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Isabelle GillibrandDr. Harrington-LuekerENG-358: Global Media24 April 2020Australia’s Underbelly: The Rise of the Local Crime Drama and the Strive for a Global ReachWith today’s media environment, it is easier than ever to discover new content from around the world. Crime dramas in particular are becoming increasingly popular across the globe, including in the “Land Down Under.” Australia has a long history and lasting interest in true crime, and the country has produced a myriad of television crime dramas. A prominent example of this is the Underbelly franchise, a television series where each season depicted a different era of Australian criminal history. Underbelly continues to reach new television screens, both locally and globally, and be a presence in Australian popular culture. THE BACKGROUND OF UNDERBELLYThe Underbelly franchise first aired in 2008 on Australia’s Nine Network, and was produced by the company Screentime. Although Underbelly is one example of an Australian crime drama success, it is not the first. The popularity of crime dramas is rooted in Australian popular culture with predecessors including the programs Homicide and Blue Murder. Although each of the programs made unique contributions to crime dramas, the programs also shared features which came to characterize the genre in Australia. For the television show Homicide, the show depicted Australian crime from the 1960s from the police perspective by incorporating a significant amount of realism (Nette 52). Homicide used real news reports as inspiration for the show’s plot and worked with the Victoria police department to learn police insight to inspire the show’s characters and gain access to real records. The fictional ties to reality appealed to an Australian audience, resulting in it becoming an early example of a long-running and successful Australian crime show. The same goes with the 1995 television movie Blue Murder, which focused on corruption within the New South Wales police department based on the true account of the case of Arthur “Neddy” Smith. In fact, the show aired simultaneously with the investigation, forcing the show to be delayed in certain areas in Australian as to not interfere with the then ongoing case (Nette 52-53). Although Australian crime dramas vary in the focus, some being on the police work and some on the criminals themselves, using true crimes as source material is now considered a key feature to a successful Australian crime drama. Underbelly incorporated a mix of perspectives with true accounts, the realism being a major contributing factor to the appeal of the series. Underbelly is considered the most show to influence the Australian crime drama genre. The show ran for six seasons from 2008 to 2013, and the franchise continued telemovies throughout the show’s run and after, the latest being aired in 2018. Each season of Underbelly stood independently and covered a different era and location of Australian crime, including popular areas like Sydney and Melbourne (“Underbelly (2008): Overview”). Like the previous crime drama examples of Homicide and Blue Murder, Underbelly based the storylines of the show on real local crimes. It also sparked national attention in Australia from the first season where areas throughout the country, most notably Victoria, delayed the show’s premiere due to the ongoing case of the Melbourne gangland killings that the show was based on (Crewe 81). Although Underbelly critics noted the excessive violence and vulgarness of the show, many fans consider it to be one of the best examples of Australian crime dramas and praised it for its realism and Australian identity. Underbelly celebrated tremendous ratings throughout its run, surpassing both national programs, such as Australia’s Got Talent, and international programs, including the American crime drama Bones (Idato, “Underbelly”). Throughout the years, Underbelly received significant attention from fans and critics alike. From 2008 to 2013, the franchise received 27 award wins and 38 nominations from Australian organizations, including the Logie Awards (the Australian equivalent to the United States’s Emmy Awards), Screen Music Awards, Australian Writers’ Guild and more (“Underbelly (2008-2013): Awards”). The historical connections and current true-crime fascination in Australia contributed to Underbelly’s national popularity. CULTURAL PROXIMITY AND UNDERBELLY’S AUSTRALIAN SUCCESSThe Underbelly franchise was a monumental success throughout Australia. A significant aspect of the show and its popularity was the cultural proximity to Australia. For one, the majority of the actors casted for the show were Australian (“Underbelly: Episode Guide”). The Australian actors created a sense of authenticity with realistic aspects like accents and slang. Examples of this are evident throughout Underbelly: Squizzy, the sixth and final season of the franchise. Australian slang is used throughout the show, but most notably around the main character of the show, Squizzy. “Squizzy” derived from the Australian slang term “squiz,” meaning “to look at.” In the first episode of Squizzy, the voiceover narrator explained how aspects like his odd features, including his physical shortness and quirky personality, meant he was the object of attention to others throughout his life, which helped viewers understand how he connected with the Australian slang (“Squizzy Steps Out”). Where this is notable Australian terminology, especially for the early 20th-century setting the show is based, it created a