australian television information archive

Episode 1.01

Tue, September 02, 2008 (9:30)
1.161 million viewers (12th)
Written by Christopher Lee
Directed by Andrew Prowse

Josh rescues two children but then risks his career and puts the Tactical Response team in jeopardy when he takes his rage out on their father. The team is rattled by the unexpected arrival of new Inspector, Kerry Vincent. Although the team disapproves of Josh's actions they close ranks around him, forcing Kerry to begin her own investigation.

Guest Starring: Alan King as Gavin, Tanya Burne as Jennifer, Kiera Salerno as Trudie, Bethany Whitmore as Sadie, Andrew Blackman as Geoffrey, Eddie Baroo as Charles, Todd Macdonald as Connor Barry, Martin Copping as Constable, Andrew Curry as MC Investigator, Dee Celeste as MC Investigator, Sonya Suares as Dr Habib, Matt Campbell as Gary Beers, Josie Noviello as Old Woman, Collette Bruggeman as Witness, Caroline White as Geoffrey's Mistress, Maggie Miles as Dog Walker, Erin Cody as Hospital Receptionist, Gretel Wilson as Innocent Bystander, Eva Pattison as Ambulance Officer. Stunt Performers: Jade Amenta, Jarrahs Cocks, Collette Hardcastle, Robbie Clissold, Rick Tonna, Nathan James, Morgan Evans, Sumai Anderson

Notes: series one was filmed from May 19 to September 26, 2008. The script for this episode was nominated for a 2009 Australian Writers' Guild Award.

Episode 1.02

Tue, September 09, 2008
912,000 viewers (19th)
Written by Alice Bell
Directed by Geoff Bennett

The end of a long night shift finds Lawson, Grace and Dom in pursuit of a car driven by two lovestruck teenagers who have panicked after an attempted robbery turned to murder. When the teenagers are chased to a rooftop and threaten suicide, Grace steps up as chief negotiator and is forced to face the consequences of her inexperience. Michael, new to Tactical Response, encounters first-hand the tough reality of his job.

Guest Starring: Bianca Linton as Aurora, Blake Davis as Dan, Michael Gwynne as Dan's Father, Aaron Catalan as Preacher, Vika Bull as Preacher's Friend, Chris Brotherton as Constable, Kate Gorman as Carla, Paul Bongiorno as Photographer, Kane Gebert as Driver, Davin Taylor as Walter, Mr. Peabody as Bear. Stunt Performers: Jacqueline Cutter, Nathan James, Szumai Anderson, Chris Kemp, Matthew Campbell

Episode 1.03

Tue, September 16, 2008
1.014 million viewers (16th)
Written by Justin Monjo
Directed by Geoff Bennett

A gunman shoots Stella, who is saved by her bulletproof vest. Lawson realises the man is trying to commit suicide-by-cop. Putting his own life on the line in a face-to-face negotiation Lawson recognizes the gunman as his former mentor. While Stella confronts her brush with death, Lawson is forced to act against his beliefs and shoots, killing someone he knew well.

Guest Starring: John Brumpton as Charlie Thomas, Todd MacDonald as Connor Barry, Joe Petruzzi as Mr Brinning, Anita Smith as Mrs Brinning, Zoe Bertram as Rita Thomas, Phill Di Gusto as Pete, Ezra Bix as Psychiatrist. Stunt Performers: Jade Amenta, Jarrahs Cocks, Collette Hardcastle, Robbie Clissold, Rick Tonna, Nathan James, Morgan Evans, Sumai Anderson

Episode 1.04

Tue, September 23, 2008
883,000 viewers (18th)
Written by John O'Brien and Christpher Lee
Directed by Erin White

A convicted criminal is on the run after busting out of a prison transport van. In his desperate quest for freedom the man assaults Grace and takes a civilian woman hostage. Josh allows himself to be taken hostage. Preferring death to capture, the criminal forces Josh into a sadistic game of Russian roulette. Despite his ordeal Josh chooses to save the man's life and convinces him to surrender. Grace's injury causes her husband Connor to question her choice of careers.

