Rake, Series 1

The award-winning Australian comedy-drama RAKE, Series 1 debuts on DVD on May 9, 2017 from Acorn, an RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand. In a Silver Logie award-winning role, Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!, Van Helsing) stars as the brilliant, but destructive barrister Cleaver Greene in this top-rated series. The DVD 3-Disc set features 8 episodes (39.99, AcornOnline.com). Rake first aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s ABC1 in 2010 and has aired for four seasons.

As a lawyer, Cleaver Cleaver prefers to defend those who are utterly hopeless and probably guilty; his clients include murderers, bigamists, and even cannibals. In his personal life, he dodges debt collectors and the Tax Office, while pining after a former prostitute (Adrienne Pickering, The Reef) and flirting with his best friend’s wife (Danielle Cormack, Wentworth). Despite his roguish ways, Cleaver’s wit and charm have won him many cases and loyal friends over the years.

Guest stars in this “smart, cheeky, and funny legal series” (Newcastle Herald, Australia) include Oscar® nomineeRachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters), Hugo Weaving (The Lord of the Rings films), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), and Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones).

My Thoughts

Rake is an exciting new Australian series from Acorn Media. It centers around defense attorney Richard Roxburgh. He prides himself on defending bad guys: really bad guys, including cannibals!  His personal life is messy too. He's constantly in debt and always after the wrong women. This first season had eight awesome episodes.

R v Murray -  Greene takes on a case where an economist is accused of eating his victim, and we see he's got it bad for a lady of the night.

R v Marx - The wigs come off, along with  few gowns. Greene takes the case of a women who seduces a juror to try to get her daughter off a murder charge. 

R v Dana - A chef is charged with bigamy, and Greene faces tribunal for inappropriate behavior.

R v Lorton - A male prostitute is killed, and Cleaver defends a famous artist who is accused of the killing.

R v  Chandler - Cleaver is seducing the White Lady, and a doctor is found with an incriminating DVD.

R v Langhorn - Scarlet goes after a vigilanti racist, and Cleaver's father has a heart attack.

R v Tanner - The attorney general is caught at a brothel, and Cleaver is handling a few assault cases after a botched robbery.

R v  Corella - Someone Mick had a fling with at a swinger party turns up dismembered.

I really enjoyed this show. Cleaver is really a rake, just as the titles implies, but he has me crushing on him just the same! Each episode was packed full of adventure, and I always enjoy seeing the judges in those white wigs. Why don't we do that in the US???  There is a lot of violence in the series, so make sure the kiddos are asleep before you pop in this disc. Overall, an exciting first season, and I can't wait to see what happens in Series 2. If you want to  grab a copy of this DVD for yourself, you can purchase one on Acorn Media or on Amazon.