Fate and pure bad luck have once again intervened with our beloved Cleaver (Richard Roxburgh) leaving him up shit creek without a paddle. It’s typical that just when poor Cleave is on to a winner that the bastard is murdered the day before the trial.
Last night’s most memorable line was during Cleave and Potter’s (Matt Day) mediation session when Cleave describes Potter as an ‘asexual pontificating clown’ and the civil legal battle with these two is set to drag out and make Cleaver’s life worse than usual. Kirsty’s (Robyn Malcolm) father has passed away and a less than enthusiastic Cleaver is to play grief counselor to this whiny, clingy and very powerful gambling stand-over woman.
Ben Oxenbold is hilarious as a special guest who is a little too fascinated with breasts and the ever beautiful Missy (Adrienne Pickering) seems to have outgrown our Cleave for good. The shock of the night was Barney (Russell Dykstra) and Nicole’s (Kate Box) love romp! With one married and the other to be wed in a few weeks tensions are high as Barney begins questioning his feelings for Nicole and his wife. Nicole on the other hand just wishes the whole thing would go away to stop the guilt.
Unknown to Barney is the flirt fest going on between wife Scarlet (Danielle Cormack) and weasel David Potter. Can Charlotte hold back this time? Can Potter keep it in his pants?
Meanwhile, Fuzz (Keegan Joyce) is facing the devastation of older woman Sally’s abortion and subsequent bolt to Byron Bay never to see Fuzz again. Poor young deluded Fuzz has turned to God for some guidance much to both his parents dismay. Cleaver’s confession is such a strong performance by Roxburgh and our hearts, in that moment, really belong to him.
Just when Cleave thought his life couldn’t get any worse, he finds he has been left only a watch from his father’s will. Where the hell is he going to come up with $200k now? Oh, Cleave, you’re such a fun loving bastard who deserves everything you get but it’s still a tiny bit heartbreaking because you’re so damn stupid as well.
Rake: Series 2 premieres at 8.30pm on ABC1, Thurs 6 September. Read more reviews in this series.
