east west 101: a show about cops of different ethnicities and religions

[bantha_fodder]

East West 101 is about some coppers. But these coppers are not just two dudes, they are a Muslim Iraqi-Australian and an Islander, both detectives. Reoccuring characters include their team leader, an arrogant old-school Caucasian guy; another detective, an Italian-Australian woman; a Chinese-Australian junior detective, and their boss, a (Caucasian) woman.

This is a cop show that is ACTUALLY about living in Australia, and being Australian, that actually reflects the Australia that we see around us, not the usual white-washed Australian television we get.

And it's set in Sydney.

And it's an Australian Copper Show, which is my very favourite television genre ever.

And it talks about racism, and privilege, and religion, and the ambiguity of being an Australian.

IT IS AMAZING.

EVERYONE HAS TO WATCH THIS





I watched the first episode last week, and I was won over in the first five minutes, with some very effective scene setting and Zane Malik leaning over the witness; "You just wait for the ambos," he says, and the sunlight and the words and the tone tell you that you're watching some dark-skinned Australian at his work.

I saw a fringe show a few weeks back, that discussed how Australian television glosses over the reality of racism and ethnicity in Australia; how Australian television doesn't reflect the Australia that the rest of us live in. That's why I was so excited to watch this show: it's so undeniably Australia, reflected back through my television screen.

an article from the age (ignore the title, it's a good article):

"It was very difficult to cast," Hany explains. "Often you live with blinkers on thinking that the stories we tell reflect the world that we live in but actually the industry is quite Anglo-white, so when you're trying to cast ethnic roles you're dealing with a very small pool of actors. You end up finding people who can do it but they might not have done it before."

Sorry for the varying quality of these images! The good quality ones are from SBS, everything else is from around the place.



Don Hany plays Zane Malik, our aforementioned Iraqi-Australian detective. He is our protagonist, an excellent detective who was brought into the unit by Inspector Wright. He is driven and passionate, and struggles to be both Muslim and a copper - he thinks he can be both, but the world around him demands that he be only one.



His copper BFF is Sonny Koa, played by Aaron Fa'aoso. Detective Koa is Islander, and is an impassive, straight-line copper. HE IS MY FAVOURITE. He enjoys being a copper, and wants to change the world.



Detective Sergeant Ray Crowley is classic middle-aged, Anglo, old school copper. He really believes that Malik absolutely cannot be both Muslim and Australian, and since Malik is clearly Muslim Crowley thinks he needs to be brought down. He is a bit of a foil for the 'old school racism' style, but in that way that's so subtle I thought I would NEVER SEE IT ON TV. AMAZING.



Susie Porter plays Detective Inspector Patricia Wright. I would love to learn more about her, she is hardline play-by-the rules, clearly an upstanding feminist, and I love the complexities she gradually demonstrates, on trying to understand and trying to do her job and yes.



Detective Helen Callas (played by Daniela Farinacci) is a bit secretive, but cool and calm and very protective, particularly of her mentor, Detective Sergeant Crowley. She's competitive, and gets the job done.



Junior Detective Jung Lim is played by Renee Lim (who is a doctor and an actor at the same time. Not in that usual Aussie way, like those ex-lawyers who are currently comedians; she is currently a doctor and currently an actor. I LOVE HER). We haven't seen her around a lot in season one but I understand we see her a lot more in season two and I'm excited. She's Chinese-Australian! She's on my tv! She sounds just like me!

Other characters include Malik's family, and his wife is sassy, concerned, strong, and wears a headscarf! A positive female Muslim character! On tv! In a headscarf!

You can find a more detailed summary of the characters (with spoilers) here

The homepage: East West 101 at SBS

This series is intense, and amazing. I don't know how it is that I only just found out about it four weeks ago, but I'm glad I finally did and I hope other people will watch it, too.





iamnaiad has a post detailing the awesomeness of East West 101. this link includes uploads for episodes one and two of season one. And if you go to their dw in general, there are the uploads for the other episodes of season one.

Or you could buy it! $29.95 from Dymocks (or online).

I really, really, really want to write this for yuletide.

Comments

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

Ooh look at that, the arrogant old-school Caucasian guy was in Look Both Ways. I'm definitely going to check it out. I love cop shows.

(A doctor and an actor at the same time? Damn girl.)

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

I LOVE cop shows, and for some reason Australia does cop shows really really well. Shame about all our other types of drama.