Many thanks to James Dalton for his assistance with the Phoenix episode guide.

PHOENIX:

Phoenix was originally screened on ABC Television in 1992 and was repeated over the summer of 1995/96. Episodes are listed in order of screening.

(1) TOP QUALITY CRIMS

  • Repeat date: 5/12/95
  • Written by: Alison Niselle
  • Directed by: Julian McSwiney
Phoenix begins with the Major Crime Squad investigating a number of armed hold-ups. The main suspect is John Mercer a member of one of Melbourne's leading criminal families (Alice Mercer is clearly a precursor to criminal patriarch Shirl Hennessey from Janus).

It is clear from the start that Inspector Jock Brennan is from the old school, a tough copper who lets nothing ruffle him. His dead-pan reply to Superintendent Wallaces' advice that the brass are concerned about the Major's looking like thugs; "tell the big girls upstairs to piss off" is a classic, and his open disdain for forensic scientist, Ian "Goose" Cochran is rooted in an old style of policing; "only a fool trusts that which he's not equipped to question." It will be some time before Jock will come to trust and respect the abilities of the Goose.

As the Major's wind up their investigation Jock receives his divorce papers and attends the Police Club Christmas in July Ball . Shortly after arriving a huge explosion occurs which will provide the focus for the rest of the series.

(2) CHRISTMAS IN JULY

  • Repeat date: 12/12/95
  • Written by: Cliff Green
  • Directed by: Michael Carson
In the aftermath of the Police Club bombing, Senior Detective David Rogers is dead and Constable Julie Briggs is critical. Major Crime is responsible for the investigation known as Operation Phoenix. With rumours flying, and the early stages of the investigation chaotic at best, a disgruntled Search and Rescue cop, Max Anderson, emerges as a prime suspect. It is evident that Jock places much stock in Peter Faithfull, who he assigns to investigate their main suspect. Meanwhile Jock is forced to work with Goose who has been working around the clock at the bomb site. Jock's hope to have the Goose reassigned does not impress Wallace and we learn that the Forensic Scientist is a leading expert in post bomb analysis.
 
In the opening minutes of the episode we get our first glimpse of one of the bombers (Nick) as he leaves the bomb car as Julie Briggs approaches. Later we see him sitting in a nearby car with an accomplice cheerfully observing the chaos they have unleashed.

(3) A BUNCH OF BIG GIRLS

  • Repeat date: 19/12/95
  • Written by: Denise Morgan & Cassandra Carter
  • Directed by: Ian Gilmour
With the huge number of leads pouring into the investigation Senior Sergeant Lochie Renford complains that the team is unable to clear the decks of all the meaningless information. As a result Jock recruits crime analyst Detective Senior Constable Megan Edwards to the team to analyse the information pouring into the investigation. Megan is the first woman to join the all-male world of the Major Crime Squad, and her acceptance by the team is not helped by her accident prone first day when she first loses and then crashes Lochie's car.

(4) ON THE EDGE

  • Repeat date: 26/12/96

Inspector Brennan recruits Snr Det Lazarus Carides to the task force. Laz has been undercover with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) for over two years, predominantly investigating stolen car rackets. He has some difficulty fitting in to the close team environment of the task force. He inspects the wreckage of the bomb car, noticing that the chassis number has been drilled out, an unusual technique of disguising a vehicle's identity. Believing he is of more value to the investigation as an undercover, he returns to the street in an attempt to locate the garage which handled the bomb car. His "disappearance" creates derision within Major Crime ­ Laz is seen as untrustworthy, particularly by Sgt Peter Faithful.

Meanwhile, Forensic believe the bomb was constructed from household items and are building a bomb replica. The Cochrane's baby, Suzie, first appears.

This summary by: James Dalton

(5) Episode 5:

Laz is still to earn the trust and respect of his new colleagues, but nevertheless, the immediate focus of the investigation is now on the Balcescu Brothers smash repair garage, which Laz believes handled the bomb car. It's "the kind of thing they specialise in and they're very bloody jumpy".

The Major Crime squad is running over the Drug Squad, who has the garage under surveillance for drug offences. However, the Drug Squad submits to the Major Crime squad investigation; "it all comes down to two poor bloody dead coppers, doesn't it?"

Application for SOG assistance on a raid of the Balcescu garage is knocked back by the Deputy Commissioner, leaving the majors with no choice but to conduct the raid themselves. Brennan insists Laz be first through the door, ending his undercover days for good.

While the raid is successful in execution, Forensic finds no direct link to the manufacture of the bomb. Several arrests are made, including Nick Panopolous and Lennie, but only Balcescu is charged, for firearm and immigration offences.

This summary by: James Dalton

(6) OUT OF THE COLD

The episode begins with Ian Cochrane's recreation of the Town Hall bombing, measuring high velocity fragmentation of shrapnel from the explosion.

