Dead Heat for Deadloch
Press release time!
Prime Video Renews Global Hit Deadloch For Season Two
SYDNEY, Australia – July 9, 2024– Prime Video, Guesswork Television and OK Great Productions, with the support of Screen Queensland and Screen Territory, today announced that Amazon Original, Deadloch, has been renewed for a second season. From co-creators Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, Season One of the award-winning crime comedy garnered widespread global success in 2023. Production on the 6-part second season will commence later this year and will be released globally on Prime Video.
Lauded by critics and legions of fans in Australia and around the world, Deadloch became a bona fide breakout hit, reaching the Top 10 TV Shows in more than 165 countries and territories on Prime Video including the U.S., UK, and Canada. The first season, set in Tasmania, saw two very different detectives thrown together to solve the murder of a man. The series won five AACTA Awards earlier this year including Best Acting in a Comedy for Kate Box and Best Screenplay in Television for Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan. The series recently scored three nominations in the 2024 TV WEEK Logie Awards including Best Scripted Comedy Program.
Season Two heads to the Top End of Australia and sees the return of Kate Box and Madeleine Sami as Dulcie Collins and Eddie Redcliffe. The detective duo are in Darwin investigating the death of Eddie’s former policing partner, Bushy, but when the bodies of two Top End icons are discovered in a remote town, they are flung into a new sweatier, stickier investigation. Also reprising their roles are Nina Oyama as Abby Matsuda and Alicia Gardiner as Cath York, Dulcie’s wife.
“We are thrilled that Deadloch will be returning for a second season to give our global Prime Video customers another dose of its unique blend of Australian humour and gripping mystery, this time set against the visually stunning Northern Territory landscape,” said Sarah Christie, senior development executive, Amazon MGM Studios. “The success of the first season, which has become a critical darling and cultivated a passionate fanbase, is a testament to the brilliant creative force of Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan. It’s wonderful to be continuing our collaboration with them, Guesswork Television and OK Great Productions, and to bring back our outstanding cast in Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner. We can’t wait to share more from the world of Deadloch with fans around the world.”
“We are so excited to head to the Top End for a sticky, sweaty and filthy Season Two,” said Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, creators, writers and executive producers. “Both of us are thrilled to be teaming up again with comedy angels Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner and we can’t wait to work with a new bunch of cast members and some massive fucking crocodiles.”
“Smart, slyly satirical and flat out funny, Season Two picks up where season one left off,” said Kevin Whyte and Tanya Phegan, Executive Producers, Guesswork Television. “Once again Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video have given us the opportunity to take the Kates’ story to every corner of the planet and our new partners Screen Territory and Screen Queensland have enabled us to leave the puffers behind and head north for the next instalment. We can’t wait to get back on location with this extraordinary team.”
“It’s fantastic that Deadloch’s second season will be made at Screen Queensland Studios, Brisbane as well as utilising our local waterways,” said Jacqui Feeney, CEO, Screen Queensland. “Screen Queensland is passionate about supporting Australian drama production and we look forward to welcoming the creative team behind this internationally acclaimed series to Brisbane.”
“Screen Territory is delighted to continue its production relationship with Prime Video and for the first time Guesswork Television in welcoming Deadloch Season Two to the Northern Territory.” said Jennie Hughes, Director of Screen Territory. “Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan are immensely talented creatives and we look forward to their unique and quirky take on the Northern Territory’s ‘Top End’ through the adventures of comedic detective duo Dulcie and Eddie. We are excited to support this terrific project which will deliver more opportunities for our local cast and crew and anticipate the production of a fantastic series for Deadloch fans with a unique Territorian twist.”
No big surprise there, though it took them long enough. Guess they had to find another state willing to cough up the funds (season three they’ll be heading to… the Gold Coast?) before the big announcement.
The real interest here’ll be how much comedy this retains, or whether it makes the (small) leap from “comedy take on a much loved genre” to “slightly quirky example of a much loved genre”. Sure, the first series did a pretty good job of balancing comedy with outrage, and it’s not like the Northern Territory is a less overtly blokey setting for what Wikipedia calls “a feminist noir comedy”. But commercial pressures do tend to flatten out the rough edges of a series as time goes by.
And that’s not even considering the real elephant in the room. Fingers crossed they can find a small town in the NT named Deadloch, otherwise they’ll be in real trouble.