uniquely Australian connection. In addition to the actors and their mannerisms, the cultural proximity was depicted in the show’s content as well. Each season focused around a different notorious Australian crime or criminal era, including the Melbourne gangland killings in the first season and 1920’s Australian criminal Squizzy Taylor in the final one. True crime and criminal history in Australia are long-lasted fascinations. True-crime media continues to expand and popularize throughout the nation, mainly with television and the rise of podcasts (Midena). There are a wide range of explanations as to why Australians continue to be fascinated with true crime, including how fans of true crime consider the stories to be timeless, enjoy the resolutions and justice which are often found in crime narratives, and “offer up real-life heroes and villains and force us to acknowledge that humankind has a dark side” (Medina; “20th Century Australian Crime Stories”). The persistent interest in true-crime content has made television crime dramas in Australia a lasting success, and helps explain the public draw towards the Underbelly franchise.With both the Australian interest in true crime and notability of the crimes in and of themselves, they were ones which spoke to an Australian audience more than anyone. Underbelly emphasized the Australian connections by adding contextual information throughout the narrative utilizing “Wikipedia storytelling,” in which key contextual information is shared when necessary to tie Australia’s larger history with the plot (Crewe 82). In the midst of the show’s plot, a voiceover narrator is incorporated to help explain particular characters, scenes or events in addition to the dialogue and actions within the show. Although it is information which could be incorporated into the show itself, including it in a voiceover helps bring an objective approach, contributing to the historical component of the crime drama. For example, in the fourth episode of Underbelly: Squizzy, the voiceover narrator explained the late impact of Spanish influenza in Australia to set the scene for the next plot twist in which Squizzy’s daughter dies from the illness (“Squizzy Breaks Some Hearts”). The voiceover feature helped connect an Australian audience with the historical events depicted in the show by focusing on how they directly influenced the country. Voiceovers appear to be a persisting feature in Australian true-crime media. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia noted how voiceovers have been used since the 1930s in crime reporting as a way to “captivate an audience” (“20th Century Australian Crime Stories”). Although Underbelly is a crime drama, it is, in a sense, attempting to “report” various crime events in Australian history. Using voiceovers which are associated with reporting incorporated another “realism” aspect expected of successful Australian crime dramas. In other cases, many viewers may have felt they lived the experience. As previously mentioned, the first season of Underbelly had to be delayed in different areas of the country because of the ongoing court case directly related to the show’s material, creating a connection to the show for local viewers as they felt they were somehow a part of it. Having the close connection and feeling of proximity to the show, including the characters, setting and content, allowed an Australian audience to deeply identify with the show, thus heightened the popularity. Some media scholars argue that Underbelly also contributed to exposing dark features of Australian identity and culture, such as substance abuse and the celebration of criminal behavior (Gregg and Wilson 414). Regardless, Underbelly strongly appealed to an Australian audience, making a significant mark on the country’s popular culture. The success of Underbelly can be seen by examining the show’s ratings throughout the franchise’s history. From the series 2008 premiere through 2012, Underbelly placed as one of the top ten titles on free-to-air television in Australia (“Top-Rating First-Release”). This included both the television series and the telemovies. Underbelly season two ended as the highest rated show in the country in 2009, seasons one and three ended as the second highest-rated show in Australia in 2008 and 2010, and both the television show and telemovies took up multiple spots in the top ten in 2011 and 2012 (“Top-Rating First-Release”). Even though the television show ended in 2013 with the sixth season, the legacy of Underbelly continues to be evident in recent ratings. In 2018, the telemovie Underbelly Files: Chopper held the number one spot on the top ten titles of the year (“Top-Rating First-Release”). After over ten years of Underbelly, the show continues to resonate and remain popular with its Australian audience. UNDERBELLY BEYOND THE LAND DOWN UNDERAlthough Underbelly evolved into an Australian television powerhouse, the franchise did not receive the same attention across the globe. Underbelly did accomplish reaching international mediascapes, mainly areas in the Global North; however, it did not have the same influence abroad as it did nationally. Of those it did reach in the Global North, the attention of Underbelly was mostly contained in other nations of the British Commonwealth. The production company Screentime contributed to a New Zealand remake of Underbelly, which aired in 2011 (“Underbelly”). Although the Australian version was popular enough for a remake outside of the original market, New Zealand’s attempt did not last long. Fans appeared to be