Wake in Fright

Wake in Fright is an Australian miniseries based on Kenneth Cook's 1961 novel of the same name, which first aired on Network Ten in October 2017. Directed by Kriv Stenders and written by Stephen M. Irwin, the series features an ensemble cast that includes Sean Keenan, Alex Dimitriades, Caren Pistorius, David Wenham, Anna Samson, Gary Sweet, and Robyn Malcolm. It is the second filmed adaptation of Cook's novel, following Ted Kotcheff's 1971 film version. As with earlier versions of the story, the series depicts the psychological journey of John Grant, a schoolteacher who has been marooned in an isolated outback town. Although it occasionally makes closer references to the novel than the film, the overall story was largely reworked for the series to fit a contemporary setting. Plot Part One John Grant is a young schoolteacher stationed in Tiboonda, an isolated "dry-town" in the outback. After finishing the school year in time for the Christmas holidays, he begins driving to Sydney to take up a new teaching position at Neutral Bay, as well as seemingly marry his girlfriend Robyn. John's car is damaged when he collides with a kangaroo, forcing him to take a stopover in the mining town of Bundayabba – referred to by the locals as "The Yabba" – to await repairs. At a pub, he meets the enigmatic Sergeant Jock Crawford, who introduces him to the illegal but sanctioned game of two-up. After a winning streak, John loses all of his money, as well as some borrowed from former MMA fighter Mick Jaffries and her brother Joe, who subsequently demand that he pay them back.