Series synopsis
Devil's Playground is an Australian drama television series that premiered on showcase on September 9, 2014. It ended on October 8, 2014. It stars Simon Burke, Don Hany, Jarin Towney and John Noble.
The year is 1988. It is 35 years after the events of Fred Schepisi’s classic film, The Devil’s Playground. Tom Allen, now in his 40s and recently widowed, is a respected Sydney psychiatrist and father of two children. A practicing Catholic, Tom accepts an offer by the Bishop of Sydney to become a counselor of priests. During these sessions, he will uncover a scandal and become embroiled in the Church’s attempts to cover it up. Tom’s quest for justice will push him to his limits, and reveal a sid ...
Premise
The year is 1988. It is 35 years after the events of Fred Schepisi’s classic film, The Devil’s Playground. Tom Allen, now in his 40s and recently widowed, is a respected Sydney psychiatrist and father of two children. A practicing Catholic, Tom accepts an offer by the Bishop of Sydney to become a counselor of priests. During these sessions, he will uncover a scandal and become embroiled in the Church’s attempts to cover it up. Tom’s quest for justice will push him to his limits, and reveal a side of Church power and official corruption he could never have imagined.
Premise: May God be their witness.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Simon Burke as Tom Allen
- Don Hany as Bishop Quaid
- Jarin Towney as Elliot Darcy
- John Noble as Bishop John McNally
- Morgan Davies as Bridie Allen
- James Fraser as David Allen
- Toni Collette as Margaret Wallace
- Jack Thompson as Cardinal Neville
Supporting cast
- Andrew MacFarlane as Father Andrassi
- Anna Lise Phillips as Alice Kelly
- Leon Ford as Brother Warner
- Uli Latukefu as Father Matteo
- Ben Hall as Finton Kelly
- Matt Levett as Brendan Mahony
- Jessica Wren as Catherine Darcy
Guest cast
- Sarah Woods as Veronica Mahoney
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 6 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | September 9, 2014 | October 8, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
I Will Bring Fire Onto This Earth The year is 1988, and psychiatrist Tom Allen is still recovering from the death of his wife and an ill-fated love affair with Alice. When a boy at the local Catholic school goes missing, questions are asked of many in the community. Two popular clergy members – Father Andrassi and Brother Warner – launch a desperate search to find the missing boy. But the church is also facing internal moral problems, and Tom is called in to counsel a number of the priests dealing with a range of personal issues. As Cardinal Neville prepares to retire, his time in the position is celebrated by state MP Margaret Wallace, but a battle has also begun for the top job in the Sydney archdiocese. |
September 9, 2014 |
| 2 |
The Tail of the Serpent A body is discovered, and a cryptic note suggests the death is not an accident. Father Andrassi becomes a new client of Tom’s. A meeting between Quaid and Brendan causes Quaid to question the secrets being kept within his church. |
September 9, 2014 |
| 3 |
He Maketh My Way Perfect Quaid decides to commence an investigation of his own into the allegations made by Margaret and Brendan. Brendan infiltrates Tom’s world when he meets his son, David. Elliot becomes the target of new unwanted attention. |
September 16, 2014 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | showcase |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 9, 2014 |
| Last aired | October 8, 2014 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Tuesday at 20:30:00 |