Viewers have voiced their disapproval over Channel Nine’s new two-part drama Underbelly: Vanishing Act, with many describing it as ‘cringeworthy’ and ‘junk’.
The highly anticipated premiere on Sunday detailed the life of notorious conwoman Melissa Caddick (played by Kate Atkinson) – who infamously scammed 60 clients out of at least $23million before ASIC raided her $6.8million home two years ago.
Caddick vanished a day before the raid, and is currently presumed dead after investigators found her severed foot three months after her disappearance.
Not impressed: Viewers struggled to watch Channel Nine’s ‘cringeworthy’ new drama Underbelly: Vanishing Act about notorious conwoman Melissa Caddick on Sunday night. Pictured: Kate Atkinson as Caddick
Many viewers likened the crime drama to none other than iconic Aussie sitcom of the early 2000s, Kath & Kim.
‘Omg the narration on Underbelly sounds like it’s a direct script from Kath & Kim. Is this a comedy now?’ one posted on Twitter.
Another wrote: ‘Underbelly: Vanishing Act, I feel like I’m watching a cash-up scheming Kath from Kath & Kim.’
Hilarious: Many viewers likened the crime drama to none other than iconic Aussie sitcom of the early 2000s, Kath & Kim. Pictured: Jane Turner (right) as Kath and Gina Riley (left) as Kim
Criticism: ‘Omg the narration on Underbelly sounds like it’s a direct script from Kath & Kim. Is this a comedy now?’ one posted on Twitter. One simply described the show as ‘absolutely awful and cringe’, while another said they were about to ‘switch it off’ as it’s just ‘junk’
One simply described the show as ‘absolutely awful and cringe’, while another said they were about to ‘switch it off’ as it’s just ‘junk’.
Another said they were ‘struggling’ to watch after initially being excited to tune in.
The backlash comes after former Wentworth actress Kate told 9Entertainment on Sunday that while she was excited to play such an ‘unique’ character, the most challenging part is not worrying about fans’ expectations.
‘The biggest challenge is to not feel pressured to give the audience what they want or who they think they know she is — none of us know,’ she said.
Pressure: The backlash comes after former Wentworth actress Kate told 9Entertainment on Sunday that while she was excited to play such an ‘unique’ character, the most challenging part is not worrying about fans’ expectations. Pictured: Caddick
‘And this is not a truth telling, this is not a documentary. We’ve taken these two life events, but we’ve extrapolated them into a story about bigger ideas.’
She added that the nature of the show is to ‘tease out every possible story and version of this person’, as everyone has their own theory as to what happened to Caddick.
‘Rather than shying away from that, we’re kind of teasing out that tendency for everyone to think they know what happened,’ she added.
Challenge: ‘The biggest challenge is to not feel pressured to give the audience what they want or who they think they know she is — none of us know,’ Kate (pictured as Melissa) said
Kate said she was drawn to playing Caddick because the character is so ‘unique to anything’ she’s ever played before, adding that it ‘couldn’t be further from my life’.
Caddick was last seen shortly after the Dover Heights mansion she shared with her DJ husband Anthony Koletti was raided by the Australian Federal Police and ASIC investigators.
A financial advisor, Caddick scammed an estimated $30million from 60 clients, most of them friends and family, in order to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
The audience: ‘Rather than shying away from that, we’re kind of teasing out that tendency for everyone to think they know what happened,’ Kate added
Three months after Caddick vanished in November 2021, a severed foot was found on the south coast of NSW near Tathra, about five and a half hours from Sydney.
After DNA tests confirmed that the limb belonged to Caddick, 49, it was presumed the high-flying schemer was dead.
Many theories have surfaced since to explain the circumstances surrounding Caddick’s disappearance including murder and suicide.
Ex: Caddick is pictured with her first husband Tony Caddick (pictured right) – they had a child together who was living with Caddick when she disappeared
Some experts who have examined the case argue that it is possible that Caddick faked her own disappearance, and is in hiding.
Produced by Screentime and filmed late last year, Underbelly: Vanishing Act has a cast that includes veteran actor Colin Friels (Mystery Road), Home and Away’s Tai Hara, Sophie Bloom from Love Child, and Ursula Mills from Out of the Blue.
Underbelly: Vanishing Act continues Monday April 4 at 9pm on Nine and 9Now
Family: Her partner Anthony Koletti (pictured left) was believed to be unaware of Caddick’s illegal conduct. In October, he denied she rorted her clients and ripped off their friends and family, despite the overwhelming evidence
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