There’s a running joke in the new season of Deadloch that loiters around the topic of weather. Locals and tourists comment on it, the main characters in the show certainly feel it, and viewers benefit from the humour it brings as the Top End of Australia enjoys its literal time in the sun.
For leading stars, former Wentworth star Kate Box and Madeleine Sami, who play detectives Dulcie Collins and Eddie Redcliffe, filming in Darwin was an exercise in hydration for both cast and crew. “We all go there expecting it be hot but, during the first week, we all thought ‘this is fine’.
But, about a week into being there, the heat and humidity really kick in – and that’s about when we started shooting,” Kate, 46, tells TV WEEK with a laugh.
New Zealand-born Madeleine adds that the small town they filmed in had one shop with a slushie machine. “By 2pm every day the cast and crew had blue lips,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve never experienced anything like it. Kate and I have big pages of dialogue, so we’d be walking and talking in the heat for hours. It was extreme.”
It was certainly a stark change from the first season, which was filmed in chilly Tasmania. In the show’s return, the detectives head to Barra Creek to investigate the death of Eddie’s former policing partner. But they’re quickly diverted by a grisly murder that involves missing backpackers, a murky crocodile-invested river and rival tour companies.
“We changed our environment so drastically that it gives the storyline so much adrenaline,” Kate says. “But this season asks the harder questions. It points the finger at institutions more than the first season did. And Dulcie needs Eddie so much in this environment, which is a feeling Dulcie is very uncomfortable with.”
Madeleine agrees, adding the intensity is even bigger. “It feels like the audience has jumped on a treadmill at high speed.”
With so much wildlife at their finger-tips, there was a lot for the cast to see in Darwin. Kate admits it sometimes got a little too close for comfort.
“I lived in Darwin when I was a kid – and now. There’s a fishing spot round the corner,” she tells us. “A few months ago, I heard a low rumbling growl and thought, ‘I’d better get back to my car! They’re everywhere! I’m amazed I’m alive!”
“See? It’s just constant adrenaline!” laughs Madeleine.
Dulcie and Eddie’s investigations lead them to duelling tour companies, one of which is run by charismatic Jason Wade, played by Luke Hemsworth. And he relished every moment!
“Every character is a sort of caricature and Jason is no different,” Luke says. “The attractive part is doing the over-the-top stuff. I’ve always loved making people laugh and being the class clown.”
Despite his credits in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Terminal List and Westworld, Luke reveals that working alongside co-creators Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney was a personal goal. “When I first started out, my agent got Kate McLennan’s number and I called her out of the blue for advice [about how to get into comedy].
“She basically said do more, see more comedy. Then I went off and did a bunch of serious stuff and a few comedy pilots that never saw the light of day. So, it’s been a long time coming,” he admits.
But, despite Deadloch’s calibre, Luke jokes that his four children – Holly, Ella, Harper and Alexandre – are still unlikely to watch.
“They’re so slack,” he laughs. “I’ve been trying to get them to watch Westworld because it’s intelligent and right up their alley. But they don’t really want to watch my stuff!”
Deadloch S2 is available March 20 on Prime Video
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