Optics on ABC and ABC iview S1E4 – Journalist Anna McDowell (Virginie Laverdure) interviews a young, vulnerable woman about an alleged incident with Archie Toole (Josh Helman), one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, currently playing ‘Njord: Warrior of the Fjord’.
Archie’s panicked agent Spence Tasker (Matthew Whittet) is focused on damage control for his client but feels unsure about Greta and Nicole’s capacity to make the problem go away. He’s used to the old guys of the firm, but he’s desperate for solutions. Archie messages young women, and when they engage in sexual relations, Archie shaves off pieces of their skin as keepsakes.
A ‘lifestyle clause’ in Archie’s contract is the problem. If collecting skin ‘offends public conventions’ the studio could drop him from the movie. The studio won’t make major decisions without the sign off of director Jeb Carson (Nash Edgerton), but Jeb doesn’t care much for Archie.
Nicole suggests checking the young star into a no-phones health spa. Spence knows Archie will need a handler. A woman he’s not attracted to. Meredith – who’s on her first day off in 34 years – is assigned to the task, while Nicole and Greta work on building up the narrative that Archie has simply been a victim of kink shaming.
While Ian’s doctor makes him wear a heart monitor for 24 hours, Cody visits Greg Hogg (Stephen Hunter), CEO of StarToyzz, who has an exploding hoverboard skateboard issue. They’ve injured a bunch of kids, and one parent is holding out on signing an NDA.
Production credit:
Commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. A Chaser Digital and Easy Tiger Production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia and the ABC. Financed with support from Screen NSW. Optics is produced in association with and distributed by ITV Studios. Created and written by Jenna Owen, Vic Zerbst and Charles Firth.
Executive Producers: Charles Firth, Easy Tiger’s Rob Gibson and Ian Collie, Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst. Produced by Paige Wharehinga. Directed by Max Miller. ABC Executive Producers Rachel Okine and Todd Abbott.
Optics on ABC and ABC iview – Wednesday 19 February at 8.30pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
Optics on ABC and ABC iview S1E4
