Fat Tony & Co.

Last updated

Fat Tony & Co.
Genre Crime
Drama
Directed by
  • Peter Andrikidis
  • Andrew Prowse
  • Mitchell Sariovski
  • Bethany Chinn
  • Karl Zwicky
  • Shirley Barrett
Starring
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes9 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Des Monaghan
  • Greg Haddrick
Producers
  • Jo Rooney
  • Andy Ryan
  • Peter Gawler
  • Elisa Argenzio
Production location Melbourne
Running time48 minutes
Production company Screentime
Original release
Network Nine Network
Release23 February (2014-02-23) 
6 April 2014 (2014-04-06)

Fat Tony & Co. is a nine-episode Australian television series focusing on Tony Mokbel and covers the manhunt which lasted 18 months and dismantled a drug empire. It premiered on 23 February 2014 [1] and concluded on 6 April 2014 on the Nine Network. It is technically a part of the Underbelly franchise , with various actors reprising their role from previous series.

Contents

Production

Conception

Fat Tony & Co. has been marketed as a sequel to the first series of Underbelly , however due to changes in funding with Screen Australia it was not branded as an Underbelly series. [2] Fat Tony and Co actually runs chronologically alongside of Underbelly, with the storyline being told from the point of view of Mokbel. The first few episodes chronicle his rise while the "Melbourne gangland war" is taking place but the later episodes focus on his disappearance and arrest in Greece, and other events that unfolded after the original series of Underbelly concluded.

After a rumour in November 2012, Fat Tony & Co. was officially announced on 3 August 2013. [3] Production for the series began on 5 August 2013. [2]

Fat Tony & Co. was directed by Peter Andrikidis, Andrew Prowse and Karl Zwicky, with Jo Rooney, Andy Ryan, Peter Gawler and Elisa Argenzio Lambert serving as producers. [4]

While most of Fat Tony & Co. was shot in Melbourne, some sequences were filmed in Athens, Greece. [2]

Casting

Most of the cast from the first series of Underbelly return to play the same characters, although some were unavailable to reprise their signature roles such as Kat Stewart who played Roberta Williams, replaced by Hollie Andrew; Caroline Gillmer who played Judy Moran, replaced by Debra Byrne and Callan Mulvey who played Mark Moran, replaced by Jake Ryan. [2]

Cast

Regular

Recurring and guest

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
Aus. viewers
(millions)
1"The Tony Special"Peter AndrikidisPeter Gawler23 February 2014 (2014-02-23)235400-11.621 [5]
In the opener of this series dramatizing the manhunt of drug kingpin Tony Mokbel, Detective Inspector Jim O'Brien observes Mokbel as the Carlton Crew contend with internal affairs. Meanwhile, Carl Williams vows revenge on the Morans after being injured in a skirmish with them.
2"The Mexican Job"Peter AndrikidisPeter Gawler23 February 2014 (2014-02-23)235400-21.401 [5]
Tony and the Carlton Crew import a huge hash shipment; the Victoria Drug Squad shares intelligence with Australian Federal Police agent Jarrod Ragg in a bid to bring down Mokbel and the Carlton Crew.
3"When the Dogs Bark"Andrew ProwseAdam Todd2 March 2014 (2014-03-02)235400-31.275 [6]
Tony fears for his own safety as mate Carl Williams ramps up his campaign of underworld murders. After being released from prison, Tony considers going straight as a property developer. Jason Moran has a final showdown with Carl Williams.
4"Killers, Thieves & Lawyers"Andrew ProwseAdam Todd9 March 2014 (2014-03-09)235400-41.095 [7]
When a hitman alleges Tony is involved in murder, Tony decides to skip bail and become Australia's most wanted man. Tony takes a massive gamble when he recruits a pair of cleanskins to run his drug empire while he is on the run.
5"Where's Tony?"Karl ZwickyAdam Todd16 March 2014 (2014-03-16)235400-51.153 [8]
After skipping bail, Tony hatches a risky plan to flee Australia and start a new life in Greece. With Tony on the run, the fight is on for control of his drug empire. The police face a wall of silence in their search for Fat Tony.
6"A New Life"Karl ZwickyJeff Truman23 March 2014 (2014-03-23)235400-61.106 [9]
Tony fights sea-sickness as he sails from Perth to Athens to avoid capture by the police. Tony's pregnant girlfriend is followed by police as she travels through Europe to meet him. The police manhunt finally gets a break-through.
7"The Incorruptibles"Peter AndrikidisJeff Truman30 March 2014 (2014-03-30)235400-70.601 [9]
Tony attempts to create a new drug empire whilst hiding in Athens, unaware that Detective Sergeant Jim Coghlan and Australian Federal Police agent Jarrod Ragg have arrived in Greece to work with the local Athens police – known as The Incorruptibles – to arrest Tony and return him to face justice in Australia.
8"A Chip & a Chair"Peter AndrikidisMichaeley O'Brien30 March 2014 (2014-03-30)235400-81.177 [10]
While Tony fights extradition in Athens, police swoop on his drug operations in Australia.
9"Drawing Dead"Peter AndrikidisMichaeley O'Brien6 April 2014 (2014-04-06)235400-90.631 [10]
Tony has a major victory against the police, but suspects his former mate Carl Williams has betrayed him. Carl's double-dealings with the police backfire when he is brutally murdered by a fellow inmate. Judy Moran takes revenge on Des 'Tuppence' Moran with disastrous consequences. Tony plays his final hand as the police close in, but it looks like he is 'drawing dead'.

