australian television information archive

Here Comes The Son

Episode 1
Mon, November 18, 2002
Written by Ian David
Directed by David Caesar

Talkback radio king Howard Mays has gone on a verbal rampage against the police force, accusing them of dirty dealings and corruption. He promos an upcoming story about two southern beaches detectives who even organise the crimes in their area so as to get their 10% cut.

Assistant Commissioner Pud Tugwell is furious. Police Week is coming up, Mays is bashing the force with daily doses of terrible tales, and he"s been asked to head up an internal corruption unit that will surely mean the end of his career. Red and Lou deciding to do their bit for Police Week and pay Mays a visit, but end up being slapped with a harassment suit.

Meantime, Tracy has taken on a new client, Billie Lovelay. A buxom, topless waitress, she wants to sue for unfair dismissal after being dumped from a celebrity harbour cruise and told to keep her mouth shut. Tracy takes Billie to meet with Red and Lou and all ears prick up when it turns out the boat cruise in question was for Howard Mays" birthday. Billie may just be Red and Lou"s lucky charm.

With: Roy Billing as Pud Tugwell, John Batchelor as Uncle Dan, Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travallis, Helen Dallimore as Billie Lovelay, Arch Lyttle as Jim, Garry McDonald as Howard Mays

He Who Slips In Milkshakes

Episode 2
November 25, 2002
Directed by David Caesar

Red and Lou are waiting to meet with Det Norman "Blue" Wales about the upcoming judicial enquiry into police corruption in the tow truck industry. They"re not too concerned about being summonsed, but Blue is a nervous wreck. He"s petrified he"ll spill the beans.

The problem is, almost all the force took a cut from Billy Munz"s tow truck scam and everybody knows it. What the commission doesn"t know however, is that Blue was the bagman, and he knows every name on the list, and every copper who got paid. The rest of the force is depending on Red and Lou to find a way to keep Blue quiet.

After their first two attempts fail, drastic measures are called for. All the brothers are getting anxious. Even Pud pops in to see how Red and Lou are going to deal with the situation. Time is running out and Blue is scared. Everyone knows he"s going to spill his guts. But Red and Lou come up with a winning way to ensure Blue simply can"t rat on his mates.

With: Roy Billing as Pud Tugwell, Bille Brown as Detective "Blue" Wales, Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travallis, Ronald Falk as Judge Fennell, Neil Fitzpatrick as Brennan QC

The Loaded Dog

Episode 3
December 02, 2002
Directed by Cate Shortland

The week is not shaping up well for Detectives Red Lilywhite and Lou Knutt. They"ve been named in the Royal Commission into police corruption 43 times. They"ve never actually solved a crime. Their hand-picked bank robber keeps getting in the papers and their burgers are giving them heartburn.

Assistant Commissioner Pud Tingwell advises the boys they have one week to find alternative employment outside the force. But Lou and Red have no intention of resigning. They remind Pud of past activities they"ve all enjoyed, forcing him to give them seven days to solve a crime and save their jobs.

Red and Lou meet with Tracey Lafever, a lawyer and mate, with whom they both share something special. Tracey has just got an acquittal for her client, Barry Khysser, a balaclava-clad man who likes to flash old ladies at nursing homes. The boys are in trouble. They need to get the Commission off their back and they need to get rid of Southside Johnny. His latest heist has made front-page news and a pesky bank clerk with a photographic memory has given a perfect description of him and his getaway car. There"s also the matter of the surveillance video.

Red decides they need a wood duck and Tracey"s client could be the one. They have Khysser tailed by Slim, but all he finds is that Barry buys a lot of dog food. They decide to have him picked up and brought back to the station for interrogation, but what Barry confesses to takes them all by surprise.

With: Joe Barton as Southside Johnny, Nathan Broadrick as Kid, Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travalis, Andrew Crabbe as Bank Clerk, Alan Flower as Barry Khysser, Alexander Langley as Surfer Kid, Gennie Nevinson as Coroner

The Ex, Lies And Stick Tape

Episode 4
December 09, 2002
Written by Tim Gooding
Directed by Cate Shortland

The Minister for Retrenchment is being blackmailed after being caught on videotape in a highly compromising situation and Pud asks Red and Lou for help. Pud"s birthday bash is coming up and he wants to show the tape to his friends, before turning it in. Red isn"t listening however. He is horrified to see his ex-wife, Raelene, approaching and even more disturbed when she introduces him to her fiancé, Craig.

Red and Lou visit Slim to get a lead on the blackmailer/filmmaker. Slim says the work could only be that of Shane Webster, the best in the business. Red and Lou tell him to set up a meeting.

Back at the office, Red is in turmoil. All he can think about is Raelene. Things go from bad to worse when the mail arrives with an invitation to the wedding.

Lou goes to collect the blackmail tape from Shane. Impressed by his setup and the quality of his work, Lou comes up with a plan that will not only pull Red out of his slump, but provide him with the perfect wedding present.

With: Nikki Bridger as Raelene, Greg Van Borssum as Craig, Deborah McLoughlin as Michelle, Neil Rochow as Politician, Gary Waddell as Steve McClure, Matthew Whittet as Shane, Chris Mitchell as Lou's double

Turn Me On Deadman

Episode 5
December 16, 2002
Directed by David Caesar

Red and Lou are called to a trashed motel room where the retired Leader of the Opposition, Francis Bowers, lies dead. Pud reveals he had been "sticking his sausage on someone else"s hotplate" and it"s up to Red and Lou to explain Mr Bowers" passing in a straightforward manner, ensuring there is no fuss about the circumstances.

