With the
news that HBO kingmaker Chris Albrecht is set to translate the
Underbelly "format" for the US market, I have no doubt that the local team is sweating bullets wondering what they can do to step up to the inevitable megabucks American franchise on the home front.
What tales of criminal genius can they share with us next? Which comely maidens will whip out their funbags in the name of serious television drama? Who will they drag out of the soapie circuit cryogenics department for a second shot at Logies glory?
With these questions in mind, I thought I'd give the team a head start by offering a few possibilities for
Underbelly 4 (and 5, and 6...):
Underbelly: Squizzy Taylor
Casting Notes -
Squizzy: Alan Fletcher
Jackson: Larry Emdur
Snowy: Matthew Krok
Constable David McGrath: William McInnes
Prostitutes: The Blakeney Twins
Underbelly takes a trip back in time to the mean streets of Melbourne in the roaring '20s. You'll be glued to your set as the antics of Joseph "Squizzy" Taylor and John Jackson stage their thrilling robbery of Trades Hall, before getting stuck into prostitution (offering viewers some tantalising glimpses of rolled-down stockings) before meeting his end at the hands of the razor gangs' "Snowy" Cutmore.
Which brings us to my next suggestion...
Underbelly: Razor Gang Babes
Casting Notes -
Tilly Devine: Magza Szubanski
Kate Leigh: Paula Duncan
"Snowy" Prendergast: Toadie
Prostitute 1: Holly Valance
Prostitute 2: someone from Hi-5
Thrill to the antics of Wartime Sydney's most notorious madams! It's the cat-fight to end all cat-fights when sly-grog and razor gang matrons Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh go up against each other. Viewers will be cheering when Leigh pumps home-invader "Snowy" Prendergast full of lead, and will enjoy the countless S[l]urry Hills lovelies that pass under Leigh and Devine's watch. It can't lose!
Underbelly: Belanglo State Forest
Casting Notes -
Ivan Milat: George from
Play School
Constable Roger Gough: Julian McMahon
Constable Suzanne Roberts: Hannah from
Neighbours
Backpacker 1: the Dodo ad girl
Backpackers 2 through 7: the original cast of
Bananas In Pajamas
Backpackers are disappearing at a rate of knots, and who can do anything about it? Taking the inspiration behind Wolf Creek back from the torturecore set,
Underbelly: Belanglo State Forest is a chilling chase complete with the '90s fashions and haircuts we all love to hate.
Underbelly: Bob Jane T-Mart Riots
See? The possibilities are endless.
I await the cheque in the mail from Channel Nine.