Amazon Prime Video fans binging drama series hailed as ‘Australian The Sopranos’
It's been called a 'must-watch.'
Amazon Prime Video fans have urged everyone to binge-watch an ‘excellent and gritty’ Australian true crime drama series.
Viewers have complained that Underbelly has been ‘criminally underrated’ since it first started airing in 2008.
At the time, it was hailed as ‘Australia’s answer to The Sopranos’ but has flown under the radar in recent years.
Over the weekend, the first season of the ‘gritty’ TV show was added to Amazon Prime Video and is free to watch for subscribers.
Each season of Underbelly is inspired by real-life events, with the first loosely based on the 1995 to 2004 gangland war in Melbourne.
During this time, 36 underworld figures were killed, causing a power vacuum within the city’s criminal community.
The show has been called ‘Australia’s answer to The Sopranos’ (Picture: HBO)Many of the murders remain unsolved, but drug trafficker Carl Williams pleaded guilty to the murders of three people.
In 2010, he was killed by an inmate aged 39 while serving life in prison for the crimes.
Williams is portrayed by Gyton Grantley in Underbelly, with other actors including Vince Colosimo, Simon Westaway and Kat Stewart.
Discussing the 00s drama on Reddit, FooteHarry said: ‘Australian show Underbelly about real gangland wars in Melbourne is (pardon the pun) criminally underrated and should be seen by an international audience.
Underbelly is based on the Melbourne gangland war (Picture: Nine Network)‘Australia has always punched above its weight in terms of crime dramas both cinematically and televised, but after re-watching Underbelly (season 1, the others weren’t so good) there is a strong case to be made that we do it better than anyone else with a massively underfunded media industry.’
Over on Google, Principe Raphael described Underbelly as ‘must-watch’ TV.
They wrote: ‘Some of the storylines are inconsistent, but the acting, atmosphere and pace make this a must-watch. Unlike US cop shows, this is so direct and to the point without resorting to pontificating with too many messages or glamorizing the police.’
Echoing their sentiment, Cale Hollis raved: ‘Reels you in, will make you want to watch again.’
Amazon Prime added the first season of Underbelly for subscribers (Picture: Amazon Prime)James Martin penned: ‘Excellent, gritty and suspenseful.’
T Ham added: ‘Great stuff. Binged it bad.’
When it debuted, TVTonight critic David Knox said: ‘The streetwise dialogue by writer Peter Gawler is taut, profane and arrogant. Tony Tilse’s direction, balancing individual perspectives in a large, Greek (or rather, Italian) tragedy is expert. Images of Gangitano walking across the bonnet of a police car illustrate so much with so little. This is our own Sopranos.’
Underbelly is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
