Fisk is an Australian television comedy series on ABC Television, first airing on 17 March 2021. The second season aired in 2022, and the third premiered on 20 October 2024. Seasons 1 and 2 are also broadcast on Netflix and by other outlets around the world. The series is co-created and co-written by comedian Kitty Flanagan, and takes its name from its central character Helen Tudor-Fisk, played by Flanagan, who joins a small legal firm after returning to her hometown, Melbourne.
Premise
The series revolves around the life of lawyer Helen Tudor-Fisk, who leaves Sydney for Melbourne after her career and marriage fall apart. She then finds work at a small solicitors that specialises in probate law and wills.[1] The firm, Gruber & Gruber, is run by siblings Ray and Roz, assisted by probate clerk/"webmaster" George.[2]
In the third series, Tudor-Fisk is a partner in the rebranded Gruber & Fisk, while Roz is continuing with her career in mediation. Ray has a new romantic interest, Melissa, a fashion psychologist, while George is engaging in "side hustles" with his grandmother.[2]
Co-creator, co-writer, and star of the series, Kitty Flanagan, had trouble getting her idea for the series to air, as the main character was deemed too unlikeable. After having literary success with her 2019 book 488 Rules for Life: The Thankless Art of Being Correct, she realised that it was a rule book for her character, and may have been one of the reasons that ABC Television commissioned the series.[2]
The first series was originally announced in late 2020 as Entitled.[3][4] Filming took place in North Melbourne and other locations during the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict protocols on room density and proximity. Large groupings had to be avoided.[5] In November 2021, it was announced that a second series had been commissioned by ABC (released 2022).[6] In November 2023, it was announced that a third series had been commissioned by ABC[7] (aired 2024).[8][2]
All three series are co-created by Flanagan and Vincent Sheehan, co-written by Flanagan and her sister Penny Flanagan, and co-directed by Flanagan and Tom Peterson.[9][10][11] Vincent Sheehan did not come back to write Season 3, however came back as a producer, along with Nicole Minchin.[12]
Helen mediates a case about division of cremains, between a bereaved daughter and the new, much younger partner of her dead father, and has an awkward family lunch at Dad and Viktor's house. Helen gives the younger woman fake ashes in order to appease the mourning daughter.
Helen meets with a woman who is demanding power of attorney over her mother and attends her ex-husband William's writer's festival run by literary interlocutor Lindy Baxter-Smythe.
The office is abuzz because their favourite temp Peggy is coming in to help out with a deceased estate. Helen doesn't understand what's so fun about Fun Peggy, but everyone else, including George, thinks she's a hoot. After Helen's client reveals that she is receiving text messages from her dead husband, Helen finds a company called FTG Holdings which is sending the texts. Helen also attempts to prepare for court for the first time.
Helen meets formidable opposing counsel Alice Pike, and stumbles upon Roz's passion project: an all-woman harmony group for funerals called The Sadrigals. Alice Pike makes a complaint to the board about Roz.
Helen starts making a will for a client, Phil. Phil has gone to extreme lengths to account in a notebook precisely who should get each item in his house, including bed sheets and cutlery.
At a meeting, Roz informs the team the firm has been nominated for a small business award. Ray wants Helen's father Anthony Fisk, a former Supreme Court judge, to attend the awards night to lend more credibility to the firm. Roz also tells them judging of the nominated firms is done via anonymous visit, akin to a mystery shopper.
A client named Petro believes he is the illegitimate son of the late famous newsreader Georgios Papadakis. Helen suggests he take a DNA test to prove his paternity. Helen overhears Roz talking to Ray about her reinstatement as a lawyer, suggesting Helen would no longer be needed at the firm. Helen arrives at Anthony's house just as his and Viktor's personal training session has ended. Personal trainer Blayden Tork invites Helen to try his vibrating platform machine, the Vibratron. Anthony accepts Helen's request for him to come to the award night. Georgios's son Thomas Papadakis comes in for a DNA test. Petro has also arrived, in contravention of a restraining order taken out against him by the Papadakis family, and there is a scuffle between the two men.
Phil returns for the completed will, and he is surprised to hear he has been charged a flat fee despite the excessively detailed and intricate will. Helen engages in seemingly unprofessional behaviour, complaining about her pants being too tight and lying down on a beanbag whilst he reviews the completed will. Helen accepts a Vibratron as payment in lieu of cash from Blayden, who also had a will done at the suggestion of Anthony. Roz admonishes Helen for this and her other unprofessional behaviour.
