Twenty years is a long time to stay away from a character. Most actors would’ve let Jane Halifax gather dust in a vault of 90s nostalgia, right next to shoulder pads and landlines. But Rebecca Gibney isn't most actors. When the cast of Halifax Retribution finally assembled in Melbourne, it wasn’t just a reunion—it was a high-stakes pivot for one of Australia’s most iconic crime franchises.
Honestly, the energy was different this time. You’ve got the familiar face of Gibney, sure, but she’s surrounded by a grit that the original telemovies sometimes lacked. This 2020 revival traded the "case of the week" vibe for an eight-part serial thriller about a sniper terrorizing the city.
The Core Players: Who’s Who in the Retribution
Let's talk about the heavy hitters. Rebecca Gibney returns as Jane Halifax, now a university professor who thought she’d left the profiling life behind. She’s still sharp, still intuitive, but there’s a vulnerability there that only comes with age. You can see it in how she handles the loss of her partner, Ben Sailor.
Speaking of Ben, Craig Hall plays him. You might recognize him from A Place to Call Home. He’s the grounding force for Jane, a luthier who builds acoustic guitars and tries to keep her away from the darkness of her past. His death early in the series is the catalyst that makes everything personal. It’s not just a job anymore. It’s a hunt.
Then there’s the Hollywood muscle: Anthony LaPaglia.
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He plays Inspector Tom Saracen. Saracen is the head of Task Force Stingray, the team hunting the sniper. He and Jane have history—and not necessarily the friendly kind. LaPaglia brings that weary, "I’ve seen too much" gravitas he perfected in Without a Trace. His chemistry with Gibney feels lived-in, like two old warhorses who don't always agree but deeply respect the scars they both carry.
The Supporting Powerhouse
The show didn't skimp on the side characters either. Check out this lineup:
- Claudia Karvan as Mandy Petras: The "troubled ex" of Ben Sailor. Karvan is Aussie TV royalty, and she plays Mandy with a frantic, messy energy that contrasts perfectly with Jane’s clinical coolness.
- Mavournee Hazel as Zoe Sailor: Zoe is Ben’s daughter and Jane’s stepdaughter. She’s the "wild child" who blames Jane for the chaos that has descended on their lives.
- Rick Donald as Nick Tanner: A member of the task force who often finds himself caught between Saracen’s orders and Jane’s unconventional methods.
- Ming-Zhu Hii as Mila Bronski: Another key detective on the team, bringing a modern, high-tech edge to the investigation.
Why the Casting Matters for the Story
If you’ve watched the original Halifax f.p. (which ran from 1994 to 2002), you know Jane was always a bit of a lone wolf. In Retribution, the casting choices force her into a family dynamic she didn't ask for.
Basically, the show uses the cast of Halifax Retribution to dismantle Jane’s defenses. Having Jacqueline McKenzie reprise her role as Sharon Sinclair from the 1995 telemovie Lies of the Mind was a genius move. It’s a literal bridge to the past. It tells the audience: "We haven't forgotten where we came from, but the world is much more dangerous now."
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The villain—the sniper—is played by Ben O'Toole (as Daniel/Jarrod). He’s chilling. He doesn't need much screen time to be terrifying. It’s that quiet, methodical presence that makes you look over your shoulder when you’re walking through a parking lot.
The "Almost" Cast: What Could Have Been
Kinda interesting fact—Jessica Marais was originally set to be in the show. She had to drop out due to personal reasons and scheduling conflicts right before filming started. While we'll never know exactly how her character would have changed the dynamic, the ensemble we ended up with feels remarkably tight-knit.
They filmed this in Melbourne, and you can feel the city’s DNA in the performances. It’s moody. It’s grey. It’s exactly the kind of place where a forensic psychiatrist would feel at home and entirely unsafe at the same time.
Misconceptions About the Reboot
A lot of people thought this would be a reboot where they just "forgot" the old movies happened. Not true. The writers (led by original creator Roger Simpson) and the actors went out of their way to treat the previous series as canon.
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When you see Jane looking at old files or mentioning past criminals, those aren't just props. They are references to actual episodes from twenty years ago. This gives the cast of Halifax Retribution a weight that most "reboots" lack. They aren't just playing roles; they are inhabiting a timeline.
Takeaway for Fans
If you’re looking to dive into this series, don't just watch it for the mystery. Watch it for the performances. Gibney and LaPaglia are masters of the "unspoken" dialogue—the looks they give each other across a crime scene tell more than five pages of script ever could.
To get the most out of your viewing:
- Watch the first episode twice. There are subtle character beats in the background of the task force office that pay off in the finale.
- Look for the cameos. Several actors from the original run pop up in unexpected ways.
- Pay attention to Zoe’s arc. Mavournee Hazel gives one of the most underrated performances in the show as she navigates grief and resentment.
The series is a masterclass in how to bring a legacy character back without making it feel like a cash grab. It’s dark, it’s personal, and it’s arguably the best work Gibney has ever done.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to see where Jane Halifax started before the events of Retribution, look for the original Halifax f.p. telemovies on streaming services like 9Now in Australia or Acorn TV internationally. Start with The Feeding, which is often cited as the definitive "classic" Halifax experience.