As Fisk returns for its second season, it’s business as usual at the Gruber & Associates office. Helen’s social skills haven’t improved but at least she’s nailing it as a suburban wills and estates lawyer. So much so that Roz and Ray mistakenly entrust her with the presentation of their regular Q&A probate information night at the local library.
Meanwhile, Ray is shredding for a school reunion and George finds himself overworked when Roz embarks on a new business venture. On the client front Helen will take on a clown theatre company, a May/December couple with a new baby and a mother who sends her two squabbling sons a message from the grave. But the probate stakes are really raised when the formidable Edith Babcock comes forward to claim a vaguely worded $10 million bequest from the local crazy cat lady.
Season 2 of Fisk features guest performances from Marg Downey, Denise Scott, Harley Breen, Stephen Curry, Geraldine Hickey, Zindzi Okenyo, Urvi Majumdar, Steven Gates (Tripod), Anthony Sharpe, Shane Bourne, Glenn Robbins, Bessie Holland, Rob Sitch, Deborah Kennedy, Matt Okine, Alex Papps, Broden Kelly (Aunty Donna), Anne Edmonds, Colin Lane, Tanika Anderson, Stephen Lopez and Ting Lim.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Getting the band back together
“It was great getting the band back together for season two, we had an amazing cast and crew and a lot of laughs on set. Tom Peterson and I were a little more confident directing this time around which certainly helped the on-set vibe.
During the first season, I think we were both petrified some grown up was going to walk on to set and say, ‘Hey! Who put these two clowns in charge?! They can’t make a TV show, shut it down.’” Kitty Flanagan
While the probate cases still bring fresh colour every week, season two has refined its focus to concentrate more on the reliable ensemble cast of Kitty Flanagan, Aaron Chen, Julia Zemiro and Marty Sheargold.
“This season it felt like we were all sitting in the roles more comfortably. We were also given more of those core ensemble scenes where it’s just the four of us and those were my favourite days on set, working with Kitty, Julia and Aaron.” Marty Sheargold
The return of the awesome foursome plus all the characters you loved last time
“We had such amazing feedback from season one. I’ve been in a pub, surrounded by middle-aged men who were quoting lines back at me. And this is a series written by two women.” Julia Zemiro
The return of the core ensemble cast (Flanagan, Zemiro, Sheargold, Chen) provided an opportunity to further develop the relationships within the office world, while John Gaden and Glenn Butcher returning as Dad and Viktor, gave the opportunity to flesh out Helen’s slightly dysfunctional home life. In season two, Helen is living in the studio out the back of Dad and Viktor’s house, ensuring more scenes featuring the uneasy triumvirate of Dad, Helen and Viktor.
In addition to the return of the core ensemble, there are also reprised roles from all the season one favourites: Glenn Robbins as (portrait painter) Dean O’Malley, Bessie Holland as Fun Peggy, Alex Papps as Petro, Denise Scott as Leslie Slade and Marg Downey as the unflappable Lindy Baxter Smythe.
“When Penny and I were writing, we knew we had to have certain people back. People like Glenn Robbins and Marg Downey are so easy to write for, they have such incredible comedy instincts and always manage to deliver the lines even better than you heard them in your head. Denise Scott had a tiny role as a book club member in season one but was so funny, we had to write her a bigger role in season two. Bessie Holland who played Peggy was another person who just amazed us with what she brought to set in season one, so again we had to find a way to bring her back. And as for Alex Papps, I think the crew would have rioted if we didn’t get him back for season two, everyone loves Alex/Petro.” Kitty Flanagan
“I absolutely loved Alex Papps. I love his work and always have. I tried to strike up a friendship with Alex, which I think he resisted but I wore him down with random texts.” Marty Sheargold
“I grew up watching Marg Downey on Full Frontal. So it was surreal to walk on set and see her there. Kitty and I were both a bit like rabbits in the headlights. Kitty doesn’t talk at all when that happens and I talk too much. So it was a real meeting of the minds.” Julia Zemiro
When it came to new characters, casting was everything
“I’m pretty good at not laughing during a scene - because that’s Roz’s vibe – but the day we had Anne Edmonds on set, it was really hard not to laugh: she only had a few lines, but it was… it was delicious.” Julia Zemiro
In addition to the regulars and past favourites, season two also brought scene-stealing roles from new guest cast.