Ian, Peter, Megan and Laz (now sporting a suit) visit Martin's Mine, from which 200 sticks of AN60 explosive, the type used in the bombing, were stolen some months previously. Foresic conclude that the explosive used in the bombing originally came from Martin's Mine, but with 40 sticks used in the bomb, a further 160 sticks remain unaccounted for.

At the instigation of Brennan, Lochie and Peter take Laz out for a night on the town. Lochie, pissed to the eyeballs, confronts Francine, a transsexual. To protect his senior-sergeant, Laz clobbers Francine, prompting an internal investigation by IID. The investigation demonstrates to Laz the trust and mateship which truly exists in the major crime team.

After intervention by Brennan and Wallace, Laz is "treated as a welfare case" and undergoes some counselling. The whole debacle results in mutual trust and acceptance between Laz and the team. Symbolically, Laz's ponytail disappears.

This summary by: James Dalton

(7) OLD RULES, NEW GAMES

  • Repeat date: 16/1/96
With the bombing investigation stalled for lack of hard evidence, Jock puts pressure on an old informant for information. Australian film and television stalwart Bill Hunter makes a memorable appearance as Jock's trusted informant who inadvertently gets in over his head when he accidentally kidnaps a child who is asleep in the back of a car he steals.

(8) FOND MEMORIES

  • Repeat date: 23/1/96
Megan follows a hunch by investigating a rape case which uncovers a possible suspect. Identified by the victim, "Dennis" becomes the focus of the Major's investigation.

(9) SHAKING THE TREE

  • Repeat date: 30/1/96
The team raid a known drug dealer with the hope of shaking out some much needed information.

(10) BLESSED ARE THE PEACE MAKERS

  • Repeat date: 6/2/96
  • Written by: John Reeves
Blazo, a member of the crack Special Operations group is assigned to the team.

(11) HAIR OF THE DOG

  • Repeat date: 13/2/96
  • Written by: Annie Beach
Carol, at home with a new-born baby, feels increasingly cut off from Ian and the lab.

(12) PARADISE TOMORROW

  • Repeat date: 20/2/96
  • Written by: Cliff Green
Under continual pressure from Jock, the bombers begin to make crucial mistakes.

(13) HARD BALL (final)

  • Repeat date: 27/2/96
The team realises that the raid, then the interrogation, must come off with lightning precision.

PHOENIX II (1993)

DEAL OR PAY

  • First screened: 11/3/93
  • Written by: Alison Nisselle
  • Directed by: Julian McSwiney
With the recession starting to bite deep and high-tech security systems, the traditional targets of the armed robber - banks, TAB's and payroll delivery vans - are becoming increasingly impenetrable, and aggravated burglaries involving violence against older people are increasing.

MARRIED TO THE JOB

  • First screened: 25/12/93
Chris Faithfull (Peter's wife), a drug squad undercover cop, survives the harrowing experience of a hostile gun to her head.

THE RETURN

  • Written by: Jan Sardi
Russell Howie, from the Fraud Squad, is recruited by Murdoch to join Major Crime. Shock waves roll through the Major Crime Squad when a second aggravated burglary takes place on the same elderly victims; Betty Arthur is viciously raped and her husband James beaten for six valuable stamps.

INSIDE INFORMATION

  • Written by: Graham Hartley
  • Directed by: Michael Carson
  • First screened on: 8/4/93
After a tip-off, Murdoch authorises the Majors to raid a warehouse where they score a huge cache of stolen goods. Following the warehouse raid, Howie is the target of complaints of sexual assault by Lindy.
 
Meanwhile Faithful is overheard by internal affairs, making a deal with a criminal and the Majors suffer a staggering blow when crime victim James Arthur is found dead in his home. What appears to be murder is proven by the forensic team to be Arthur's macabre and tragic attempt for revenge.

Guest Starring: Nadine Garner as Lindy

SAFE AS HOUSES

  • First screened on: 15/4/93
The Majors and the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence lock horns over an informant.

ALADDIN'S CAVE

  • First screened on: 22/4/93
Conflict spreads through police headquarters when the Majors and Drug Squad investigations begin to cross-over.

IN ON THE JOKE

  • First screened on: 29/4/93
The Majors investigate a con-man linked to the aggravated burglaries by forensic evidence discovered by Carol and Ian. The violent thieves have been melting down the stolen gold jewellery into bricks for easier handling. The Internal Investigations Department focuses on Peter Faithful because of a mysterious $20,000 which passed through his bank account.

GIVE A DOG A BONE

  • First screened on:6/5/93
Pressure mounts on the Majors when they are forced to run their own surveillance on Flannagan, a prime suspect. Peter Faithful confirms the importation of drugs via Nipper, his informant on the docks.

 

SHUFFLING THE DECK

  • First screened on: 13/5/93
Frustration mounts for the Majors when another aggravated burglary occurs.

