australian television information archive

Blue Check Mark

Episode 2
Thu, September 28, 2023 (Stan)
Written by Kick Gurry
Directed by Kick Gurry

With one day to create a hostage video that will keep them alive, Dylan Fox must teach the boys how to 'act', while Rowdy makes contact with his daughter and tells her the secret that this is all fake. Well, kind of. The boys' story starts to gain traction online, raising the ire of the Aussie Prime Minister and the Colonel who sent them there. Jemima Justice tries desperately to shine a light on the story of the kidnapped boys, imploring her sister — disgraced morning show host Josie Justice — to rebuild her career on the back of their growing fame.

As Director Bustard prepares to shoot the second American, Rowdy convinces him to give them 24 hours to workshop a second video to tell their story. It needs to be the best hostage video EVER. Rowdy wants Dylan to teach them acting. At first he's reluctant — a viral video from his past seems to haunt him — but he commits when challenged with teaching the boys how to find the truth.

In Sydney, American Ambassador Enzo Morricone confronts hapless Australian Prime Minister Warren Whistle, whose only interests are rewatching Thorpey beating Gary Hall Jr at the 2000 Olympics and challenging anyone who crosses his path to swimming, running or jumping competitions. But the Ambassador and his boss, Secretary of State Alaska Fox, deliver an ultimatum. The Australian boys are gaining visibility, and the Americans need the story to go away, or they'll carpet bomb the whole island.

The boys demonstrate their plans for the video to Shammi, who is sure the Director will shoot them for boring him, and says they must weave in more story about the rebellion and its reasons. Rowdy makes a covert call to Indy, his daughter, who has been given a dire congenital heart disease prognosis. Experimental treatment in the US, costing half a million dollars, is her only chance. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up, but they'll need someone with some sway — someone possibly with a 'blue checkmark' to raise that kind of money. Rowdy reassures Indy that everything she'll see her dad do in the videos will be fake. The pretending won't stop, he assures her, until he's back with her.

During a camera rehearsal, Director Bustard grows impatient with the boys' limp e orts, but the action picks up when Lt. Peter enters the frame and holds a machete at Mamalo's throat. The Director is delighted, thinking it's part of the script, but when Lt. Pete escapes, who's going to break it to him? Josie Justice realises one of the Australian hostages is someone from her past — Dylan Fox.

All the while back in Hollywood, Sean Penn concocts a plan to salvage his reputation.

Cast:

• Ben O’Toole as Rowdy Gaines
• Kick Gurry as Dylan Fox
• Lincoln Younes as Albhanis Mouawad
• Alexander England as Phil Choi
• Mel Jarnson as Shammi Amaral
• Dorian Nkono as Mamalo Amaral
• Fayssal Bazzi as Director Bustard
• Rebecca Breeds as Josie Justice
• Bella Heathcote as Jemima Justice
• Erik Thomson as Colonel Bishop
•  
• Emily Adler as Indi Gaines
• Amber Clayton as Jade
• Daniel Webber as Jason
• Taofia Pelesasa as Guard Paulo
• Millie Lohmann as Shammi Stunt Double
• Matt De Souza as Mamalo/Guard Stunt Double
• Chris Stanley as Lt Pete Stunt Double
• Phil Partridge as Stunt Coordinator
• Hamish MacDonald as Stand-In
•  
• Justine Clarke as Doctor Mitchell
• Claire Lovering as Atlantis Gaines
• Brandon McLelland as Gary Garry
• Nicholas Hammond as Ambassador Moriconne
• Jessica De Gouw as Mara Buxbaum
•  
• Tuppence Middleton as Penny Pimberhurst
• Bryan Brown as Warren Whistle
• Matthew Fox as Lieutenant Pete
• Susan Sarandon as Alaska Adams
• Sean Penn as Sean Penn