Series ratings

TV SeasonNo. of EpisodesSeason
Premiere
Season
Final
Average
Audience
(millions)
Most Watched Episode
EpisodeViewers
(millions)
2014 923 February 20146 April 20141.206 [11] "The Tony Special"1.621 [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kevin Harrington is an Australian stage, television and film actor and comedian who is perhaps best known for his roles as Kevin Findlay on the Australian drama SeaChange in the 1990s and as David Bishop on the soap opera Neighbours.

The first series of Australian crime television drama series Underbelly originally aired from 13 February 2008 to 7 May 2008 on the Nine Network and is loosely based on the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival, Carl Williams. The series is based on the book Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld, by journalists John Silvester and Andrew Rule, and borrows its name from the successful Underbelly true crime anthology book series also authored by Silvester and Rule. An alternative and significantly updated tie-in novel, Underbelly: The Gangland War, was released as their 13th book in the series. The series is produced by the Australian Film Finance Corporation, in association with Film Victoria. The executive producers are Des Monaghan and Jo Horsburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Hill</span> Australian actor (born 1973)

Les Hill is an Australian actor who has appeared in many Australian television productions including Rescue: Special Ops,Home and Away and Underbelly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gyton Grantley</span> Australian actor and comedian (born 1980)

Gyton James Grantley is an Australian actor and comedian, best known for his portrayal of convicted murderer and drug trafficker Carl Williams in the hit Australian television show Underbelly, for which he was nominated for both Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Most Popular Actor for the 2009 TV Week Logie Awards and the 2008 AFI award. Grantley won the 2009 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kat Stewart</span> Australian actress

Katherine Louise Stewart is an Australian actress who has made numerous appearances in television series, movies and on-stage.

Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama series which first aired on the Nine Network between 13 February 2008 and 1 September 2013, before being revived on 3 April 2022. Each series is based on real-life events. There have been six full series, with season 7 being a miniseries. A 2014 series titled Fat Tony & Co is a sequel to the first series but is not branded under the Underbelly title.

<i>Rake</i> (Australian TV series) Australian television series (2010-2018)

Rake is an Australian television program, produced by Essential Media and Entertainment, that first aired on the ABC TV in 2010. It stars Richard Roxburgh as the rakish Cleaver Greene, a brilliant but self-destructive Sydney barrister, defending a usually guilty client. The fifth and final series went into production in October 2017 and premiered on 19 August 2018.

<i>Underbelly: Squizzy</i> Season of television series

Underbelly: Squizzy, the sixth series of the Australian Nine Network reality crime drama series anthology Underbelly, originally aired from 28 July 2013 to 1 September 2013. It is an eight-part series based on the life and career of notorious Melbourne gangster, Squizzy Taylor, and is set between 1915 and 1927. It premiered on 28 July 2013. The series began its production in late 2012, with filming commencing towards the end of 2012. It is the second series in the franchise after Badness not to have 13 episodes and the first series to be fully set in Melbourne since Underbelly.

