Actor-Shared Background: Half the cast of Blue Heelers would wind up in the series at some point or another, though most of the characters would not meet each other as they would have in the other show with PJ/Mario and Graham (Gerard Kennedy and the guest roles he played) being the only notable exception.
Banned in Victoria: The first season was banned in Victoria by way of a court order, as the trials of several people involved in the events depicted were underway at the time and there was an interest in preventing the jury being influenced and prejudiced by watching the show. Judge King went so far as to enjoy the attention for banning any media story based around the gangland killings. However, freak weather conditions in Tasmania sent the signal for episode 5 to parts of Victoria. Additionally, the ban was publicised quite a bit by media outlets, sparking even more interest in the show. Eventually in 2008, heavily edited versions of the first five episodes of the show were aired in Victoria. Whole scenes were cut out. In maybe the craziest bit of editing, actor Robert Mammone, who played Tony Mokbel, one of the keys figures, had his face pixelated. That's right. They scrambled an actor's face just because the guy he was playing was still on trial. Eventually, the series aired uncut in Victoria in 2011note Though, the show was outdated by this point, and the closing narration had to be redone, lasting a whole minute longer than its original airing, but the Blu-Ray/DVD boxset still can't be sold there.
Enforced Method Acting: Actor Simon Westaway played suspected gang associate Mick Gatto, and when the two met one of Gatto's associates noticed Westaway copied what he did, which hand he ate and drank with. Despite Gatto's concern of a former police officer playing him he saw that the actor was fair dinkum about the role.
Fake Nationality: Funnily enough, in A Tale of Two Cities, "Kiwi Terry" is played by the Australian Matthew Newton and "Aussie Bob" is played by the New Zealander Roy Billing.
No Export for You: No plans yet have been made for the fourth season to air in the US as of yet, as Audience Network has opted to skip it in favor of going straight to season five.
In the spin-off series Fat Tony and Co., most of the central cast from Underbelly series 1 reprised their original roles, with only a few exceptions (see above). Oddly enough, a sizeable handful of minor actors from the original series are also present, but as wholly new characters:
Ian Bliss originally played beardy-weirdy getaway driver Thomas Hentschel, but makes a late appearance in Fat Tony as the suited and clean shaven Inspector Bernie Edwards.
Tony Nikolakopoulos was originally Benji's oblivious father in Underbelly, but appears here as Stavros with a much larger role.
Dario Mancini played psychotic bully PK in Underbelly. In Fat Tony he plays pot-smoking farmer Dario.
Aaron Jeffery plays informant Frank O'Rourke in Badness and the titular role in Chopper.
Ella Scott Lynch played Snr Constable Alavoine in Badness, Margaret Read in Chopper and Nicola Gobbo in Informant 3838.
