Somehow seemingly the hardest working actor in Australia is Todd Lasance. At least that’s what the ABC would have you believe with this press release for Crownies, their new legal drama airing next month. It does hold an impressive young cast, and looks to be a decent enough series to invest in. Certainly lobbing it into Thursday nights will help, as the void that has existed there since Rake left our screens has been unbearable – thank goodness Cleaver Green & co are back later this year. Until then, this will have to do (and yes, that girl is from Home and Away). From the press release:

Delving into the extraordinary world of the Department of Public Prosecutions and its young eager lawyers, CROWNIES is the new 22 x 1 hour drama produced by SCREENTIME for ABC TV.

CROWNIES follows five young solicitors as they face the pressures and endearing madness of modern single life – in a fast paced workplace that highlights the moral dilemmas and big issues facing an apparently civilized society.

In a world that exists solely to see ‘wrong-doers’ brought to justice, and where the average age of the solicitors is 27, there is a big divide between these young solicitors and the barristers at the top. Yet they are the initial point of contact with the police, and it is they who do most of the liaising with the victims and the witnesses – and recommend what goes to court. They are committed, idealistic and hard-working, but their lives away from the office are filled with aspirations, explorations, fragile relationships and partying.

The outstanding ensemble cast includes Todd Lasance (Underbelly Files – Tell Them Lucifer Was Here, Cloudstreet, Rescue Special Ops, Home & Away) Hamish Michael (Spirited, City Homicide, Lucky Miles); Ella Scott Lynch (City Homicide, All Saints, The Falls); Andrea Demetriades (Bell Shakespeare Company, All Saints) and Indiana Evans (A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne, Home and Away, H2O Just Add Water).

They are joined by Marta Dusseldorp (Burning Man, Blackjack, Hell Has Harbour Views, After The Deluge); Lewis Fitz-Gerald (Underbelly, Stingers, A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne); Jerome Ehlers (Sea Patrol, Packed To The Rafters, The Starter Wife), Jeanette Cronin (Rake, Headland, All Saints); Chantelle Jamieson (Underbelly Files – The Man Who Got Away, Panic At Rock Island); Peter Kowitz (Packed To The Rafters, City Homicide, Grass Roots), Chris Morris (Crocodile Hunter, The Surgeon, Fireflies) and Daniel Lissing (Cops LAC, Packed to the Rafters, Out Of The Blue).
Produced on behalf of SCREENTIME by Series Producer Karl Zwicky (A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne, McLeod’s Daughters) and co-produced by Jane Allen (Script) (as writer – MDA, McLeod’s Daughters, The Secret Life of Us) and Lisa Scott (Production) (A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne, Cops LAC, The Cut) with SCREENTIME’s Des Monaghan and Greg Haddrick and the ABC‘s Carole Sklan and David Ogilvy as Executive Producers.

The new series is being directed by some of Australia’s finest including: Tony Tilse, Chris Noonan, Cherie Nowlan, Grant Brown, Lynn Hegarty, Garth Maxwell and Jet Wilkinson, and has been written by Greg Haddrick, Jane Allen, Kylie Needham, Tamara Asmar, Blake Ayshford, Justine Gillmer, Stuart Page, Pete McTighe, Christopher Hawkshaw and Sam Meikle.

Crownies – starts Thu 14/7 8:30pm, ABC1.