I found the first 15 minutes disturbingly gratuitous and had to turn it off. I’m aware of the story and knew suicide would be part of the storyline, but the way it was dealt with in those opening scenes was beyond the pale. There really should’ve been a strong viewer advisory at the start. I have no doubt some of what was depicted would be triggering for people with mental health issues.
Interestingly all comments are turned off on the social posts about the show too… obviously to protect from any legal issues on community comments.
Not that it excuses that but it is Underbelly after all… I don’t imagine people would expect it to be a light story tuning in.
But I do agree there should have been an advisory at the start.
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The first Underbelly series was prevented from being aired in Victoria and on Imparja by injunction due to relevant trials that were still active at the time Underbelly was due to air. So this is nothing new.
But yes, taking dramatic licence and presenting it as though it was a factual story is misleading.
They could’ve always made the same drama with fictional characters based off a similar premise to the Melissa Caddick story. That way there wouldn’t be as much problems with the legalities of it.
I think it’s time Underbelly started moving away from dramas based off real underworld crime figures and be a limited series fictional crime drama with a different focus every year (one year could be on gangsters, next year could be on corrupt police, then afterwards billionaire fraudsters running casinos etc).
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I do agree. I think it is time to rejig the premise of Underbelly. I wouldn’t mind it they evolve into an anthology series. So maybe 2-3 stand alone telemovies a year and move away from the biopic / real crime focus.
The ratings over night show it can still pull an audience even if off the back of MAFS.
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I’d prefer a limited episode series based on a different theme each year but I like your ideas. There’s so much potential with the Underbelly brand, similar to the Law and Order franchise in America.
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The problem with the limited series is if they don’t fire then it’s a bigger investment lost.
If it’s a telemovie it would narrow down what kind of stories that the audience wants.
They did do a season of Underbelly telemovies and it didnt really fire up.
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They were based on previous real life events. I say they they do anthology and do fictional stories this time round.
Footage from Nine News and Today made an appearance on the show tonight. George Gardner from the News appeared, and Karl Stefanovic’s voice was heard - mentioning “Melissa’s disappearance”
What the hell am I actually watching right now?
This franchise has clearly jumped the shark. What a waste of time.
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What the fuck was that.
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Even with an anthology series they could base it off the genre of crime/thriller etc, just have a different premise with different characters in each episode. Maybe 4-5 episodes per series based off a certain theme. Something akin to American Horror Story or The Twilight Zone.
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Aside from the ending I think the production overall was very well done. Nothing genius but I didn’t mind it.
I guess the ending had to be ambiguous… is she or didn’t she. It honestly could be either…
The actor who played the ASIC agent though - Phoebe was awful. She was like a robot with her dialogue and the only character who was the letdown across the show.
It could have been/ should have been 1 episode….what happened in the second? Very little
And the last 45 seconds on a yacht……I was expecting more after the ad break
Gogglebox did a great segment summarising the two episodes of Vanishing Act on this week’s show.
I did notice “A Screentime Banijay production” in the opening titles. I know that Banijay bought Screentime a few years ago, but I think this is the first time the French parent company name appeared on a locally made program.
Another case of an unnecessarily long drama. Agree it should have been a 2 hour telemovie.
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ITV has bought the mini-series (3 x 45 minute version) from distributor DCD Rights, and has also commissioned a separate documentary on the disappearance of Melissa Caddick.
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At the inquest into her death, the coroner has ruled Melissa Caddick, subject of Underbelly Vanishing Act is dead.
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