‘Rake’ Series Preview: Cast, Plot Details, and Trailer

Rake Cast photo
Ian Colletti, Miranda Otto, Tara Summers, Greg Kinnear, David Harbour, Bojana Novakovic, John Ortiz and Necar Zadegan star in 'Rake' (Photo ©2013 Fox Broadcasting Co., Photo Credit: Warwick Saint)

Greg Kinnear stars in Fox’s new drama Rake premiering on January 23, 2014. The series finds Kinnear playing a criminal defense lawyer.

Greg Kinnear plays Keegan Deane, Miranda Otto is Maddy Deane, John Ortiz stars as Ben Leon, and Necar Zadegan is Scarlet Leon. The cast also includes Bojana Novakovic, Tara Summers, David Harbour, and Ian Colletti.

The Synopsis: Rake, a character-driven drama based on the Australian nominee for Best Television Drama series of the same name, follows the comedic and chaotic life of criminal defense lawyer Keegan Deane (Kinnear). On a single day, Keegan Deane is described as many things. His ex-wife-calls him “unreliable”; his son calls him a “pal”; most judges think he’s “an outrage”; the IRS calls him a “defendant”; and to his former dealer, he’s simply a “tragic loss.”

Brilliant, frustratingly charming and with zero filter, Keegan is one of life’s great addicts. His staggering lack of discretion and inability to self-censor land him the cases that nobody else will touch, but behind that lies a resolute optimism and belief in justice that fuel his dogged determination to defend those who seem beyond redemption. He always tries to do the right thing, but at the same time struggles to save himself from the many self-destructive elements that plague his own life, such as his overindulgence of various excesses, including women and gambling.

Keegan gets a majority of his cases from Ben Leon (John Ortiz), his best friend since law school. Ben is married to Scarlet (Necar Zadegan), another of Keegan’s old friends and, as Assistant District Attorney for the city of Los Angeles, quite often his opponent in court.

In addition to Keegan’s cases within the justice system, the series follows his personal trials and tribulations, including his mounting debt to his bookie and his overlapping liaisons with various women, including Melisa ‘Mikki’ Partridge (Bojana Novakovic), Keegan’s favorite prostitute and de-facto love interest.

Also among his predicaments is his ongoing battle with the IRS, especially as prosecuted by David Potter (David Harbour), an IRS tax attorney who looks ten years younger than he is, earning him the nickname (bestowed by Keegan) “Harry” – as in “Harry Potter.” But always there to help Keegan clean up his mess is Leanne Zander (Tara Summers), his extremely put-upon, no-nonsense assistant.

Meanwhile, Keegan’s ex-wife, Maddy (Otto), a psychologist by profession, begrudgingly acts as his therapist. She also is the mother of their hormonal son, Finn (Ian Colletti), who displays many of the same proclivities as his father.

Each morning, Keegan tends to wake up bruised – physically, emotionally, spiritually. Usually it’s a combination of them all. Then it’s out into the world – onto the battleground of Keegan’s day.