Seen it?
Rake
Streaming on (US) 
See all
Cleaver Greene, a talented but self-destructive barrister who uses unconventional methods and usually defends those beyond redemption. With unyielding optimism he takes on only the most difficult court cases that no one else wants, from suicide bombing to sex offences and thefts to psychotic school girl drama. At the same time the Sydney barrister tries to put his personal life in order, where his addiction to short term highs and women land him into trouble.
Highest-rated episodes all ranked
- 01Episode 6Cleaver defends David but Barney sees it as a betrayal; Fuzz gets Missy drugs and then she seduces him. Wendy has a date with an old flame; and a free David announces he's standing for the Senate.
- 02
Episode 3Wendy reluctantly takes Cleaver in when he's evicted, while Barney is reeling from the costs of his rescue. David and Scarlet's romance is slowly being scuttled by her children; and Missy is desperate for drugs. - 03
R v DanaConsumed by remorse after sleeping with his best friend's wife Scarlet (Danielle Cormack), and facing his ninth appearance before the Professional Conduct Committee of the Bar Association, Cleaver's (Richard Roxburgh) day only gets worse when he's confronted with a front-page story declaring his nemesis David Potter (Matt Day) a hero. When a dispirited Barney (Russell Dykstra) arrives at Cleaver's rooms ready to employ a private detective to find out if Scarlet's having an affair, a panicked and guilt-ridden Cleaver tries to reassure him that his marriage is safe. But he finds a welcome distraction in the brief Barney delivers involving a famous chef charged with bigamy. The chef, George Dana (Lech Mackiewicz), has two restaurants - one in the city, and one in the Blue Mountains - and a wife and family to go with both. Meanwhile, David Potter leaves hospital in a blaze of glory and asks Missy (Adrienne Pickering) to move in with him. She promises to stay at least until he's well, still avoiding his questions about her past. However, Cleaver is still dealing with his own woes - begging Scarlet not to leave Barney, and confessing his misdeed to ex-wife Wendy, who is not as understanding as he'd hoped. When Scarlet decides to tell Barney that there's someone else, it's his best friend Cleaver he turns to and they go out to drown their sorrows. Cleaver can't believe his day could get any worse when Missy and David arrive at the same restaurant to have dinner with friends. Meanwhile, back in the courtroom, Cleaver's bigamy case is going well...that is until word reaches the court that along with George Dana's most recent restaurant in Newcastle, there is another...Mrs Dana. As Cleaver receives another late night phone call from Missy, they're both left wondering what it is they can't let go of.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
R v MurrayNovember 4, 2010Barrister Cleaver Greene's life continues to spiral out of control - the latest blow being the beating he's just received from Mick Corella' - S01E02
R v MarxNovember 11, 2010Cleaver's gambling debts are mounting, but on the upside, and much to the chagrin of tax lawyer David Potter who's been in constant pursuit, - S01E03Season's bestR v DanaNovember 18, 2010Consumed by remorse after sleeping with his best friend's wife Scarlet (Danielle Cormack), and facing his ninth appearance before the Profes
- S01E04R v LortonNovember 25, 2010Cleaver takes on a case defending Denny Lorton - known as Pica - a once famous but now homeless artist who is accused of murdering a 15-year
- S01E05R v ChandlerDecember 2, 2010The seemingly perfect life of obstetrician Dr. Bruce Chandler (Sam Neill) is turned upside down when his briefcase is stolen, and a very inc
- S01E06R v LanghornDecember 9, 2010Radio shock jock Eddie Langhorn (Rachel Griffiths) is charged with inciting racial hatred, and turns to old flame Cleaver Greene (Richard Ro
- S01E07R v TannerDecember 16, 2010As Barney (Russell Dykstra) starts to rebound from his recent marriage woes, Joe Sandilands (Geoff Morrell) is publicly outed as one of the
- S01E08R v CorellaDecember 23, 2010At one of their regular swingers' parties, Mick Corella's (Richard Carter) wife Kirsty (Robyn Malcolm) runs into an old school friend Nigel
Season02
- S02E01Season's bestR v MohammedSeptember 6, 2012A man walks through Hyde Park and without warning explodes.Never out of the headlines for long, Cleaver Greene (Richard Roxburgh) is caught
- S02E02R v FentonSeptember 13, 2012Cleaver's (Richard Roxburgh) affair with the Premier proves to be costly when her husband, Attorney-General Cal McGregor (Damien Garvey) beg
- S02E03R v Wooldridge & AnorSeptember 20, 2012Missy's (Adrienne Pickering) book about her life as a prostitute has caused a sensation, and she's engaged to the infamous founder of an on-
- S02E04R v FloydSeptember 27, 2012Missy (Adrienne Pickering) and Joshua Floyd (Martin Henderson) are Australia's most newsworthy couple: the bestselling author of a controver
- S02E05R v TurnerOctober 4, 2012Missy (Adrienne Pickering) is on trial for murdering her fiancé. The only way Cleaver (Richard Roxburgh) can save her is to expose the consp
- S02E06R v AlfordOctober 11, 2012A piercing scream splits the dawn silence of a leafy, suburban arcadia and Cleaver (Richard Roxburgh) and Barney (Russell Dykstra) are soon
- S02E07Greene v HoleOctober 18, 2012Scarlet (Danielle Cormack) and David's (Matt Day) affair is front page news, and Scarlet faces the disapproval of the private school mothers
- S02E08GreeneOctober 25, 2012Cleaver (Richard Roxburgh) is in prison, charged with the manslaughter of Lane Hole's (Phil Lloyd) sweet, elderly neighbour. He is bailed ou
Season03
- S03E01Episode 1February 9, 2014Cleaver Greene languishes in prison surrounded by enemies and friends. Many former colleagues from Macquarie St and the bench are also insid
- S03E02Season's bestEpisode 2February 16, 2014Cleaver outsmarts the appeals judges, but life outside is not good. He is a legal pariah, jobless, homeless and phoneless, and while he has
- S03E03Episode 3February 23, 2014At Malcolm's funeral Cleaver meets Mal's sister Felicity, a honey blonde with an acid wit; and baulks at being Scarlet's junior in the case
- S03E04Episode 4March 2, 2014A murder brings Felicity back into Cleaver's life. He knows he needs Barney, despite everything that's happening in Barney's life; and he ca
- S03E05Episode 5March 9, 2014Cleaver is retained for a low rent tawdry sex offence, but the Royal Commissions that have decimated David's front bench mean that even barr
- S03E06Episode 6March 16, 2014Roger bans Cleaver from Wendy's, and Fuzz has returned with a Congolese wife, a Cleaveresque attitude, and (according to the AFP) a suitcase
- S03E07Episode 7March 23, 2014Siege veteran Cleaver leads Wendy, Fuzz and Prue out of Roger's hostage crisis, but is accidentally shot in the buttock.
