Richard Roxburgh’s Rake

Running a compact 8 episodes, Rake [M] (2010) may be one of the best shows to come out of Australia, and for the present time it seems it's only available on an (obviously) Australian DVD & Blu-ray.

Star Richard Roxburgh plays Cleaver Greene, a human train wreck in-motion, consistently upsetting the personal and pofessional lives of friends, associates, peers, and family. The lead character is more than faithful to the essence and malicious potential of a rake - one who is morally loose, at odds with conventional society, a great big shit.

The series reminds me of a short-lived Canadian show, This is Wonderland, which the CBC slowly destroyed by avoiding a consistent broadcast schedule duing its second and third seasons. Of the 3 years, only Season 1 appeared on DVD, and the show's long forgotten, except by a small coterie of aficionados. (Guess who.) Both series involve oddball solicitors and clients, but Rake is genuinely special for its vicious black humour, and Roxburgh's richly textured performance.

Read the review, seek out the video, and relish the immorality of Rake's Cleaver Greene.



Mark R. Hasan, Editor
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