Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
8 Episodes 2012 - 2012
Episode 1
55 mins
How we wish we could write that since we last met our hero he has found the road to Damascus instead of the road to perdition; that he has learned to love wisely instead of too often, and that going another 25 grand into debt to back a 'sure thing' at Moonee Valley paid off. The nag didn't even finish the race. Sadly, that epicentre of chaos otherwise known as Cleaver Greene has learned nothing, and hasn't changed one whit. If anything, he's a little worse. Never out of the headlines for long, Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh) is caught in an affair with the Premier of New South Wales (Toni Collette), making himself a sworn enemy of her husband, Attorney-General and Police Minister Cal McGregor (Damien Garvey). David Potter (Matt Day), now Shadow Attorney-General, sees this as his chance to bury Cleaver Greene once and for all, calling him "a dishonest low-life who spends his time defending society's scum, and spends his nights carousing with them". When Cleaver uses the media to retaliate, it's a race to see who will sue for defamation first. In Parliament, David savages the fact that Cleaver is defending Zuharah (Sapidah Kian), a beautiful Muslim woman who's been charged with conspiracy to commit a terrorist act after her husband accidentally blew himself up in a botched suicide-bombing. The case is circumstantial but the hounds of the media and Macquarie St are convinced that any woman in a head scarf must be a terrorist. Cleaver and Barney (Russell Dykstra) are determined to save her. Cleaver's ex Wendy (Caroline Brazier) has just discovered that her recently acquired husband has been cheating, while Scarlet (Danielle Cormack) has banished Cleaver from their lives as she and Barney try to play happy families. How will Cleaver survive with the Attorney-General, the Shadow Attorney-General, and the full weight of police and judiciary lined up against him?
Episode 2
55 mins
Cleaver's affair with the Premier proves costly when her husband, Attorney-General Cal McGregor begins a campaign of harassment against him. David Potter sues him for defamation, and, after the clown punch-up at Max's birthday party, he's persona non grata to Barney as well. Meanwhile, Barney and Scarlet are having counselling. He's also busy defending Lawrence Fenton - charged with fraud for posing as a board member around town in a campaign aimed against the corporate debasement of the English language. Cleaver, meanwhile, is defending Damien Trengrove, who's accused of stealing two million dollars from a children's leukemia foundation run by his glamorous wife. Cleaver arrives at ex-wife Wendy's as her book group discusses A Thousand Lies I Have Told by a new author, JM Doolan, and takes special notice of newly-divorced neighbour Sally. But both neighbour Sally and author JM Doolan have surprises in store for him. Against his better judgement, Barney brings Cleaver in on the Lawrence Fenton case when Lawrence gatecrashes a global security conference being held by Cal McGregor for the British Home Secretary. David Potter uses the breach of security to embarrass the Attorney-General, who then charges Lawrence with terrorism. Cleaver is now defending an innocent ex-school teacher whom Cal is determined to prosecute, and a slimy corporate thief who Cal wants to set free.
Episode 3
55 mins
Missy's book about her life as a prostitute has caused a sensation, and she's engaged to the infamous founder of an on-line leaks site, Joshua Floyd. Meanwhile, Cleaver sleeps with the niece of an ex-girlfriend, who has a budding film career and loves Alfred Hitchcock movies. When he discovers she's not yet 16, he's horrified but it's too late. She's been charged with accidentally killing a fellow actor while filming a scene, and blackmails Cleaver into defending her. Cleaver's debt to the Corellas has prison-widow Kirsty making amorous plans for his repayments schedule, while he's fighting David Potter over the defamation case. Scarlet applies for a job with Attorney-General Cal McGregor, and her disdain for Cleaver gets her the job. Meanwhile, Cleaver's woes escalate when Fuzz reveals that he's been having an affair with Wendy's flirty neighbour Sally. An Alfred Hitchcock thriller on late night TV opens Cleaver's eyes to the fact that his 16-year-old client may well be a blossoming psychopath. Just when he thinks things could not be more complicated, Missy walks back into his life.
Episode 4
56 mins
Missy and Joshua Floyd are Australia's most newsworthy couple: she's a bestselling author, and he's facing treason charges. Meanwhile, Cleaver - having been ditched by Barney - is lamenting the lack of briefs coming his way, especially when Nicole is constantly reminding him about the cases Barney used to bring in. Barney and Scarlet's marriage is disintegrating, but she's happy being back at work. But she does get a frosty reception from David Potter who accuses her of working for the enemy. However, soon enough, her opinion of her boss is drastically reversed and she seeks advice from David. Over a drink - Cleaver tries to help his son Fuzz, who is still in anguish over his latest failed romantic endeavour, and they both end up in the confessional. But for Cleaver, there's no relief. He's under pressure to meet the emotional and physical needs of his sugar mummy, Kirsty, and he's being cleverly outplayed by Harry-sorry-David in his defamation case. But then Joshua shocks Cleaver and the Sydney bar by inviting Cleaver to represent him in the case of the decade. Cleaver now has a lucrative brief, secures his own chambers, and is mentioned in America Today as "leading human rights lawyer". Barney's back on board and things seem poised to go right - moments before something goes terribly, terribly wrong.