- S03E08Episode 8March 30, 2014Something is seriously awry in Cleaver's world. His practice is booming, Barney is thriving and he is falling in love with Felicity. But doe
Season04Best season
- S04E01
Episode 1May 19, 2016Cleaver's descent to earth lands him straight into the clutches of a one-time mentor and now powerful criminal on the run, Edgar Thompson. M - S04E02
Episode 2May 26, 2016Cleaver's been hiding out in the country posing as a writer, but his cover's blown when Barney appears on Australian Story, complete with im - S04E03Episode 3June 2, 2016Wendy reluctantly takes Cleaver in when he's evicted, while Barney is reeling from the costs of his rescue. David and Scarlet's romance is s
- S04E04
Episode 4June 9, 2016Thompson has Cleaver in the frame for drug trafficking, but Wendy comes to the rescue. David is desperate to save his relationship with Scar - S04E05
Episode 5June 16, 2016Barney & Cleaver are back on speaking terms and share a case; Cleaver rescues Missy who's been enjoying a cocaine-hazed few days with Ca - S04E06Season's bestEpisode 6June 23, 2016Cleaver defends David but Barney sees it as a betrayal; Fuzz gets Missy drugs and then she seduces him. Wendy has a date with an old flame;
- S04E07Episode 7June 30, 2016After David's acquittal Cleaver and Nicole worry about Barney, but then Cleaver gets himself disbarred and Wendy kicks him out. But Jack is
- S04E08Episode 8July 7, 2016Cleaver considers a career change but David throws a spanner in the works. Cleaver's determined to win Wendy back, but Jack is scheming to g
Season05
- S05E01Greene v The WorldAugust 19, 2018One year on from taking up residency in Canberra as a Senator in Federal Parliament, Cleaver (Richard Roxburgh) has old foes and new: Cleave
- S05E02Greene v The United StatesAugust 26, 2018Incriminating multimedia and a missing US Defence Secretary puts Cleaver firmly in the sights of the Secret Service as it comes to light tha
- S05E03Evans v GreeneSeptember 2, 2018After mislaying his suit at a fancy-dress party Cleaver is not only forced to do the walk of shame, but to speak to the house.... dressed as
- S05E04Gold and Greene v RedSeptember 9, 2018
- S05E05Greene v DiariesSeptember 16, 2018
- S05E06Greene v The UnflushablesSeptember 23, 2018
- S05E07Greene v Mid-WinterSeptember 30, 2018
- S05E08Season's bestGreene v The ReckoningOctober 7, 2018
Shows like Rake all similar shows
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Drama·Comedy·CrimeFargo2014·FX
Fargo is a seasonal anthology crime drama with some dark comical elements, inspired by the film Fargo written by the Coen brothers.Compare - 02Drama·Comedy·CrimeThe Rookie2018–presentSame network — ABC·Compare
- 03Drama·Comedy·SportsTed Lasso2020–present
Ted Lasso centers on an idealistic — and clueless — all-American football coach hired to manage an English football club — despite having no soccer coaching experience at all.Compare - 04Drama·Comedy·FoodThe Bear2022–present·Hulu
Carmy, a young fine-dining chef, comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop.Compare - 05Drama·Comedy·CrimeTulsa King2022–present·Paramount+
Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi, just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Compare - 06Drama·Comedy·FamilyShameless2011–2021·Paramount+ with Showtime
Shameless is a fiercely engaging and fearlessly twisted series.Compare
Head-to-head pick any opponent
Stack Rake's full episode-rating history against a rival, on one chart.
Keep exploring top shows
ShortcutThe essential episodes
Short on time? The pilot-to-finale shortcut, only the episodes that matter.
MatchupCompare with another showTwo shows' episode ratings on one chart — settle it.
NetworkBest ABC showsMore from the same network, ranked by rating.
GenreBest drama shows & filmsThe top of the drama pile, across both mediums.
GenreBest comedy shows & filmsThe top of the comedy pile, across both mediums.