Guest Starring: Adam Zwar as Martin Gero, Todd MacDonald as Connor Barry, Guy Charnock as Tough Kid, Chelsea Bruland as Chloe, Thomas Blackburne as Constable Peterson, Rosanne Clancy as Bag Snatch Victim, Tim Ferris as Pete Davidson, Elissa Stephens as Gilly Davidson, Neil Garbutt as Mosasi, Benne Harrison as Woman Hostage, Xavier Michelides as Bottle Shop Attendant, Pauline Coutts as Woman Resident, John Osborne as Mick, Ebon Browning as Young Woman. Stunt Performers: Jade Amenta, Mark Campbell, Rick Tonna, Chris Weir

Note: John O'Brien and Christpher Lee's script for this episode won a 2009 Australian Writers' Guild Award.

Episode 1.05

Tue, September 30, 2008
871,000 viewers (19th)
Written by Alice Bell
Directed by Erin White

The tactical response team intercepts a known drug dealer and police informer, and discovers that an armed robbery is about to take place at a suburban pub. Lawson, Grace and Josh arrive at the hotel where the robbery turns into a siege situation when the criminals barricade themselves inside and take the people in the pub as hostages. One of the criminals inside falls through a trapdoor and is severely injured so Dom is sent in undercover as an ambulance officer.

Dom is held up at a doctor's appointment for his pregnant wife and is hurrying towards the siege when a woman crashes into the rear of his car. He's delayed by the flirtatious woman who is highly impressed that he is a cop. Kerry and Lawson begin working well together for the first time.

Guest Starring: Fletcher Humphrys as Stace, Kane McNay as Gaz, Jez Constable as Dave, Ken Radley as Rod, Zen Ledden as Brian Marshall, Kate Keltie as Abbie, Cliff Ellen as Des, Maia Thomas as Sandrine, Eddy Scott as Builder, Colin Donald as Builder, Claire Forgie as Goth, Tom Downing as Goth, Kate Jenkinson as Nina Wise, Renae Berry as Eve, Mark Wickham as Sniper, Marcel Veldkamp as Technician. Stunt Performers: Morgan Evans, Siros Niaros

Music: "Lay Your Guns Down" performed by Jimmy Barnes

Episode 1.06

Tue, October 07, 2008
883,000 viewers (20th)
Written by Tim Alexander and Christopher Lee
Directed by Andrew Prowse

Josh, Grace and Michael investigate an alarm at a high-security laboratory and find that intruders have freed all the research animals from their cages. A tag left on the outside of the building indicates that a group of animal rights activists calling themselves 'Freedom From Torture' may have committed the crime.

As the Tactical Response team move through the building Michael discovers a caged monkey left behind. He's consoling the animal when it bites him on the finger. He is later informed by one of the facility's scientific researchers that the monkey could be carrying a disease fatal to humans. Michael is hurried off to hospital for a series of pathology tests. He fears the worst.

Meanwhile Stella, who was earlier working with Lawson and Dom as backup to detectives staking out a possible crime, has discovered that the criminals aborted their activities after being tipped off. She finds out that the informant is someone she knows very well.

Guest Starring: Maria Theodorakis as Marilyn, Harli Ammouchi as Frank, Travis Cotton as Jeremy, Guy Kable as Gary, Andrew Carter as Lab Assistant, Maurie Annese as Security Guard, Bernardo Mangoni as Barman, Samantha Tolj as Graffiti Artist. Stunt Performers: Rick Tonna, Joss Gower, Teresa Blake, Warwick Sadler, Lachlan Ward, Jacqueline Cutter

Episode 1.07

Tue, October 14, 2008
927,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Shelley Birse
Directed by Andrew Prowse

Tactical Response attends a high-speed car chase between two teenagers from rival high schools that ends in a near fatal car crash. In a search for the student who caused the crash the Tactical Response team arrive at a huge suburban party, to find that a group of youths has stolen a handgun from a security guard. Michael and Stella go in undercover to retrieve the stolen weapon. The party turns into a violent riot after a rival gang crashes the party seeking revenge. Things continue to heat up between Josh and Grace. With Grace's husband away will Josh spend the night?

