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Renewed: Wentworth

Prisoner fans rejoice, Wentworth is getting a second season from Foxtel.

2013-06-05_1441No surprises here. Foxtel has officially commissioned a second season of is new hit drama Wentworth from FremantleMedia Australia.

The Prisoner reimagining has attracted good numbers and rave reviews -no small feat given the way a beloved show could have easily ended up.

The first season has also notched up sales to New Zealand’s TVNZ and the UK’s Channel Five.

Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh said “Wentworth‘s bold storytelling has attracted a record-breaking response from our Foxtel customers.

“This drama, tailor-made for Australian subscription television, is capturing local and international attention sparked by its Prisoner heritage but fuelled by Wentworth’s own high production standards and the terrific performance of the ensemble cast.”

The second season will however see a new team leading the writing department after Producer Lara Radulovich left FremantleMedia to produce Carlotta with Story Ark productions. Writer Marcia Gardner (Sea Patrol, Stingers) is tipped to be her replacement.

FremantleMedia Australia Director of Drama Jo Porter said “We have assembled an extraordinary team of writers who can’t wait to get started on series two. We have so many more stories to tell.”

Production will be underway late this year at the purpose-built prison set in Clayton and season two will launch in 2014.

11 Responses

  1. Absolutely thrilled by the annoucement of the 2nd series. Well written, well acted, superb casting, it is a shame we did not get to see more of Catherine McClements, she was a stand out in the premiere episode and the character showed glimpes of one we’d love to hate.

  2. I’ve been watching the rerun of Prisoner since the beginning on 111 Hits. So the old series is very fresh in my mind.
    The thing I like about it the most is that the some of the characters start off as being different to their counterparts on Prisoner, but over time they are becoming more similar. Bea is becoming more authorative. Vera is coming along as the insecure socially awkward person she was. Liz is revealed to be an alcoholic. Doreen is easily led.
    Franky has changed a lot, but for the better.
    Jacs is a new character, but obviously meant to be a reflection of what Bea will become, to an extent.

    It’s masterful writing and execution. The flashbacks are necessary to establish the characters, but from this weeks episode it’s clear they are building up to the season ending.

    I think those who don’t like it because of old Prisoner are looking at the old series with rose coloured glasses on.

  3. This is great news!

    In reference to previous comments, I agree it may be about perspective. I am in love with the show, the performances, the cinematography, all of it. However, my Mum, who remembers watching the old Prisoner is annoyed by it because it is nothing like the way the old series was.

    Hooray for season 2!

  4. I don’t get the criticism. I’m a ‘Prisoner Tragic’ yet am absolutely gripped on every episode of Wentworth. I haven’t been so absorbed in an Aussie drama since… possibly Prisoner itself!

  5. Yeah, I’m not loving it as much as I did at the beginning. Too many flash backs and not enough momentum in the present day story lines.

    Having said that, I’d rather it on air than not and am pleased a second series has been commissioned.

  6. I have to say that I think that this show is going to have more success with people that dont remember Prisoner. Great to see quality Australian productions. Hopefully this leads the way to Soho becoming the Australian HBO and Foxtel dont shaft its customers by moving it to a movie package chanel like what they have done with Newsroom

  7. Great to see more local production, but this Prisoner tragic could not endure more than 2 eps of this. I just found it inauthentic, too stylised and not satisfying. I just didn”t believe half of the characters; the way they interacted and how little ground it covered.

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