UNDER SIEGE

  • First screened on: 20/5/93
Peter Faithful is taken hostage by a suspect. A terrified girl jumps from a second-story window when the Majors raid the flat of a prime suspect for the aggravated burglaries.

SNOW JOB

  • First screened on: 27/5/93
To Peter's annoyance, the Federal Police blow the cover of one of his informants.

HIT, SHIT AND SCATTER (Final)

  • Screened on: 3/6/93
  • Written by Alison Niselle
  • Directed by: Michael Carson
Jock Brennan announces that the Major Crime Squad is to be disbanded. As the bitterly disappointed detectives plan to track down the last crook, Ian uncovers the mystery that has plagued forensic from the first burglary.
Guest appearance by Paul Sonkkila as Jock Brennan

JANUS (1994)

Janus was a hard-hitting courtroom drama about justice and the corruption of justice, it was originally screened on ABC Television in 1994 at 8.30 pm Thursday. Although it has a different premise to Phoenix it continues the story of Detective Sergeant Peter Faithfull.

Not on the Merits
The series opens with the members of one of the country's most notorious criminal families, the Hennessey's, being acquitted of the shootings of two young police constables after a bank-hold up. The defendants are obviously guilty, but a legal technicality leaves the jury no choice but to let them off. The outcome shatters Faithful who, after the abandonment of the Major Crime Squad, spent time working in public affairs and a suburban CIB unit. A year later, when he is offered a position on the Tactical Response Squad to investigate the Hennessey's, he jumps at the chance.
8/9/94

A Rare Crushing Reversal
Kirsty Nichols turns her back on her boyfriend Steve Hennessey and becomes a police informer.
15/9/94

Judgment Amongst Short Men
Rhonda Hennessey is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
22/9/94

Reckless Indifference
A youth is charged with attempted murder when he tries to run a policeman down following a high speed police chase.
Written by Deborah Cox
Directed by Michael Carson
29/9/94

Without Consent
Rob Griffin prosecutes a man accused of sexually assaulting his nieces when they were children.
6/10/94

Fail to Appear
Peter and Vic increase the pressure on Steve Hennessey' s by applying to have his bail revoked.
13/10/94

A Mischievous Offence
Steve Hennessey is still on the run and the police manhunt is proving fruitless.
20/10/94

A Familiar Utterance
Rob Griffin investigates a 10-year old unsolved murder.
27/10/94

Without Prejudice
The trial of Steve Hennessey and Darren Mack begins in the County Court.
3/11/94

Improper Influences
Steve Hennessey and Darren Mack's drug trial continues.
10/11/94

Burden of Proof (final)
Peter Faithful's evidence against Steve Hennessey and Darren Mack is extremely incriminating.
Written by Cliff Green
17/11/94

JANUS II (1995)

Screened Thursday, 8.30 pm.

A Lawful Apprehension
Charged with murder and facing a life in prison, Mal Hennessey makes a daring escape from a police van, with the aid of a can opener on the way to court, and goes to ground with brother Steve. Turning to the only money making means they know - armed robbery - Mal and Steve move in on a payroll van. However, their car has been seen, and a showdown with the Tactical Response Squad has tragic results.
26/1/95

 Suicide by Cop
Peter Faithful's Tactical Response Group is in the spotlight over the shooting of Steve Hennessey. Did they go too far?
2/2/95

Intent to Permanently Deprive
Shirl Hennessey appears to relish a break in prison when she is arrested for shoplifting and possessing a pen pistol. Vic Manoulis prosecutes an emotive murder case.
9/2/95

Right to Remain Silent
A barrister in a minor drug case jeopardises the murder charge against Mal Hennessey.
16/2/95

My Learned Friend, Mr Hennessey
The Hennesseys' money has run out and Michael Kidd won't defend Mal unless he gets paid.
23/2/95

Confess and Avoid
With the Hennesseys out of money, Michael Kidd is forced to look after other cases to maintain his expensive lifestyle. Mal has to prepare his own brief and defend himself on the charge of escaping from the prison van. The main item on his agenda however is to get Peter Faithful on the stand where he attempts to discredit him.
2/3/95

Demands With Menaces
Michael Kidd attempts to discredit Peter Faithful.
16/3/95

Fit to Plead
Solicitor Tina Bertram prosecutes a case in which the defendant suffers from alcoholism, epilepsy and has a mental age of 10.
23/3/95

Breach of Bond
Shane, the youngest Hennessey, is arrested for a vicious assault and burglary.
30/3/95

 An Unnatural Act
A recaptured escapee provides the final piece in the jigsaw that is the murder case against Mel Hennessey.
6/4/95

Mute by Visitation
Judge Glenda de Bono takes on her first trial - a rape case.
13/4/95

Elements of Murder (final)
Mal Hennessey is charged with murder. Shirl Hennessey is charged with being an accessory after the fact. Michael Kidd faces the biggest challenge of his career, and the Tactical group are charged over the shooting of Steve Hennessey.
20/4/95

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