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Screentime mulls next Underbelly

Underbelly producers have three story ideas for a 2012 series.

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Nine isn’t done with Underbelly just yet if remarks by Screentime’s Des Monaghan are any indication.

And after the consistent numbers of the last series why would they be?

He tells News Limited that there are three possible options for the next series, two of which are related to the first series.

But there are legal obstacles to get around first, presumably one of which is a trial involving a character that was portrayed in the first series.

“There are a few things standing in our way,” Monaghan said.

“So we have other options. It’s a bit of a wait-and-see situation.”

He also admitted they had considered a series based around the Schapelle Corby case. That’s a drama that would rate through the roof. Everybody has an opinion on Corby, the most divisive case since Lindy Chamberlain.

Screentime is currently producing Tricky Business for Nine.

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  6. I think I heard a radio interview with the same guy weeks ago saying the same thing. That they weren’t anywhere near running out of ideas but that legal obstacles were the issue of deciding. That’s why they loved doing Razor because all involved are dead now..

    What about some of the stories out of SA? Better known as the murder state of Australia? Schapelle Corby story wouldn’t interest me at all. The entire plot would be a trashy family going through appeal after appeal after appeal.. boring!

  9. Fully agree with Paul’s comments. The ‘Underbelly’ of Fortitude Valley Brisbane in the 1970s/1980s would be perfect! Surely Gerry and Tony Bellino could provide the “Underbelly” producers with many story lines to create a series. Even ABC’s “Four Corners” recently repeated their “Fitzgerald Inquiry” special from the late 1980s and I found that more entertaining that the recent “Underbelly” Channel Nine showed. And one could only imagine how terrific the soundtrack would be to any “Underbelly Fortitude Valley”! Come on Des Monaghan, its Brisbane’s turn!!!

  11. The next series should be called Underbelly Topless and just work out a bit of a story line later. I mean we all know what we are gonna get eh?

  13. The Corby story would be great if they did the real story and not just based on opinion and innuendo.. This new book about the dead father does not seem like the true story at all. I still believe she is innocent

  16. The figures for Razor weren’t that great for a Sunday night and paled into insignificance compared to Downton Abbey – but perhaps a weekday slot could work. That said, haven’t we all had enough of Nine’s destruction of what could have been a great true crime franchise? Without a Head of Drama Nine are not even pretending to do anything other than commission series from Screentime and Southern Star. Risky Business – about a Debt Collection agency from Screentime is totally wrong timing for this market – people are really financially stretched and worried about their ob security. Talk about getting nearly everything you do wrong. Drama success is often about the zeitgeist – right show, right time. I fear Risky Business is exactly the opposite.

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