Playing for Keeps (TV series)

Playing for Keeps
Genre Drama
Created by Rick Maier
Written by
  • Claire Phillips
  • Christine Bartlett
  • Ian Meadows
  • Ainslie Clouston
  • Mithila Gupta
Directed by
Starring
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 4 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Rory Callaghan
Producer(s) Paul Moloney
Kerrie Mainwaring
Cinematography Martin Smith
Editor(s) Antonio Mestres
Adrian Rostirolla
Running time 60 minutes[1]
Production company(s) Screentime
Distributor All3Media
Release
Original network Network Ten
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audio format Stereo
Original release 19 September 2018 (2018-09-19) – present
External links
Website

Playing for Keeps is an Australian drama television series, which began airing on Network Ten on 19 September 2018. The series was created from a concept by the network's head of drama Rick Maier. It centres on the wives and girlfriends of the players at the fictional Southern Jets Football Club. Its ensemble cast includes Madeleine West, Annie Maynard, Cece Peters, Olympia Valance, Isabella Giovinazzo, and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor.

Production

On 9 November 2017, the series was announced during Ten's upfronts.[2] It focuses on the women behind the men of an Australian rules football club.[3] The concept for the series was created by Rick Maier, the head of drama at the network.[4] Playing for Keeps is produced by Screentime, and has received investment from Screen Australia and Film Victoria.[5] The episodes have been written by Claire Phillips, Christine Bartlett, Ian Meadows, Ainslie Clouston, and Mithila Gupta, with Sian Davies, Scott Major, and Tori Garrett directing.[4]

In May 2018, it was announced Madeleine West, Cece Peters, Annie Maynard, and Olympia Valance, had been cast as the wives and girlfriends.[6] West plays Kath Rickards, who is married to the coach and acts as a "mentor and den mother."[6] Peters plays Paige Dunkeley, a high school teacher who follows her boyfriend to the city. Maynard was cast as Maddy Cochrane, a lawyer and a mother of two.[6][7] Valance is socialite Tahlia Woods, who is engaged to the captain of the Southern Jets. Of securing her role, Valance stated "When I read the script, I just knew that I had to play Tahlia. I was determined this character would be mine."[8] The following month, Isabella Giovinazzo was cast as Jessie Davies, a former footballer married to one of the club's players.[9]

Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Jackson Gallagher, Kevin Hofbauer, George Pullar, James Mason, and Ethan Panizza also joined the ensemble cast.[6] Taylor is the team's coach Brian Rickards,[7] Gallagher plays Tahlia's fiancé Connor Marrello,[10] Hofbauer is "admired club veteran" Travis Cochrane, while Pullar, Mason and Panizza portray footballers Daniel Fletcher, Jack Davies, and Rusty O'Reilly respectively.[7] Paul Ireland was cast as Andrew Macleish, the president of the Southern Jets.[7] Of the casting process, Maier stated "This has been one of the most comprehensive casting calls we've done. The key roles dictate strong, independent, fascinating women. We think Nathan Lloyd and the team at Screentime have done a brilliant job securing a cast of this calibre."[3]