Episode 5
55 mins
Missy is on trial for murdering her fiancé, but Cleaver plans to expose the conspiracy to murder Joshua by the security set-up he humiliated. Assisted by a mysterious smoking man, he follows the trail to ASIO, the CIA, and information that may bring down the international banking system and several governments. But he needs to find the evidence. The nobility of his cause and the professionalism with which he pursues it, reawaken a long dormant emotion in Wendy - admiration. Kirsty is furious that Cleaver is spending so much time with Missy, but when standover man Col threatens to express that disapproval in the usual manner, Cleaver recognises that Col has a secret. Delirious with a broken arm, Barney confesses to Scarlet that he's met someone else. Hurt and confused, Scarlet allows an innocent lunch with Harry-Sorry-David to progress down a primrose path that, with some help from Cal McGregor, will lead to perdition. Cal asks Scarlet to provide an alibi for his skipped meeting with the Premier. She does, believing it will also cover her indiscretion with David, but Cal has a darker purpose. Some of Joshua's personal secrets are revealed in court and Missy is horrified, not only by his betrayal, but that there is now a motive for murder. Can Cleaver maintain professional standards long enough to get Missy off?
Episode 6
54 mins
A piercing scream splits the dawn silence of a leafy, suburban arcadia and Cleaver and Barney are soon defending an IT lecturer accused of severing his neighbour's penis with garden shears. Cleaver and Barney wade into the unfamiliar swamp of Rotarians, golf and backyard barbecues to uncover the truth behind the 'bobbitting'. Barney and Nicole have failed in their attempts to end their affair, despite Nicole's approaching wedding. And even incurious Cleaver works out that the emotional rollercoasters of both Nicole and Barney are moving in sync. Only one thing could worsen their situation - Cleaver deciding to help. Wendy is falling for Roger, the husband of Fuzz's ex-lover, while Fuzz has a surprise new girlfriend. When Cleaver attempts to cure Missy's depression at a dinner with his family, he ends up being everyone's target. Scarlet and David are firmly on Cal McGregor's hook, but David's colleagues push him to sacrifice Scarlet to save himself. Poised between political oblivion and the dangled promise of the Opposition leadership, David, typically, prevaricates. Cal will happily fire a bullet at Scarlet in the hope it also takes out David, even better if he can wing Cleaver too. Scarlet realises there is only one lawyer devious and unethical enough to get her out from under the sword of Damocles.
Episode 7
55 mins
Scarlet and David's affair is front page news; Barney and Nicole agree to be "just friends"; and spurned Kirsty is in no mood to forgive Cleaver's debts. Cleaver and Missy are off to his father's funeral, but end up at someone else's, where Missy is convinced that life's meaning is to be found in marriage and children - and the most likely candidate is Cleaver. Although left out of his father's will, Cleaver sets out to recover his estate from swindler Lane Hole, via the courts, the media, any way he can. He enlists the talents of tabloid reporter Polly Nesbitt: promiscuous, unethical and a chaotic force of nature. Cleaver publicly slams Lane Hole on Polly's current affairs show, and launches legal action. But he needs to do some serious bridge-building to get advice on corporate prosecution from Sydney's most boring barrister. More surprises are in store there too. Wendy wants Cleaver to rescue Fuzz from the clutches of his born-again girlfriend whose insistence on virginity until marriage strikes Wendy as a recipe for disastrously early marriage. Cleaver finds himself with no moral ground on which to argue against experimentation - even with religion, so he joins Fuzz and Tara at church, the worst possible place to be confronted with the consequences of the dark path he trod in pursuit of Lane Hole.
Episode 8
55 mins
Cleaver is in prison, charged with the manslaughter of Lane Hole's (Phil Lloyd) sweet, elderly neighbour. Flush with funds since optioning the rights to her story to Hollywood, Missy bails him out. But she has to stand aside for Polly Nesbitt (Maeve Dermody) who retains her interest in Cleaver. Unfortunately Kirsty no longer does, and will allow Cleaver to retain his extremities if she and Col (Steve le Marquand) are not implicated in his trial and he pays his debt in full, in thirty days. While Wendy blames Cleaver for Fuzz's desperate embrace of religion, Polly does an old-fashioned, on-air hatchet job on Cleaver. Cleaver seems friendless. Emboldened by her confrontation with the school mothers, Scarlet steps in to help Cleaver. Barney relents and warns Cleaver that he'll go down for manslaughter but says he is likely to beat the murder charge. With their help, Cleaver goads Cal McGregor into having the charge upgraded. But Cal didn't get to be Attorney-General without a few devious tricks of his own. His old mate, Director of Public Prosecutions, Norton Kent, finds a charge that will stick and send Cleaver down for a very long time, and also the judge who is likely to do it. Cleaver will need to rely not only on his own wits and the talents of his friends to avoid a hefty stretch behind bars, but also on his belief that Cal McGregor will do absolutely anything to see Cleaver endure that stretch.