Sunshine (Australian TV series)
Sunshine is an Australian crime drama series which debuted on SBS on 18 October 2017.[1] The four-part miniseries is an Essential Media production, directed by Daina Reid and written by Matt Cameron and Elise McCredie.[2]
Sunshine | |
---|---|
Genre | Crime, drama |
Written by | Matt Cameron Elise McCredie |
Directed by | Daina Reid |
Starring | Anthony LaPaglia Melanie Lynskey |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 4 |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Ian Collie Anna McLeish Sarah Shaw |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company(s) | Essential Media |
Release | |
Original network | SBS |
Picture format | 576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 18 October – 26 October 2017 |
Plot
Sunshine is based in Melbourne's outer-western suburb of Sunshine and its surrounds. The story follows Jacob Garang, a young, aspiring South Sudanese-Australian basketballer who is on the cusp of being picked up by scouts for the US College league. He gets caught up in a police investigation involving a teenage girl from one of Melbourne's affluent suburbs.[3]
Cast
- Anthony LaPaglia as Eddie
- Melanie Lynskey as Zara Skelton
- Wally Elnour as Jacob Garang
- Ror da Poet as Deng Deng
- Autiak Aweteek as Santino Dut
- Nick Perry as Dazzler
- Ana Boal as Mari Garang
- Jufia Ajobong as Grace Garang
- Tiarnie Coupland as Elly Messina
- Kim Gyngell as Rev. Neil 'The Peacock' Skelton
- Jane Bayly as Pat Skelton
- Nyandeng Makuer as Alek Deng
- Kor Puoc as Manute Deng
- Paul Ireland as DSS Ian Sloane
- Leah Vandenberg as DSC Jaya Prasad
- Piath Mcathiang as Nyagua Nyawan
- Vince Colosimo as Tony Messina
- Freya Stafford as Freya Messina
- Rupert Reid as Ben Canny
- Kyle Eliott as Vlad Cilic
- Emmanuel Martin Malou as Lam Bol
- Zhong Duo (Andy) Xia as Mike Wong
- Arec Athum as Ayei
- Anyuop Dau as Darna
- Ben Klarenaar as Larry Grattan
- Trudy Hellier as Jackie Grattan
- Joe Hooks as Carlyle Jones
- Bev Killick as Bev (Stadium Official)
- Gloria Ajenstat as Doctor
- Peter Hitchener as Newsreader
- Maggie Naouri as Rima Saad
- Alex Cooke as Young Constable
- Bernard Curry as Dean Simic
- Dinesh Matthew as Karim
- Tethloach Ruey as Ruai Nyawan
- Troy Davis as Labourer
- Bryce Hardy as Redbacks Coach
- Rory Bochner as Mia Canny
Episodes[4]
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Shadow Man" | Daina Reid | Matt Cameron, Ian Collie, Lisa Cox, Elise McCredie, Rachael Turk | 18 October 2017 | |
Jacob, an honest, hard working young South Sudanese refugee living in the suburb of Sunshine with his mother and sister, is a talented basketball player, dreaming big of playing in the NBA. However his life could be changed forever when he and his mates are involved in joy riding in a Porsche stolen from an affluent suburb. At the end of the night a 15 year old girl is found injured in front of her home, which is also where the owner of the Porsche lives. | |||||
2 | "Dark Knight" | Daina Reid | Matt Cameron, Ian Collie, Lisa Cox, Elise McCredie, Rachael Turk | 19 October 2017 | |
3 | "Find Your Man" | Daina Reid | Matt Cameron, Ian Collie, Lisa Cox, Elise McCredie, Rachael Turk | 25 October 2017 | |
4 | "Jacob's Ladder" | Daina Reid | Matt Cameron, Ian Collie, Lisa Cox, Elise McCredie, Rachael Turk | 26 October 2017 |
Reception
Guardian Australia critic Luke Buckmaster described the series as an "excellent, beautifully balanced drama", and "one of the standout TV shows of the year".[5] On 6 December 2017, the series received the AACTA Award for Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series at the 7th AACTA Awards ceremony.[6] It also received three nominations at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Television Festival: Best Long Fiction Program, Outstanding Actor in a Long Fiction Program (Anthony LaPaglia), and Outstanding Actress in a Long Fiction Program (Melanie Lynskey).[7]
References
- http://tvtonight.com.au/2017/09/airdate-sunshine.html
- http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2017/03/anthony-lapaglia-leads-new-sbs-drama-sunshine.html
- http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2017/07/sunshine-and-tears-still-to-come-on-sbs.htm
- https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/sunshine
- Buckmaster, Luke (17 October 2017). "Sunshine review – basketball and racial tensions collide in standout Australian drama". Guardian Australia.
- Maddox, Garry (6 December 2017). "AACTA Awards 2017 winners: Lion roars with clean sweep and youngest best actor". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- Idato, Michael (27 April 2018). "Australian shows and actors among nominees for prestigious TV festival". The Sydney Morning Herald.