receptive to the New Zealand version of Underbelly, but other issues like budgetary restrictions and the simultaneous airing of Australia’s Underbelly limited New Zealand’s success (“Wrapping up”). The Australian version of Underbelly managed to flow to an extent to other Commonwealth nations; however, the pockets of popularity were relatively small. Underbelly achieved a small reach in other British Commonwealth mediascapes, including the United Kingdom and Canada. Both countries recently experienced a surge in demand for Underbelly even as the demand for crime dramas as a whole decreased, and is performing greater than over two thirds of both nations’ own crime dramas (“Canada TV audience”; “United Kingdom TV audience”). Although the show has recently experienced a 10 percent increase in demand in Canada and was sold to Canadian networks in the first season, there was little to no press coverage or reviews on Underbelly in Canada and continues to lack coverage to the present day (“Canada TV audience”; Idato, “Networking”). Having limited coverage likely contributed to Underbelly’s inability to reach a Canadian audience on a larger scale. On the other hand, Underbelly gained more reception and demand in the United Kingdom than any other global market. The United Kingdom began broadcasting the show from the first season after being picked up by British distributor Portman Film & Television (“Power fails”). In the earlier seasons of Underbelly, the Australian hit appeared to be gaining British approval. The British publication The Guardian covered Underbelly several times throughout the show’s run, predominantly in the early seasons. In fact, The Guardian featured articles about Underbelly starting in 2008 shortly after being imported into the United Kingdom. The appeal of Underbelly in the United Kingdom was the historical basis and accuracy of the show (Bishop). British fans recognized how Underbelly was uniquely Australian, yet enjoyed the depiction of the country’s history because of the attention to detail that went into making the show. In 2010, Underbelly continued to gain attention throughout the United Kingdom, being called an “imported TV gem” by The Guardian, noting how the show was an “excellent imported show [lurking] in the British blindspot” (Donaghy). Although the press coverage of Underbelly decreased as the show continued, it did continue to air on British television. The CBS Drama channel in the United Kingdom picked up the show in the fall of 2012, years into the franchise’s television run both in Australia and the United Kingdom (Fletcher). British television viewers and the media had an appreciation for Australia’s Underbelly, although it never did achieve the popularity and amount of praise as it did in its home country. A significant reason as to how Underbelly reached the markets it did was likely due to the connection between the British Commonwealth nations. The CANZUK countries, consisting of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, frequently trade and coordinate with each other, politically and culturally (“About Us”). Underbelly rights were sold to these nations early on in the franchise, allowing for the show to gain exposure quicker than other nations; however, even with exposure in these other mediascapes, the Australian uniqueness of the show did not fully translate to these other nations, thus limiting the narrative transparency, cultural proximity and other components which contribute to successful media flows. Other places of the world experienced little to no exposure to the Australian wonder of Underbelly. The few exceptions where Underbelly reached mediascapes in the Global South, including Brazil and Mexico, had little to no demand for the show and appeared to have limited interest in crime dramas as a genre (“Brazil TV audience”; ”Mexico TV audience”). Although the Global North seemed to have a greater interest in crime dramas, Underbelly still never picked up in popularity as it did in Australia. Take for example Germany where Underbelly’s popularity is relatively low compared to the recent popularity of crime dramas, and the limited audience demand for the show continues to decrease (“Germany TV audience”). A similar trend is seen with another dominant Global North mediapower of the United States. The Underbelly franchise gained the attention of a small American audience, but nowhere near the reach of its Australian roots. The coverage the show received in the United States was limited; however, when Underbelly did receive coverage, it appeared to be in high regard. An example was a New York Times review stating how Underbelly is “Australian’s answer to ‘The Sopranos’,” now a household name in American popular culture (Hale). Underbelly receiving a review in a notable American publication like the New York Times showed how the franchise did reach an American audience, even if just a niche audience. Aside from the occasional coverage in popular presses, mentions of Underbelly in the United States appeared to be limited to the occasional blog post or show recommendation compilation list (Myers). Although the show strived to make a breakthrough in the United States, it never fully happened. Throughout Underbelly’s development, there appeared to be an effort to appeal to an American audience. Although the plot, characters and settings remained Australian, aspects like music and minor American references, like the police referring to the United States’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, were incorporated. For example, the first episode of