Secret City: Under the Eagle

The second series of Secret City: Under the Eagle begins with a bang, literally. A suburban home in Adelaide is blown up and the trail links back to Canberra where Harriet Dunkley has just been released from prison. Chris and Steve were engaged as Script Consultants on the 2nd Series which featured a major departure from the theme of their novels.

The dance of nations, involving the US, China and Australia, was placed to one side. Instead, Under the Eagle probed the links between Australia’s Defence industry and the American military industrial complex.

Again, Anna Torv starred as Harriet Dunkley, but like her male namesake in the three novels, she has fallen from grace. Key parliamentary powerbroker, the maverick Independent MP Karen Koutafides (portrayed by Danielle Cormack), offers Harriet a job as her press secretary. Recently released from prison, Harriet accepts the offer – and quickly finds herself drawn into a vast cover-up that revolves around Defence Minister Catriona Bailey and an assortment of shady gun-runner lobbyists with strong loyalties to the Stars and Stripes.

Harriet uncovers a military operation that is so secret that not even the Prime Minister, played by Don Hany, knows of its existence.

Producer Stephen Corvini and Under the Eagle co-directors Tony Krawitz and Daniel Nettheim again made sure that Canberra was a compelling, very filmic character in all six episodes.

Both series were produced by Matchbox Pictures with Executive Producer Penny Chapman again ensuring her vision to make a compelling drama set in the national capital (where she had studied at university) became a reality.

Title: Secret City: Under the Eagle
Starring: Anna Torv, Jacki Weaver, Danielle Cormack, Rob Collins,

Executive Producers: Penny Chapman, Penny Win
Producer: Stephen Corvini
Director: Tony Krawitz, Daniel Nettheim
Writers: Matt Cameron, Belinda Chayko

First Aired (Foxtel/Netflix): 2019
Episodes: 6

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards
Nominee – Best Drama Series, Stephen Corvini, Penny Chapman, Matt Cameron, Penny Win, Carly Heaton
Nominee – Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama, Anna Torv
Nominee – Best Cinematography in Television, Mark Wareham
Nominee – Best Production Design in Television, Elizabeth Mary Moore
Nominee – Best Male New Talent, Frederick Du Rietz
Nominee – Best Male New Talent, Fletcher Kennedy

Australian Directors Guild Awards
Nominee – Best Direction in a TV or SVOD Drama Series, Tony Krawitz

Logie Awards
Nominee – Silver Logie – Most Outstanding Drama Series
Nominee – Silver Logie – Most Outstanding Actress, Danielle Cormack

Australian Writers’ Guild
Nominee – Television Series or Miniseries of more than 4 hours duration, Matt Cameron