Janus is an Australian drama television series that aired on the ABC in 1994 and 1995. A total of 26 episodes were created in two series. Janus was a spin-off of the ABC-TV crime drama Phoenix. Janus follows the bitterly fought prosecutions of a notorious criminal family, the Hennesseys, from the perspectives of the family, the police, and, in particular, the lawyers, prosecutors, barristers, and judges involved in all aspects of the story. It is loosely based on the true story of Melbourne's Pettingill family and the Walsh Street police shootings. Four members of the infamous Hennessey dynasty are acquitted of killing two young police officers in a botched bank heist when the series begins. Melbourne is stunned when Mal and Steve, as well as brother-in-law Darren Mack and friend Ken Hardy, go free. Prosecutors, judges, magistrates, and cops—many of whom are based on real-life legal figures—are hell-bent on putting the Hennesseys behind jail. However, corruption, legal loopholes, delays, and dwindling resources conspire to make catching the organization difficult.
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