Armed with some "spray and wipe" and a vacuum cleaner, they soon take care of the motel room and use their most persuasive manner on the hotel manager and cleaner to ensure their story is a more appropriate version.

Next step is the woman responsible for Bower"s expiration, but far from denying she was in the room, Deborah Sidebottom appears pleased with the way things worked out.

The boys are beginning to think they might have covered their tracks, until Tracy reminds Lou about Bowers" wife, Evelyn. When Pud advises against interviewing the grieving widow, Red sniffs that there"s more to the case than meets the eye.

With: Tahir Bilgic as Motel Manager, Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travalis, Sarah Chadwick as Deborah Sidebottom, Warren Coleman as Brett Malone, Philip Holder as Forensic Pathologist [Barry], Belinda Lopez as Cleaning Lady, Mark McCann as Robert, Angela Punch McGregor as Mrs Bowers, Matthew Moore as Eric the Photographer

Suit Yourself

Episode 6
December 23, 2002
Written by Angela Webber
Directed by Cate Shortland

The city is in the grip of a series of ram raids and the papers are going wild with allegations of Asian crime gangs. Red and Lou"s phone is also running hot with calls from an old "mate", Minty Hakim, begging them to give him a job. He is desperate for money, having agreed to generously provide the jumpers for his grandson"s soccer team. But Red and Lou have only one thing on their mind — the annual suit discount at Maroubra Menswear.

Having selected their yearly supply of suits, shirts, socks and jocks, Red and Lou are taken aback when the Acting Manager, Lorraine Simpson, refuses to give their usual (100%) discount. Despite Lou"s threats, Lorraine refuses to budge, even when they offer her a second chance.

Red balances things up. On one hand Minty is desperate for work; while on the other, Lorraine needs to be taught a lesson. Overnight, it seems that seems the ram-raiders" tastes have spread to menswear stores. They even have a suspect — Lorraine"s 15-year-old son, Michael. It"s up to Tracy to hammer out a deal to keep everyone happy.

With: Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travalis, Franco Bonserio as Shop Assistant, Jason Chong as Kenneth L. Foole, Cameron Elston as Danny Hakimole, Edmund Falzon as Minty Hakim, Duanne Johnston as Michael Simpson, Leah Purcell as Lorraine Simpson, Alan Light as Don, Andrew Beattie as Ram Raider, Alan Vaughan as Ram Raider

A Joint Venture

Episode 7
December 30, 2002
Directed by David Caesar

The Feds have something going down in the area and Agent Arch Menzies has Red and Lou by the balls, having caught them on surveillance video cleaning out a house of drugs and cash. In return for making the tape go away, Red and Lou must find out who Mr Big is and when the shipment"s coming in.

Having got the name from one of their contacts, Red and Lou visit Slim and order him to set up a meeting with Mr Big — Bruno Rocco. At the meeting, Bruno reveals he has half a million dollars worth of hash oil, hidden in lava lamps, sitting in a container on the docks. He"s willing to share the profit, but he"s been reluctant to get the gear, in case the Fed"s have the dock under surveillance.

Meantime a Ferrari-driving lawyer, Toby Mahler, arrives at the station to collect his lost wallet. When he finds his money gone, he accuses Red and Lou. In turn, they threaten to charge him with dealing in illegal substances after discovering a half-smoked spliff in the wallet, unless he agrees to a deal. Red and Lou call Tracy in to broker an arrangement.

The next day, Red and Lou have surprises in store for everyone. They meet with Arch and, in exchange for the incriminating tape, inform him of the existence of a bigger "Mr Big" who just might happen to have some suspicious lava lamps in the back of his Ferrari. They meet with Bruno and advise him that their deal has been revised to a 50/50 split. And finally they meet with Tracy, to celebrate a hard day"s work. They even have a present for her a new lamp for the living room.

With: John Adam as Toby Mahler, Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travalis, Rita Kelnejais as Drug Dealer, Brian Meegan as Arch Menzies, Terry Serio as Bruno Rocco

Yesterday"s Zero

Episode 8 (finale)
January 06, 2003
Directed by Cate Shortland

A psychotic man is threatening the patrons of Steve McClure"s pub and Red and Lou are called down to sort things out. When talking doesn"t help, Lou decides to shoot him instead, but is taken aback when his gun jams.

Meantime Steve, is under pressure from Reardon aka "the Count" to take on his poker machines. The Count has sent Jimmy the Greek to the pub to swap the machines over, when a gunfight breaks out. Steve calls on Lou and Red to start earning their 10% and give him the protection he deserves.

When negotiations between the two factions fail, the result is another shootout at the pub. Red and Lou decide they must bite the bullet and give up the pub to The Count. They agree on a meeting to finalise the deal, but it seems fate has a different ending in store and the bullet bites back.

With: Peter Browne as Sergeant Phil Travalis, Salvatore Coco as Jimmy the Greek, Gary Ohlsson as Tiny, Leigh Russell as Deranged Man, Gary Waddell as Steve McClure, Patrick Ward as Reardon the Count, Tony Martin as Voice of Gary Moon