Phoenix

On my shortest list of all-time favourite TV detective series. Cracker, Prime Suspect, Foyle's War, Silent Witness and Morse are all superb, but Phoenix remains in a class of its own. A single crime is the thread of a story spanning 13 episodes, leading the viewer through every step of the investigation; the false trails, the lucky breaks, the painstaking slog, the brilliant insights - and the all-too-plausible departmental intrigues. It had me hooked completely from the start, counting the days from one episode to the next. Nothing glossed over, no paranormal visions, no leaps of faith to help point out the killers - just gritty, meticulous police work, wonderfully scripted and acted. As far as Australian police TV drama goes, there's Phoenix, Scales of Justice and Blue Murder, then Janus and Wildside, then daylight.

I have only seen 'Phoenix' as a repeat (currently been shown @ 11pm Monday nights on ABC). I thought that the first series was brilliant, but on Monday, the second series premiered. I noticed that Paul Sonkila and Andy Anderson were among the notable absentees - obviously as officers-in-charge of the Major Crime Squad, they were held accountable for the many complaints regarding the bomb investigation. It now seems that Phoenix has lost its first series quality. Am I reading to much into the first episode, or were Sonkila, Anderson and others smart enough to get off a sinking ship?

I'm over the moon. The ABC has finally released the first season of "Phoenix" as a box set and it has just arrived. I have waited for this moment for years and after watching the first episode I now recall what made this series the cop drama benchmark that it truly is.

The story, which was based on a real-life bombing, actually moved along quite slowly but each hour went by so quickly that it seemed like a few minutes. Every character was fleshed out and whole, even those with small parts. Looking back, it is astonishing that the whole series is concerned with the investigation of one major crime. It was totally absorbing and so very life like. It was the first that compelled me to watch it every week. All other TV dramas I could miss a week or two, but Phoenix was mandatory viewing as far as I was concerned.

I would have to say that Phoenix was the best mini-series ever committed to television.I must have watched it a million times and still find it invigorating as when i first watched it,with it's grainy vision and halting camera work this was not just another cop show,but at true piece of television magic.A member of my wife's family personally knows the technical adviser for the series and i have been able to glean many facts regarding this fantastic series.It is a shame that it can't be purchased on DVD as my copies on VHS are becoming well worn,and considering i had to place an ad in the herald sun to find someone who could let me purchase a copy it must be hard for the fans to keep hold of the memories.Hopefully someone at the ABC will have the good sense to re-release this as a box set on DVD,and keep the memories fresh for a long time to come.

There are few series that I EVER became seriously addicted to, and PHOENIX tops the list! I saw in in the mid-90's when it was broadcast on public television (Knowledge Network) in British Columbia Canada. I stopped watching any American crime dramas that i had been interested in after watching Phoenix. The quality and detail were so far above the type of programming at the time. People now are all caught up in the whole 'CSI' experience and i see that these productions still pale to Phoenix. The concept of one crime and it playing out over a whole season had not been seen by myself before. The idea that you might miss an episode and REALLY miss something was so real! I totally loved the grittiness of the show. The scenes of profanity and violence, and yes nudity too... were a bit shocking compared to US television; but it was all done with context. I have tried watching other Australian series simply on the high regard I have for Phoenix and Phoenix II. I think this is listed elsewhere as 1991 and 1992?

I would love to see it again! I saw the ABC price for the series and almost cried.