Serangoon Road is an Australian-Singaporean drama television series that premiered on 22 September 2013 on ABC and HBO Asia. It is a detective noir drama set in Singapore in the mid-1960s. The 10-part series is a collaboration between ABC and HBO Asia and was filmed largely in Singapore.[1] It was created by Paul D. Barron and directed by Peter Andrikidis and Tony Tilse.[2]

Serangoon Road
GenrePeriod drama
Film noir
Created byPaul D. Barron
Written byMichaeley O'Brien
Christopher D Hawkshaw
Tony Morphett
Directed byPeter Andrikidis
Tony Tilse
StarringDon Hany
Joan Chen
Alaric Tay
Michael Dorman
Pamelyn Chee
et al.
Theme music composerCezary Skubiszewski
Jan Skubiszewski
Country of originAustralia
Singapore
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producersCarole Sklan
Greeg Simpkin
Sue Masters
Erika North
Saralo MacGregor
Mike Wiluan
Michael O'Donnell
ProducersPaul Barron
Nick North
Production locationsSingapore
Batam, Indonesia
Running time55 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
HBO Asia
RED by HBO
Release22 September (2013-09-22) –
29 November 2013 (2013-11-29)

The final episode of the series aired on 29 November 2013.[3] Though the series received encouraging ratings, HBO has no plans for a second season.[4]

Plot

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The series is set in Singapore during the mid-1960s, a tumultuous time in the island's history. The island state is at a crossroads as it is about to break away from the newly created federation of Malaysia and become an independent country. The British colonial rulers are gradually pulling out of the country, while racial and political tensions are running high and the ensuing riots are threatening national security. Communist insurgency movements are active in neighbouring countries and trying to push into Singapore.

The protagonist Sam Callaghan is an Australian living in Singapore. As a child, he was interned in Changi Prison by the occupying Japanese and later joined the military, serving in Malaya. He now runs an import/export business with his partner Kang. Sam agrees to help neighbour Patricia Cheng at her detective agency after her husband is killed while working on a case.[5]

Cast

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Episode 1"Peter AndrikidisMichaeley O'Brien22 September 2013 (2013-09-22)
2"Episode 2"Peter AndrikidisMichaeley O'Brien29 September 2013 (2013-09-29)
3"Episode 3"Peter AndrikidisChristopher D Hawkshaw6 October 2013 (2013-10-06)
4"Episode 4"Peter AndrikidisTony Morphett13 October 2013 (2013-10-13)
5"Episode 5"Peter AndrikidisMichaeley O'Brien20 October 2013 (2013-10-20)
6"Episode 6"Tony TilseMargaret Wilson1 November 2013 (2013-11-01)
7"Episode 7"Tony TilseJustin Monjo8 November 2013 (2013-11-08)
8"Episode 8"Tony TilseKym Goldsworthy & Timothy Lee15 November 2013 (2013-11-15)
9"Episode 9"Tony TilseMichaeley O'Brien22 November 2013 (2013-11-22)
10"Episode 10"Tony TilseMichaeley O'Brien29 November 2013 (2013-11-29)

Production

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Because little remains of 1960s Singapore, the series was largely filmed on the soundstages of Singapore's Infinite Studios, in the ‘Chinatown’ streetscape on its backlot, and rural locations on the nearby island of Batam (Indonesia).  Location shooting was done at the Raffles Hotel and other expatriate locations, and the merchant shop houses of Joo Chat Road heritage area.[6]  The actual Serangoon Road, a major artery that became a predominantly Indian district,[7] does not figure in the series apart from the title.

International broadcasts

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Country/Region Network Premiere date Ref.
  Gibraltar GBC TV 25 March 2014
  United Kingdom Sony Channel 9 April 2014
  Brazil Max Prime 30 June 2014
  France France Ô 30 August 2014 [8]

References

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  1. ^ "TV series fostering cultural ties with Singapore and Indonesia | Ministers' Media Centre". Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  2. ^ "ABC drama co-production with HBO Asia". TV Tonight. 7 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Serangoon Road". ABC iview.
  4. ^ "HBO Asia's Serangoon Road starring Joan Chen and Chin Han up for Australian awards". Archived from the original on 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Airdate: Serangoon Road". TV Tonight. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  6. ^ “HBO Asia period miniseries Serangoon Road films on location in Singapore,” The Location Guide [website], Sept 19, 2013. Accessed June 5, 2024.
  7. ^ [1]“Serangoon Road,” Singapore Infopedia [website], National Library Board of Singapore. Accessed June 5, 2024.
  8. ^ "Serangoon Road : avez-vous déjà vu une série australo-singapourienne ?". Le Figaro (in French). 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
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