Filming for the show began on 4 June 2018 in Melbourne.[6] The eight-part series began airing on 19 September 2018 on Network Ten and WIN Television.[5] The first episode was available to view one week early on the catch-up service Tenplay.[5]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAus. viewers
1Episode 1Sian DaviesClaire Phillips19 September 2018 (2018-09-19)[lower-alpha 1]583,000[11]
Teacher Paige Dunkeley moves to Melbourne to be with her boyfriend Daniel Fletcher, a footballer and the newest member of the Southern Jets Football Club. At a barbecue for the team, Paige meets the wives and girlfriends of the players; Kath, Tahlia, Maddy and Jessie. After a poor start to the pre-season, the team's coach, Brian Rickards announces that the players are returning to training camp the following day. Tahlia and the team's captain Connor Marrello also announce their engagement, while Kath and Brian later go into the city to continue their respective affairs. During a team bonding exercise at the camp, Jessie's husband Jack Davies dies while kayaking.
2Episode 2Sian DaviesChristine Bartlett26 September 2018 (2018-09-26)465,000[12]
Jack's funeral is held. Brian tells Kath that Jack's head injury was unlikely to have occurred from falling out of the kayak. Paige recalls seeing Jessie and Rusty having an intimate talk at the barbecue. Paige starts her first day teaching at the school. Tahlia confronts Connor after learning he is adopted, while Travis tells Maddy that he has signed on to play for another year. The Southern Jets win their first game, thanks to Daniel kicking the winning goal. Daniel later admits to Paige that Jack was alive after falling out of the kayak, but Connor told him to move on, leaving Jack and Rusty alone together.
3Episode 3Tori GarrettIan Meadows3 October 2018 (2018-10-03)466,000[13]
Rusty breaks up with his girlfriend Karlie, who gets drunk and tells Paige that Rusty and Jessie were having an affair. Karlie posts about the break up on social media, prompting Kath to ask Paige to speak with her. Paige is later blamed when someone talks to the press about Jessie and Rusty's suspected affair. Maddy learns Jessie is pregnant, while Tahlia clashes with Connor's mother, Diane. Kath ends her affair with her escort, and she later has sex with Connor. Rusty is called to speak at the inquest into Jack's death. He tells the coroner that he and Jack had an argument, before Jack fell out of the kayak. Rusty lies that no one else was there.
4Episode 4Tori GarrettChristine Bartlett10 October 2018 (2018-10-10)375,000[14]
5Episode 5TBATBA17 October 2018 (2018-10-17)TBD
  1. ↑ The pilot episode received an early release on 12 September 2018.

Reception

Jessica Multari of TV Week called the series "a new TV obsession".[15] Multari found that "there's more to Ten's new Aussie series than socialites swanning around in stilettos supporting their sports star husbands. Scratch the surface and you'll find secrets, betrayal, deceit and heartache."[15] Praising the character of Paige, Multari said she won the audience over with her country charm and stole all of the scenes she was in.[15]

Bridget McManus of The Sydney Morning Herald also gave the series a positive response, writing "This is the Aussie Rules WAG drama that was begging to be made. With a murder mystery blighting the start of the season and rumours and innuendo flying like the proverbial at the ceiling fan, it's a story that could have been lifted straight from a gossip site."[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Playing for Keeps (2018)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  2. ↑ Groves, Don (10 November 2017). "Ten unveils a new drama, comedies and pilots week". If Magazine. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 Lynch, Jessica (27 May 2018). "Playing For Keeps Is The Hot New Show You Need In Your Life". Ten daily. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 Groves, Don (24 August 2018). "Secrets, lies and scandals in Network Ten/Screentime's 'Playing for Keeps'". If Magazine. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 "Ten announces premiere date of new Aussie drama Playing For Keeps". Mediaweek. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ten announce cast for new drama Playing For Keeps". DeciderTV. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Playing For Keeps: Meet the main players of Ten's sexy new drama". TV Week. TV Week. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Isrin, Kietley (25 May 2018). "Exclusive: Former Neighbours star Olympia Valance on exciting new role". TV Week. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "Isabella Giovinazzo opens up about her big career move". TV Week. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  10. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (29 June 2018). "From Summer Bay to the footy field, life after Home and Away for Isabella Giovinazzo". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Knox, David (20 September 2018). "Comedy treats on Wednesday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  12. ↑ Molk, Steve (27 September 2018). "Wednesday 26 September 2018". DeciderTV. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  13. ↑ Knox, David (4 October 2018). "Drama tussle on Wednesday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  14. ↑ Manning, James (11 October 2018). "TV Ratings October 10: A Current Affair finds The Honey Badger, Ali Oetjen back at TEN". Mediaweek. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 Multari, Jessica (19 September 2018). "Opinion: Why we're obsessed with Ten's new drama series Playing For Keeps". TV Week. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  16. ↑ McManus, Bridget (23 September 2018). "What's on TV: Wednesday, September 26". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
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