Janet King is a drama TV series created in Australia and broadcast by ABC1. The premiere episode was released on the 27th of February 2014. The original idea belongs to the creators of a 2011 drama series Crownies, so Janet King is a spin-off created three years after. The main character in the series is Janet King, portrayed by Marta Dusseldorp. Her character is a Senior Crown Prosecutor. She got back to work after maternity and found herself in some serious troubles. Janet King is filmed with participation of some of the actors from Crownies. However, a lot of of new characters were added to the story. The show now consists of 2 seasons with 16 episodes in total.
Basic Idea
When the final episode of Crownies was released by ABC1, it was reported that spin-off was planned, however the reviews and the viewers’ feedback were quite mixed. The viewership was also moderate, but still, the producers decided to give the series a second try. Brendan Dahill, one of the BBC 1 members reported that Crownies wouldn’t get back as Crownies. It would be something completely different from the original idea. There are strong and weak moments in the series and there’s always something they could change in order to make it better.
The creators of the series decided not to somehow separate the characters of Crownies. Some of the successful elements of the series were used again and some of them went through significant changes. The producers themselves liked the series and actually couldn’t explain the reason for poor ratings. The spin-off was commissioned and officially announced on the 20th of August 2012. At that time, it received a new name – Janet King. The series was called a political thriller. The producers of the spin-off are Karl Zwicky and Jane Allen. The script was created by Greg Haddrick, Jane Allen and Kris Mrksa.
Plot
The main character, already described as “fabulous” by most of the critics, faces different life’s dilemmas. She passes through a long period of maternity and now she’s ready to get back to business. On her return, she immediately gets stuck in quite an embarrassing situation with a new shocking prosecution. The case consists of a heap of mysteries with multiple layers of intrigue. Janet King, a Senior Prosecutor, gets through multiple twists revealing unpredictable truths in every episode. The case itself produces a significant impact on her personal and professional life.
Feedback
Though the critics had mostly mixed reviews for the series of 2011, almost all of them agree that Janet King, the main character, produced a strong impression on the viewers. The Crownies’ cast is pretty talented and artistic with a mass of charming and enigmatic characters – that’s a nice base for a spin-off.
Release Date
Janet King was officially prolonged for eight more episodes on the 30th of June 2015. The airing of the second season of it started in the end of March 2016. However, there’s no officially approved info about the renewal of Janet King for the third season.
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