PODCAST | Michael Dorman On ABC’s Treasure & Dirt, Outback Noir And Playing Ivan Lucic – TV Central: One on One returns with a Michael Dorman podcast about ABC’s new outback crime drama Treasure & Dirt.
In this episode, Aaron Ryan speaks with Michael Dorman. He stars as Detective Ivan Lucic in the six-part ABC drama.
Michael plays a brilliant but unpredictable city detective. Ivan arrives in Nulla expecting a murder investigation. Instead, he finds suspicious locals, closed ranks and secrets almost everywhere he turns.
Dorman’s screen career began with the acclaimed Australian drama The Secret Life of Us. Since then, his work has included Wonderland, Patriot, For All Mankind, Joe Pickett, The Invisible Man and Territory.
What Is Treasure & Dirt About?
Treasure & Dirt takes viewers to Nulla, a fictional opal mining town in the Australian outback.
The story begins when local police discover a beheaded miner at the bottom of an opal mine. At first, the case looks like a traditional murder mystery.
Soon, Nulla becomes just as important as the crime itself. The town has its own rules, its own power players and a long memory.
Ivan works alongside rookie detective Nell Buchanan, played by Liv Hewson. Nell knows the lawless and corrupt underbelly of Nulla far better than Ivan does.
The series blends crime, dry Australian humour and strange outback atmosphere. It also explores greed, old sins and the way small towns protect dangerous secrets.
The six-part drama is based on the novel by Chris Hammer. Easy Tiger produced the series for the ABC, with Madeleine Gottlieb directing.
The cast also includes Sarah Peirse, Thomas M. Wright, Mark Mitchinson, Eamon Farren, Kelton Pell, Steve Le Marquand, Arnijka Larcombe-Weate, Dean O’Gorman, Ling Cooper Tang, Elena Carapetis, Roman Mellis, Nathan Jones, Zane Blumeris, Bessie Holland, Kris McQuade, Glenda Linscott and Evie Greay.
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What’s In The Podcast?
Aaron and Michael begin with the tone of Treasure & Dirt. They discuss how the series places a crime story inside an isolated Australian town.
Humour, danger and unusual local characters all become part of the mystery. Michael also talks about playing Ivan Lucic as a character who keeps the audience guessing.
Ivan is difficult to read. Michael explains how he decides what to reveal before the story gives viewers the answers.
The episode then looks at Nulla itself. Ivan may have more experience, but Nell Buchanan understands the town and its people far better than he does.
That changing balance becomes a key part of the drama. It also shapes the way Ivan responds to local power, closed ranks and unusual law and order.
Michael reflects on filming for five weeks in and around Coober Pedy. He talks about the opal fields, the underground mines and the dugouts.
He also shares what it meant to bring his father to set. The conversation then moves to director Madeleine Gottlieb, Liv Hewson and the bold characters who surround Ivan.
The podcast also looks back at Michael’s career. That includes The Secret Life of Us, his Australian and overseas work, and the roles that continue to challenge him.
Listen To The Podcast
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The full episode of TV Central: One on One with Michael Dorman is available now via Acast, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms.
TV Central: One on One Podcast
Season 2026, Episode 6
Treasure & Dirt premieres Sunday 19 July at 8.30pm on ABC TV. Viewers can stream all episodes on ABC iview.
With thanks to Rob Caulley for organising this podcast.
For more podcasts from TV Central, visit the TV Central podcast section.