Rob Sitch
“I think the biggest coup for me was getting Rob Sitch to do a cameo in episode five as a scary barrister. All those years ago when I used to stay home on Saturday nights to watch The Late Show, I never could have imagined having my own show let alone texting ‘Mr Champagne Comedy’ himself and asking him to do a cameo in that show.” Kitty Flanagan
Stephen Curry & Broden Kelly
“Stephen Curry did a pitch-perfect version of an annoying thespian/theatre aficionado in episode two. And I adored having Broden Kelly from Aunty Donna join us in ep six, because I really love that combination of pure stupidity delivered perfectly straight-faced, which is something he does brilliantly.” Kitty Flanagan
Too many comedians can never be enough
“We made an effort to cast even more comedians in season two, people like Ting Lim, Matt Okine, Harley Breen, Colin Lane, Anne Edmonds, Urvi Majumdar, Steven Gates from Tripod – apart from all being people I know and like, I just think it’s hard to go past a comedian when it comes to good comic timing.” Kitty Flanagan
Plus one production runner, for good measure
“My favourite guest cast member was Anthony ‘Thrasher’ Ciccotosto, he was the runner on set – he picks up coffees and drives everyone around - but he also has a Hollywood look. He played my mate, who helps me out with his ute.” Aaron Chen
Megan Washington
ARIA award winning, musical treasure, Megan Washington joins Fisk as the composer this season. Kitty was both shocked and delighted when Megan agreed her hit single, Holy Moses, could be used as the new theme for Fisk Season 2. “I’m not sure Meg ever imagined her intensely soul baring and brilliant Holy Moses being used this way but honestly, the kazoo solo in it makes me giggle and clap like an over-excited toddler every time I hear it… so, it’s kind of perfect!” Kitty Flanagan
THE SCRIPTS
“As soon as I read the new scripts I thought, this is a better series than the first series.” Marty Sheargold
This season the sibling writing team of Kitty Flanagan and Penny Flanagan remained the creative engine behind the scripts along with script editors, Bruce Griffiths (Good News Week, Enough Rope with Andrew Denton, Comedy Inc.) and Sophie Braham (Gruen, Reputation Rehab, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering) both of whom were worth their weight in gold not only for keeping the scripts tight, logical and relevant but also for providing additional material.
The third Flanagan sister
“I couldn’t do what I do without Tom or Penny. Penny makes sure we get the jokes onto the page and Tom makes sure we get them off it. I’m impatient and easily frustrated which means I don’t always communicate clearly. Both Penny and Tom have an uncanny ability to interpret my gibberish.” Kitty Flanagan
Fisk wouldn’t exist without co-director (and honorary Flanagan sister), Tom Peterson who is the man responsible for actually getting the scripts off the page, being faithful to the comedy and always making sure the jokes work. This season also looks a lot better on the screen because Tom really found his directing groove.
“I can always see when something isn’t working and isn’t funny – that’s when it’s great to have Penny on set and we can rewrite any lines that aren’t working. But if the comedy’s not working visually, I can’t necessarily tell you how to fix it. That’s when I go to Tom and start acting things out in front of him and babbling things like: ‘okay, imagine you’re the camera, now we need to see THIS then THIS then THIS and then it’s funny…so how do we do that?’ And Tom always knows exactly what I’m trying to say and exactly how to make it happen. I find it alarming how in sync we are. He is my sister from another mister.” Kitty Flanagan
Probate schmobate
Probate storylines continue to deliver fresh colour to each episode but this time the writers’ focus was on trying to find situations that didn’t involve a recent death.
“We worked really hard to come up with legal storylines that were a bit more creative in their use of probate law as a starting point.” Penny Flanagan (co-writer)
This season the clients include, a deceased playwright’s son, the CEO of a local cat charity and a May/December couple who want to update their wills.
In addition, the vagaries of the day-to-day business of wills and estates is given a good run, including the methods small firms use to drum up new business. This season features Helen and George tasked with delivering Gruber’s regular probate information talk at the local library.
Returning to the Gruber office set
“Having the Lithuanian club as our base and set was so fun, it was our own private Fisk world.” Kitty Flanagan
The production was lucky enough to re-secure its main location, North Melbourne’s Lithuanian Club, for the Gruber & Associates offices. This season the art department and production designers really brought their A-game, providing an even more telegenic ‘polished wood panelling and lamplit interiors’ backdrop for the fast-paced comedy storylines.
The weeks spent on the Gruber set are always the highlight of the five week shoot.
“This time around it felt like everyone really knew what they were doing and so we got the chance to enjoy it. And how lucky is that? You get to do it again and you get to really relax and enjoy it.” Julia Zemiro
The location also had some unexpected weekend benefits.
“On Fridays, the production staff would have to move their office equipment out of the restaurant so the regular Litho Club Sunday Lunch could go ahead. Tom and I were working upstairs on set one Sunday, doing some prep for the week ahead and decided to try lunch with the Lithuanians. I highly recommend the Kugeles – or potato pudding. Absolutely delicious. Try it for yourself one Sunday, you don’t have to be Lithuanian to partake of the lunch fare, it’s open to all comers. Cash only. Of course.” Kitty Flanagan
Quite a few more HYBPA regulars pop up across the series as well.
so simple, but so so funny.