Phryne Fisher walked onto our screens in 2012 with a gold-plated pistol and a bob so sharp it could cut glass. It was a moment. Australian television had plenty of procedurals, but nothing quite like this 1920s romp through Melbourne’s jazz-soaked streets. The cast of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries didn't just play roles; they built a world that felt lived-in, smelling of expensive gin and industrial exhaust.
People still binge-watch this show on Acorn TV and Netflix because the chemistry wasn't faked. You can't script the way Essie Davis looks at Nathan Page. That’s lightning in a bottle.
Essie Davis: The Only Woman Who Could Be Phryne
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in those silk trousers. Essie Davis brought a specific kind of "dangerous" energy to Phryne Fisher. Before the show, Davis was a powerhouse on stage and had appeared in The Girl with a Pearl Earring, but Phryne turned her into an international icon of feminist independence.
Phryne is wealthy. She’s unapologetic. She’s sexually liberated in a way that 1920s society—and even some 2010s viewers—found startling. Davis played her with a wink. She never made Phryne feel like a caricature of a flapper. Instead, she gave her a history of trauma from the Great War and the loss of her sister, Janey. That depth is why the show isn't just "fluff."
Davis famously did many of her own stunts, including dangling from buildings and handling those incredible vintage cars. Her performance is the sun that the rest of the cast of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries revolved around.
The Slow Burn of Nathan Page
Then there’s Detective Inspector Jack Robinson. Nathan Page played him with such intense restraint that it practically hummed.
Jack is the "straight man" to Phryne’s chaos. He’s a veteran, a man who believes in the law even when the law is a mess. Page’s background as a former professional cyclist might seem irrelevant, but you see it in his physicality—the way he carries himself with a quiet, disciplined stillness.
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The "will-they-won't-they" between Jack and Phryne is legendary. It lasted three seasons and a movie. Fans call them "Phryack." What made it work wasn't grand declarations of love. It was the small things. A shared look over a corpse. A glass of whiskey in Jack’s office. The way he’d call her "Miss Fisher" even when they were clearly in love.
The Support System: Dot, Hugh, and the Household
A show about a rich lady solving crimes would get boring fast if she didn't have a grounded team. Enter Ashleigh Cummings as Dorothy "Dot" Williams.
Dot is the heart. She starts the series as a terrified, devout Catholic maid and ends it as a capable, slightly more confident version of herself. Cummings—who later went on to star in NOS4A2 and The Goldfinch—played Dot with a perfect mix of wide-eyed innocence and surprising steel.
Her romance with Constable Hugh Collins (played by Hugo Johnstone-Burt) provided a sweet, traditional counterpoint to Phryne and Jack’s unconventional dynamic. Hugh is a bit of a goof. He’s earnest. He’s also occasionally a bit sexist, which Phryne and Dot usually shut down pretty quickly.
The Muscle and the Intel
You can't talk about the cast of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries without mentioning the guys at the house.
- Bert and Cec (Travis McMahon and Anthony Sharpe): These two are the working-class backbone of the show. They’re communists, taxi drivers, and Phryne’s unofficial muscle. Their banter gives the show its "street-level" perspective of Melbourne.
- Mr. Butler (Richard Bligh): Yes, his name is actually Mr. Butler. He’s the quintessential major-domo who can whip up a souffle and clean a bloodstain out of a rug without blinking.
- Jane (Ruby Rees): The street urchin Phryne adopts. Her presence humanizes Phryne, showing that the heiress’s maternal instincts are real, even if they don't look like anyone else's.
Miriam Margolyes and the High Society
Whenever Miriam Margolyes shows up as Aunt Prudence, you know the episode is going to be top-tier. Margolyes is a force of nature. In the show, she represents the "Old Guard"—the social expectations Phryne constantly subverts.
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Prudence is haughty and obsessed with reputation, yet she clearly loves her niece. The scenes between Margolyes and Davis are masterclasses in subtext. They argue about decorum, but you see the shared grief over their family's past.
Why the Chemistry Worked (and Why the Movie Was Different)
In 2020, after years of fan-funded campaigning, we got Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears. It brought back the core cast of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, but the vibe shifted.
Taking Phryne out of Melbourne and putting her in the desert changed the lighting—literally and figuratively. While it was great to see Davis and Page back together, some fans felt it lost the "cozy" intimacy of the police station and the parlor. However, it proved one thing: the audience's hunger for these characters hasn't faded.
The actors have all moved on to massive projects. Essie Davis was in Game of Thrones (as Lady Crane) and The Babadook. Ashleigh Cummings is an international star. Yet, they all speak about Miss Fisher with a specific kind of reverence. It was a "happy set." You can see that joy in the bloopers and the way they interact at conventions.
The Real Melbourne Backdrop
The city of Melbourne itself is almost a cast member. The show filmed at Wardlow, a real Victorian mansion in Parkville that served as Phryne’s house.
Walking through those streets today, you can still find the alleyways where Jack and Phryne chased down suspects. The production design used real locations like the Rippon Lea Estate and the Old Melbourne Gaol. Using authentic 1920s architecture gave the actors something real to respond to. It wasn't just green screens and CGI.
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What to Do If You've Just Finished the Series
If you’ve just hit the end of Season 3 and the movie, don't panic. There’s a way to keep the vibe going without just hitting "replay."
1. Watch Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
This is a spinoff set in the 1960s starring Geraldine Hakewill as Peregrine Fisher, Phryne’s niece. It’s brighter, more "mod," and has a completely different cast, but it captures the spirit of a Fisher woman taking no nonsense from the authorities.
2. Read the Kerry Greenwood Books
The show is based on a series of novels. Warning: The book version of Phryne is even more scandalous than the TV version. Also, Jack Robinson is a much older, married man in the books. The showrunners made a conscious choice to change him into a romantic lead, which was probably the best decision they ever made.
3. Explore the Costume Exhibits
Every few years, the National Trust of Australia puts on exhibits of the actual costumes worn by the cast of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. Marion Boyce, the costume designer, won countless awards for these outfits. Seeing them in person makes you realize how much work went into making Essie Davis look like a million bucks.
4. Track the Cast's Current Work
- Essie Davis: Look for her in The Justice of Bunny King or The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
- Nathan Page: He does a lot of voice work and theatre; check out his appearances in various Australian dramas like The Hunting.
- Ashleigh Cummings: Watch Citadel on Amazon Prime to see her in a high-octane spy role.
The show remains a benchmark for how to do a "cozy mystery" with teeth. It dealt with socialism, reproductive rights, PTSD, and class warfare, all while Phryne wore a stunning new hat. That balance is hard to strike, and it’s entirely down to the talent of the ensemble.