Phoenix (1992): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1992, Phoenix is a crime and drama series.

What it’s about. Phoenix is an Australian police drama television series. Phoenix screened as two thirteen-part series on Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1992 and 1993. The first series of Phoenix in 1992 recounted the investigation of the bombing of the Victorian state police headquarters, loosely based on a real case in the mid-1980s, the Russell Street Bombing. It was aided by extensive research into police techniques and was lauded as one of the most realistic depictions of police investigation techniques, including both surveillance and forensics, as well as having an involving storyline. The series was notable for its dark visual tone and for its no-holds-barred attitude to violence and language. It spawned a second thirteen-part series, Phoenix II, in 1993 as well as a spin-off series, Janus, in 1994 devoted to the machinations of court cases. The series was created and produced by Tony McDonald and Alison Nisselle and screened by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The ABC have released Series 1 and 2 on DVD as a 4 DVD box set.

Who’s in it. Phoenix stars Sean Scully as Ian Cochrane, Simon Westaway as Peter Faithful, Peter Cummins as Supt. Wallace and Andy Anderson as Lochie Renford, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, Phoenix has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Phoenix page.

If you liked it. Fans of Phoenix tend to enjoy Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Lucifer and Riverdale.