ANZAC Girls is an Australian television drama series that first screened on ABC1 on 10 August 2014. The six-part series tells the rarely told true stories of the nurses serving with the Australian Army Nursing Service at Alexandria, Lemnos, and the Western Front during the First World War. The series is based on Peter Rees' book The Other ANZACs as well as diaries, letters, photographs and historical documents. The series was written by Felicity Packard and Niki Aken, produced by Screentime, and filmed in South Australia.

Robert Mammone is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as AK in The Matrix movies, as Sid Walker in the soap opera Home and Away, and as Tim Palmer in Sons and Daughters.

<i>My France with Manu</i> 2014 Australian TV series or program

My France with Manu is an Australian television series screened on the Seven Network. The series follows French born chef and My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel returning to his homeland, visiting friends and family, as well as cooking throughout the country.

<i>Wanted</i> (2016 Australian TV series) Australian television series

Wanted is an Australian drama television series which premiered on the Seven Network in Australia on 9 February 2016. The first season consisted of six episodes. It was renewed for a six-episode second season, which premiered with a double-episode on 5 June 2017. The series was renewed for a third and final season which premiered on 15 October 2018.

Family Food Fight is an Australian reality competition television series that aired on the Nine Network from 30 October 2017 until 11 December 2018. The series saw diverse and multi-generational Australian families go head-to-head in high-pressure cooking challenges inspired by real home cooking and family food traditions to win an ultimate prize of $100,000.

Underbelly Files: Chopper is an Australian 2-part mini-series that screened on the Nine Network, premiering on 11 February 2018 and concluding the next day. It is part of the Underbelly franchise and continues the Underbelly Files spin-off tele-movies. It was preceded by Tell Them Lucifer was Here, Infiltration, and The Man Who Got Away.

<i>Australian Spartan</i> 2018 Australian TV series or program

Australian Spartan is an Australian sports entertainment and reality competition television series. An adaptation of the American format Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, it is hosted by Edwina Bartholomew and Hamish McLachlan with Wendell Sailor as sideline reporter. The series follows teams of contestants obstacle racing through courses based on spartan races. The first season premiered on the Seven Network on 25 February 2018.

<i>Hughesy, We Have a Problem</i> Australian television series

Hughesy, We Have a Problem is an Australian comedy panel television series which premiered on Network 10 on 30 January 2018. The program was hosted by Dave Hughes, who along with a panel of comedians, attempted to solve problems of viewers, guests, panellists or the host. The show was filmed at Network 10 Studios in Pyrmont, a suburb in Sydney's inner city.

<i>Ambulance Australia</i> Australian factual television series

Ambulance Australia is an Australian factual television program on Network 10 that follows the New South Wales and Queensland Ambulance Services, from the Triple Zero Control Centres to paramedics on the road. It is based on the original UK factual series Ambulance.

Total Control is an Australian television political drama series first screened on ABC TV in October 2019. Its working title was Black Bitch, but that was deemed too controversial and the series was renamed. Season 2 began airing on 7 November 2021, and the final season premiered on the ABC on 14 January 2024.

Informer 3838 is an Australian television series focusing on criminal barrister-turned police informer Nicola Gobbo and her involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings. It is a spin-off of the Underbelly franchise, with various actors reprising their role from previous series. Commissioned by the Nine Network and produced by Screentime, it was broadcast between 20 and 27 April 2020.

References

  1. Knox, David (17 February 2014). "Airdate: Fat Tony & Co". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Knox, David (4 August 2013). "Underbelly cast reunite for Fat Tony & Co". TV Tonight . Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  3. Knox, David (2 November 2012). "Rumour: Tony Mokbel drama". TV Tonight . Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  4. "Fat Tony & Co". Screentime Pty Ltd. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  5. 1 2 Knox, David (5 March 2014). "Timeshifted: Sunday 23 February 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  6. Knox, David (11 March 2014). "Timeshifted: Sunday 2 March 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  7. Knox, David (19 March 2014). "Timeshifted: Sunday 9 March 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  8. Knox, David (25 March 2014). "Timeshifted: Sunday 16 March 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Timeshifted: Sunday 23 March 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Timeshifted: Sunday 30 March 2014". TV Tonight . Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  11. "TV Ratings First Series Average". Screen Australia. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. "TV Ratings Most Watched Series Episode". Screen Australia. Retrieved 22 July 2019.