Guest Starring: Tim Phillipps as Ben, Sweeney Young as Jared, Jarryd Jinks as Dylan, Joshua Allen as Ryan, Ruth Bamford as Sienna, Martin Sharpe as Danny, Dyllan Corbett as Morgan, Matthew Leonard as Rescue Guy, Greg Carroll as Security Man, Chris Brotherton as Sergeant, Shannon Cordes as Drunk Girl, Joey Coley-Sowry as Sims, Shannon Adams as Jelly Shots Guy, Rian Goodge as Nathan, Nicole Calvaresi as Dancing Girl, Robbie Clissold as Meaty Guy, Mark Campbell as Intruder, Harley Durst as Boy, Puven Pather as Boy, Morgan Evans as Boy, Beau Hurren as Boy, Will Jones as Boy. Stunt Performers: Chris Anderson, Chris Kemp, Warwick Sadler

Music: "Run For Your Life" performed by The Cheats, "Seeds of Doubt" performed by Wolf and Cub, "The Mess" performed by Wolf and Cub, "The Neighbours" performed by The Electric Moccasins of Doom, "Doit @ The Disco" performed by Romy Black, "DJ Cramify" performed by Audiomachine, "Child" performed by Lady Strangelove

Episode 1.08

Tue, October 21, 2008
969,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Tony McNamara and Christopher Lee
Director Geoff Bennett

After a prominent politician's daughter and her school friend are kidnapped, Kerry and the Tactical Response team must run a covert operation to safely recover the girls. They soon realise the kidnapping may not be what it first seemed. They realize the girls have faked their own abductions to extort money from their parents to fund their dreams of becoming models in New York. However, the stakes become high when Tactical Response uncovers the agent's true identity and her plan to sell the girls as prostitutes.

Guest Starring: Libby Tanner as Robyn Hume, Alicia Banit as Gemma, Eliza Taylor as Madison, Richard Sutherland as Bill Parker, Nicki Wendt as Sofia, Todd MacDonald as Connor Barry, Natalie Pemberton as Young Woman, Sam Greco as Sumo, Nicholas Dutt as Guy, Jason Kerapa as Guy, Marcus Nathan as Guy, Audrey Yong as Room Cleaner, Phill Di Giusto as Pete, Curtis Fernandez as Taxi Drive, Adam Pierzchalski as Tomas. Stunt Performers: Rick Tonna, Szumai Anderson

Note: guest star Libby Tanner was one of the actors cast in the 2004 Christopher Lee/John Edwards series pilot Rapid Response which never made it to air and eventually evolved into Rush.

Episode 1.09

Tue, October 28, 2008
941,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Kylie Needham
Director Geoff Bennett

After disrupting a carjacking, Lawson, Stella and Dom uncover an illegal vehicle rebirthing syndicate, but their suspect flees and Lawson leads an adrenaline-fuelled car chase through an abandoned warehouse complex before the offenders are captured.

Meanwhile Josh, Grace and Michael are involved in a serious car collision, Inspector Kerry Vincent is pulled over for drink driving, and Grace's home is targeted by a crime family matriarch as revenge for sending her son to prison

Guest Starring: Louise Siversen as Raelene, Doug Bowles as Harry, Todd MacDonald as Connor Barry, Kate Jenkinson as Nina Wise, Bruce Hughes as John, Keith Brockett as Young Chinese Man, Ferdinand Hoang as Old Chinese Man, Keir Saltmarsh as Police Office, Tim Ross as Sergeant, Karl Van Moorsel as Simon, Karmen Raspovic as Maryanne, Danielle Newton as Candy, Josh Geary as Jake, Oliver Merlet as Jimbo, Anthony Hammer as Riley, Eva Pattison as Ambulance Officer, Jade Amantea as Balaclava Man. Stunt Performers: Mark Campbell, Robbie Clissold, Mark Andrew

Episode 1.10

Tue, November 04, 2008
886,000 viewers (19th)
Written by Alice Bell
Directed by Emma Freeman

The Tactical Response team is called to a Media Building where a disgruntled man has locked himself in a room and is reciting erroneous articles published by the newspaper. When Dom uncovers a coded message he realises the building is a trap — the man has planted bombs. As the team work fast to evacuate the building and decipher the symbols, they are unwittingly led into a series of deadly explosions which leave two squad members fighting for their lives.