At the awards night, Phil is revealed as the mystery judge. Alice Pike's firm wins the award. Anthony collapses, having suffered a heart attack, and an ambulance is called to take him to hospital. The next day, Helen attempts to quit the firm, but is informed by Roz she won the Ethical Businessperson award. Roz accepted it on her behalf after Helen went with Anthony to hospital. Helen keeps her job. Phil apparently liked the way Helen treated him, with her taking great care to execute his detailed instructions and not taking advantage of him as he believes other lawyers would have done.
Petro receives his DNA test result; it reveals that he is not related to the late Georgios Papadakis.
Helen is defending a "nuisance claim", with Keith Budge, a tenant of client Leslie's recently deceased mother, living in a granny flat on the property, claiming without proper evidence he was in an intimate relationship with her and demanding A$30,000 of her estate, despite not being in her will. Despite the frivolousness of the claim, Helen settles with Keith for A$10,000. Leslie is then dismayed at the fact that his lease will still continue and he will stay on the property. George has started livestreaming on Twitch, with him playing a simulation video game based on demolition called Rubble Runner. Helen is informed by Anthony that her own flat in the backyard of his house is illegally constructed and will have to be demolished as it is too close to the property boundary, but she avoids having to move out because the house has a heritage exception. Consequently, Helen is struck with an idea. She goes to Leslie’s property and informs her that Keith's flat is illegally constructed in the same manner as her own, but with no heritage exception Keith has no choice but to leave immediately. George drives the bulldozer that demolishes the flat.
Roz announces a new business venture and Ray entrusts Helen with the firm's most prestigious client. Helen meets with an influencer who wants to make a video will and George receives a gift..
Helen meets with two estranged brothers to broker a compromise over their mother's will, while Ray and George try to get rid of a rogue pigeon. Dad and Viktor worry that Helen doesn't have a social life.
Helen steps up to do Ray's regular probate information talk at the local library and Roz is pursued by a gentleman caller. Helen searches for a priceless family heirloom that has gone missing in an estate clean up.
George is overworked and Roz is having trouble finding a suitable assistant. Helen needs to ascertain the correct beneficiary of a large charity bequest and has to take the matter to court.
Helen meets with a May/December couple to change their wills; Petro drops by to give Helen some news; a scandal erupts around Gruber & Associates. Viktor joins as Roz's assistant.
Helen finds herself obligated to return the favour when a pushy member of the networking group keeps sending her clients; George's grandma takes over the Conch reception desk and helps George with a presentation.
When George's grandma quits the reception desk, Ray recommends his new lady love's son as a replacement; Melcome from Blendology needs Helen's help with his father's will.
When a Conch client makes threats, Helen and Roz are forced to relocate to a co-working space called The Hub. At home, Helen's Dad has lost his license and Helen is forced to act as Dad and Viktor's personal Uber driver.
17
5
"Red Wine and Evanescence"
Kitty Flanagan, Tom Peterson
Kitty Flanagan, Penny Flanagan
17 November 2024 (2024-11-17)
N/A
Ray decides to get married but gets dumped and Roz's mind begin to unravel after reading the google reviews of her mediation form; Helen has to manage their emotional problems. Ray finally decides to leave the firm.
18
6
"Gal Pal O'Clock"
Kitty Flanagan, Tom Peterson
Kitty Flanagan, Penny Flanagan
24 November 2024 (2024-11-24)
N/A
Ray brokers a deal for Furstenburg Gray to buy out Gruber & Fisk, Helen is plunged into crisis when they do not want her. In the end, Roz comes back to law and buys out Gruber & Fisk, keeping Helen and George. Helen's dad plans his funeral with Viktor's help.
Broadcast
The first series went to air on ABC TV from 17 March 2021.[4] The second series aired in 2022, and the third from 20 October 2024.[2]
The first series has been streaming on Netflix since August 2023,[29] and the second series since December 2023.[30]
Kylie Northover of The Sydney Morning Herald gave the series debut 3.5 out of 5 stars.[32] Luke Buckmaster in The Guardian gave the show 3 out of 5 stars, writing that the first episode was funnier than the rest.[33]
On Rotten Tomatoes, Season 1 has a rating of 96% amongst viewers, and Season 2 has a rating of 94%.
Awards and nominations
In September 2021 Fisk won the Best Series Award in the comedies competition at Europe's largest TV festival, Series Mania, in Lille, France. It beat six other series chosen for the event, including the multi-Emmy-nominated series Hacks, from HBO.[34]
^Knox, David (15 March 2021). "Kitty Flanagan, from the Whip Around to Fisk..."TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2023. You'll notice a lot of times people only come to the door because we weren't allowed to have another person in the room. We had to change things a lot.
^Knox, David (25 November 2021). "Upfronts 2022: ABC". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
^Knox, David (9 November 2023). "2024 Upfronts: ABC". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
