East West 101 was a drama series airing on the SBS network. The series was produced and created by Steven Knapman and Kris Wyld, the team behind other drama series such as Wildside and White Collar Blue. It ran from 2007–2011, having three series. East West 101 was set around the Major Crime Squad in metropolitan Sydney. It was based upon the experiences of actual detectives in a crime unit in Sydney's western suburbs. It was filmed on location, in Sydney suburbs such as Auburn, Bankstown, Redfern, Chinatown and Maroubra. The series was made by SBS with the Film Finance Corporation of Australia and the New South Wales Film and Television Office. It has been sold to Israel and other countries in the Middle East. The second season finished airing on 24 November 2009, and a third season was announced and filmed in 2010. It began airing on SBS One on 20 April 2011. The DVD of the third season was released on 4 May 2011.
The first season centered around two detectives, Zane Malik, a Muslim and Ray Crowley, an Anglo-Australian, who are pitted against each other in a struggle for respect. They try to balance work with their own cultural and religious beliefs, which results in tension between cultures, egos and workmates. Recurring stories throughout the season include Malik's search for the man who shot his father and Crowley's struggle with his son's death. The cast also included Susie Porter as Inspector Patricia Wright, Aaron Fa'aoso as Detective Sonny Koa, Daniela Farinacci as Detective Helen Callas and Renee Lim as Jung Lim. Zane's father, Rahman Malik, is played by Taffy Hany, the real life father of Don Hany.
Season two
In season two, detective Malik is caught up in the aftermath of a car bomb which has killed two men, and heralded the arrival of NSO Agent Richard Skeritt. The attack seemingly has links to a Muslim terrorist threat that they work to uncover. Meanwhile, Patricia Wright navigates her tumultuous relationship with her family, including her unpredictable brother, Craig and father, Mick. Helen Callas, heavily pregnant, Sonny Koa and Jung Lim also return, investigating crimes that cross cultural boundaries in Sydney's multicultural inner west.
Season three
Following a deadly armored bank transport robbery by a highly organized team, Malik's wife Amina and son Amir are involved in a seemingly unrelated car accident. After Amir dies of an undetected aortic dissection, Malik takes the accident investigation personally.