Guest Starring: Daniella Farinacci as Rita, Stephen Whittaker as Robert, Maia Thomas as Sandrine, Annie Stanford as Caroline, Peter Barron as Bomb Squad, James Taylor as Police Officer, Greg Pascoe as Police Officer, Caroline Lloyd as Nurse, Grant Durham as Nurse, Yasmin Taylor as Sophie, Melanie Berry as Receptionist, Ian Logan as Security Guy, Robert McPherson as Man, David Cormick as Ambulance Officer, Ben Ridgwell as General Duties Cop, Eliza Colquhoun and Gabrielle Cuthbertson as Baby. Stunt Performer: Matthew Campbell

Episode 1.11

Tue, November 11, 2008
883,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Justin Monjo
Directed by Emma Freeman

As Grace and Dom recover in hospital Lawson and Stella must deal with a suicidal ex-footballer, while Josh and Michael uncover a mysterious burglary attempt that leads them on a chase through a complex network of underground tunnels. At the hospital Kerry works hard to hold the team together, but a sudden and unforeseen death takes Tactical Response by surprise.

Guest Starring: Simon Lyndon as Snuffy Wells, Todd MacDonald as Connor Barry, Maia Thomas as Sandrine, Zen Ledden as Brian Marshall, John Orcsik as Dr Freeman, Adrian Mulraney as Detective Davis, Joss Gower as Crim, Daryl Suter as Crim, Nicholas Stribakos as Spence, John Papiccio as Watson, Martin Copping as Uniformed Cop, Christian Charisiou as Tagger, Max Chanesman as Tagger, Daniel McBurnie as Hotel Staffer, Jackie Tracey as Medivic Teller, Eliza Colquhoun as Baby, Gabrielle Cuthbertson as Baby

Episode 1.12

Tue, November 18, 2008
898,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Christopher Lee
Directed by Andrew Prowse

As the Tactical Response team mourns the loss of a squad member, Josh finds himself in the middle of a domestic dispute. The dispute turns nasty and the husband flees the house leaving his wife unconscious and bleeding. Tactical Response go after the man who is heavily armed and dangerous, a trained army sniper. Armed with a high-powered hunting rifle, the man is cornered on the roof of a high rise building. Lawson knows it will be almost impossible to talk him down. Searching for answers, Josh confronts the man responsible for the bombing.

Guest Starring: Sullivan Stapleton as Yuri, Nell Feeney as Denise, Angela Dennis as Catherine, Stephen Whittaker as Robert, Gulliver McGrath as Charlie, Anthony West as Waiter, Cliff Strahan as Café Patron, Sean Kneebone as Pedestrian, Russell Frost as Wayne, Lachlan Ward as Deano, Richard Anastasios as Jax. Stunt Performer: Szumai Anderson

Note: the night-time security camera footage of the ram-raid in the opening sequence is re-used from the beginning of episode one of Dangerous. The series, which aired in 2007, was also a Southern Star John Edwards production and featured Nicole da Silva (Stella) among its cast.

Episode 1.13

Tue, November 25, 2008
846,000 viewers (18th)
Written by Christopher Lee
Directed by Andrew Prowse

When Tactical Response is called in to protect a high-profile underworld figure, Kerry knows the assignment is almost impossible. The man is being hunted by his gangland associates who have somehow managed to get inside information on the operation. After a series of sniper attacks Kerry devises a unique way to protect the man.

Guest Starring: Don Hany as Bobby Lavilla, Alyce Platt as Marisa Hodgman, Simon Maiden as Gavin, Chris Chalmers as Sniper, Kira Price as Female Waiter, Grant Carter as Older Waiter, Fabienne Parr as Lina Mandel, Nick Carrafa as Carlo Lavilla, Michael Foster as Lavilla Associate, Jesse Rowles as Lavilla Associate, Chris Chalmers as Lavilla Associate, Brett Lister as Lavilla Associate, Chris Weir as Gunman, Morgan Evans as WPT Officer, Craig Mitchell as WPT Officer, Harley Durst as WPT Officer, Nathan James as WPT Driver, Davin Taylor as WPT Driver, Chris Anderson as Getaway Driver, Roy Edmunds as Abusive Driver, Beau Hurren as Motorcycle Rider, Terry Carter as Paparazzi. Stunt Performers: Szumai Anderson, Chris Anderson