cleaver (in film)Magda Szubanski as HelenJerome Ehlers as Maitre d' 3.4 Lex Marinos as SpiroBen Lawson as CraigJohn Flaus as Vernon 3.5 Paul Sonkkila as Father Bobby 3.7 Sibylla Budd as Ms. Guilfoyle QC 3.8 Josh Quong Tart as Detective Sando 4.1 John Waters as Edgar ThompsonRachael Blake as Ruth RogersSara Wiseman as Caitlin 4.2 Justine Clarke as Alli Franklin Ryan Johnson as Raymond Kate Fitzpatrick as Judith 4.3 Miriam Margolyes as Huntley-Brown QC Ryan Johnson as Raymond 4.5 Kym Gyngell as ReggieEwen Leslie as Bevan LeighHarriet Dyer as Star MannixAlex Cubis as Kyle MannixHuw Higginson as Malcolm Hammill Nick Tate as Julian Tallow 4.6 Tasma Walton as JackMichael Denkha as Roy 4.7 Barry Otto as Judge CowperLewis Fitz-Gerald as Mandel 5.1 Jacek Koman as JakubHelen Thomson as PM Angela WayTony Briggs as Greg PetersMark Mitchinson as Joe McGregorWilliam McInnes as Gareth MorrowJane Turner as Penny EvansAnthony LaPaglia as LinusJim Daly as Frank O'Brien Wayne Pigram as PM Ryland Webster 5.4 Tasneem Roc as Li-Ming WuGreg Eccleston as Suited Man
Episodes
Season 1 (2010)
Season 2 (2012)
Season 3 (2014)
Season 4 (2016)
Season 5 (2018)
Production The series was created by Peter Duncan, Richard Roxburgh, and Charles Waterstreet, and written by Peter Duncan and Andrew Knight. Cinematography was by Martin McGrath, and the series was executive produced by Miranda Dear.
Ratings
Season 1 (2010)
Season 2 (2012)
Season 3 (2014)
Season 4 (2016)
Season 5 (2018)
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee Result 2011 Equity Awards Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Cast AWGIE Awards Television – Series Series 1, episode 5 'R v. Chandler' – Peter Duncan ASSG AwardsBest Achievement in Sound for a Tele-Feature or Short Run SeriesSeries 1 – Chris Alderton, Todd Kirkness, Sue Kerr, Peter Hall, Trevor Harrison, Olivia Monteith, Ian Donato, Natalie Choo and Michol Marsh 2012 AACTA Awards Best Television Drama SeriesRake 2013AACTA AwardsBest Television Drama SeriesSeason 2 – Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh Best Lead Actor in a Television DramaRichard Roxburgh Australian Screen Music AwardsBest Music for a Television Series or SerialSeason 2, episode 8 'Greene' – Michael Lira, David McCormack and Antony Partos AWGIE AwardsTelevision – SeriesSeries 2: "R v. Floyd" – Andrew Knight 2014AWGIE AwardsTelevision – SeriesSeries 3 "Their Lordships v. Finnane" – Peter Duncan Australian Directors Guild AwardsBest Direction in a TV Drama SeriesSeries 2, episode 2 – Peter Duncan Australian Screen Music AwardsBest Music for a Television Series or SerialSeries 3, episode 1 – David McCormack, Antony Partos and Michael Lira ASSG AwardsBest Sound for a Television Drama SeriesSeries 3 – Guntis Sics, Gerry Nucifora, Aron Dyer, Peter Hall, Leon Horrocks, Evan Horton and Michol Marsh 2015AACTA AwardsBest Television Drama SeriesSeason 3 – Ian Collie, Peter Duncan and Richard Roxburgh Best Screenplay in TelevisionSeries 3, episode 1 – Peter Duncan Best Lead Actor in a Television DramaRichard Roxburgh Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television DramaDan Wyllie Best Editing in TelevisionSeries 3, episode 1 – Henry Dangar ASE Logie Awards Most Outstanding Drama Series Rake Most Outstanding Actor Richard Roxburgh Australian Directors Guild AwardsBest Direction in a TV Drama SeriesSeries 3, episode 1 – Jessica Hobbs Series 3, episode 5 – Rowan Woods 2017 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Drama Series Rake Most Outstanding Actor Richard Roxburgh Logie Award for Best Actor Richard Roxburgh
American remake The Fox Network in the US commissioned an American version, starring Greg Kinnear as the lead character, renamed Keegan Deane for American audiences. It aired between January and April 2014. Richard Roxburgh was a producer on the American version alongside Kinnear.
Soundtrack Original music for the show was composed and performed by David McCormack (of Custard), Antony Partos and Michael Lira, at Sonar Music in Sydney. A soundtrack album Rake: Music from the TV Series was released through ABC Music in July 2016.
References
External links
Rake homepage, ABC TV
Rake at the Australian Television Information Archive