Underbelly: Squizzy used predominantly American folk and country music, such as Audra Mae’s country hit “Little Red Wagon” (“Squizzy Steps Out”). By including recognizable American songs, the music served as an invitation of sorts to an American audience to draw them into the show; however, the transition to the overseas audience was subpar. In 2010, when the show was at its peak in Australia, the American premium television network Starz discussed a remake of Underbelly featuring American crimes as opposed to Australian (Knox). Although the news gained attention between various media outlets in both Australia and the United States, the American Underbelly remake never appeared to happen. With an increase in American crime dramas and limited ways to access Underbelly, the only major streaming sites carrying the show being Vudu and Amazon Prime, the demand for the franchise in the states continues to decrease (“United States TV audience”). Although the show appeared to strive to reach the American media market, the success was limited.The Underbelly franchise is one of the more recent examples of a successful Australian crime drama, developed from a deep history in its television programming and borrowing aspects from former examples. Each season depicted uniquely Australian features, references and ideas, appealing greatly to a local audience. As for Underbelly’s global reach, the show’s success was limited in other areas of the world aside from other British Commonwealth nations, even with attempts to add aspects like music to create a wider appeal. Although Underbelly did not thrive in terms of global flows, it earned its spot as an Australian popular culture icon. Underbelly depicted local history, appealed to the increasing fascination in crime, and incorporated relatable features to create a uniquely Australian product. Works Cited“About Us.” CANZUK International. about. Bishop, Karin. “Once upon a time in Oz.” The Guardian,culture/2008/nov/08/underbelly-tv.“Brazil TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 7 April .BR/underbelly-nine-network.“Canada TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 7 April .CA/underbelly-nine-network.Crewe, Dave. “Crooked Histories: Underbelly and Australian Self-mythologisation.” Metro,no. 200, 2019, pp. 80-85. Communication & Mass Media Complete, ez-salve.idm.login?url=. Donaghy, James. “Underbelly and other imported TV gems.” The Guardian,-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2010/apr/20/underbelly-foreign-tv-gems.Fletcher, Alex. “‘Australian Sopranos’ ‘Underbelly’ to air on CBS Drama in UK.” Digital Spy,australian-tv/a401478/australian-sopranos-underbelly-to-air-on-cbs-drama-in-uk/.“Germany TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 7 April .DE/underbelly-nine-network.Gregg, Melissa, and Jason Wilson. “Underbelly, true crime and the cultural economy of infamy.”Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, vol. 24, no.3, 2010, pp. 411-427. Communication & Mass Media Complete, doi: 10.1080/10304311003703082. Hale, Mike. “Australia’s Drug Wars, Seething and Savage.” The New York Times, 3 February2010. Nexis Uni, advance.api/permalink/3bf0f7b8-d351-47fa-9834-c2e86bc858ef/?context=1516831.Idato, Michael. “Networking.” The Age,web.web/20081227235242/. “Underbelly proves a ratings winner.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 April 2010,.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/underbelly-proves-a-ratings-winner-20100412-s1jp.html. Knox, David. “America to remake Underbelly.” TV Tonight,.au/2010/06/america-to-remake-underbelly.html.“Mexico TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 7 April .MX/underbelly-nine-network. Midena, Kate. “From crime fiction to true crime: Why we can’t get enough of the genre.”Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 27 March 2020, .au/news/2020-03-28/why-we-love-to-consume-crime/12095988.Myers, Kimber. “7 Crime Shows You Might Have Missed.” Tubi, blog./2017/03/09/true-crime-shows-you-havent-seen/.Nette, Andrew. “Crime Pays: Underbelly, Homicide and Blue Murder.” Metro, no. 183, 2015,pp. 50-55. Communication & Mass Media Complete, ez-salve.idm.login?url=. “Power fails, Underbelly thrives.” The Advertiser, web.web/20080411063248/.“Squizzy Breaks Some Hearts.” Underbelly: Squizzy, season 6, episode 4, Australian NineNetwork, 2013. Amazon Prime Video, Underbelly/dp/B01MY3BU1P.“Squizzy Steps Out.” Underbelly: Squizzy, season 6, episode 1, Australian Nine Network, 2013.Amazon Prime Video, Underbelly/dp/B01MY3BU1P“Top-Rating First-Release Australian Adult TV Drama.” Screen Australia,.au/fact-finders/television/australian-content/top-drama-titles/first-release-series.“20th Century Australian Crime Stories, Part 1.” National Film and Sound Archive of Australia,.au/collection/curated/australian-true-crime. “Underbelly.” Australian Television Information Archive,newzealand/underbelly/“Underbelly (2008-2013): Awards.” iMDb, title/tt1119176/awards?ref_=tt_awd.“Underbelly: Episode Guide.” iMDb, title/tt1119176/?ref_=ttawd_awd_tt.“Underbelly (2008): Overview.” The Movie Database,/13796-underbelly?language=en-US. “United Kingdom TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 7 April2020. tv.UK/underbelly-nine-network.“United States TV audience demand for Underbelly.” Parrot Analytics. Last modified 6 April2020. tv.US/underbelly-nine-network.“Wrapping up the latest Underbelly series.” Stuff, stuff.co.nz/entertainment/blogs/on-the-box/5664692/Wrapping-up-the-latest-Underbelly-series ................
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