Untamed

First, I spent most of my life just two hours from Yosemite, going there at least once a year as long as I can remember. That is not Yosemite. Sure, the production sent a cameraman there to film some establishing shots. But as a Boy Scout who has hiked all over that park for years and could walk the park blindfolded, it's incredibly obvious that it's really filmed in Vancouver, BC. There's so much wrong with the park's portrayal I won't go into. But if you're going to set a series in an iconic world-renowned location you need to get some of the details right. And really, at that point why not just set the series in either generic unnamed Yosemite-like area or just make up a fictional park. Probably the only detail I appreciated was that the murdered girl was from my hometown of Merced.

Other than that, it's just a forgettable cliched murder mystery. There's nothing setting it apart from the hundreds of other murder mysteries coming out. Mysterious body, personal tragedies that somehow tie into it, new mysteries uncovered, main characters secretly involved. All the usual stuff that has become overused by now. I correctly guessed who was in on it by the end of the first episode, it's so predictable.

The dialogue is dull and stilted. I saw one review accusing the show of being written by AI. I don't know about that, but it certainly feels that way. There's good actors but they seem to have trouble bringing this stuff to life.

As I said, there's good actors in the show. But, as Stephen King said, you can't polish a turd. Eric Bana and Sam Neill have done amazing work, but even they can't get this off the ground. Kyle is stoic to the point of lifeless. It never once seemed like Kyle and Jill were once exes who loved each other. Vasquez is every Hallmark movie cliche about a woman who leaves her husband rolled into one. Everything with her ex-husband with cliched to the point of cringe-inducing. The relationship between Kyle and Vasquez is the same exact thing every other movie/show has done between the tired veteran and overeager rookie.

I will give the series some credit. The mystery stuff is okay if you don't mind the overused story and wooden characters. The British Columbian scenery is shot beautifully. I won't remember the series a week from now but it's a somewhat decent way to spend a few hours.

"Untamed" opens with strong potential: Eric Bana delivers a solid, grounded turn as Kyle Turner, a National Parks Service agent called to investigate a grisly death in Yosemite. Co-starring the likes of Sam Neill and Rosemarie DeWitt, the series promises a dark, atmospheric mystery set against the stunning wilderness .

What works:

The setting is compelling-a rugged backdrop that lends an eerie tension.

The cast, especially Bana, brings credibility and emotional depth.

The premise-cracking a brutal murder within a sprawling national park-sets up a strong narrative.

What slows it down:

Early episodes slog through setup, and the pacing drags noticeably. It often feels like you're "waiting for something to happen," but the payoff isn't immediate.

While the mystery has promise, there are moments where plot threads linger without clear direction, stretching the runtime thin.

In summary: "Untamed" is not bad-solid acting, moody visuals, and an intriguing thriller concept. But it's hampered by a slow burn that sometimes feels overly prolonged. If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with a dash of wilderness ambiance and don't mind a deliberate pace, it's worth a watch. Otherwise, the drag might make you wonder when things will pick up.

A fine series that occasionally feels longer than necessary.

Good viewing overall, strange ending but I couldn't help but get Last of us vibes from this series.

Eric Banner would have made a quality adaptation to Joel, definitely needs to be considered.

The story line was good in this series, but there were also quite a few plot holes and signs of rushed production.

The scenes are intense and suspense at times, very easy bingeworthy series, definitely needs another series but less rushed.

There were a few lines of story left open, a lot of questions unanswered but overall I enjoyed it.

This is definitely something to watch on a sunday or if you're bored.

Overall this is a good short series. This is about grief more than anything, the thing everyone goes through at some point. It also gives a slight nod to what happens to people who fall through the cracks, and how easy it is to fall.

Good parts: The first two episodes are the best - it does go downhill a bit after that, but the other episodes are still pretty good. The landscape is gorgeous. The people look real - they are not fake looking, which is nice. The actors are great, all of them. Writing is good.

Bad parts: The murderer doesn't feel right. I get the point, the cracks have to be shown, and the decisions the murderer made were selfish and led to a crappy life led by the victim, who had no chance. But the whole investigation was a big "so what" at the end. Also, it's tiring, that whole renegade cop trope.

But it's very good. I cried. More than once. I recommend if you like character development and beautiful scenery. If you need some car chases, this isn't for you.

I was hooked right away and binge watched the 6 episodes without a single break, literally! I didn't realize I'd barely moved until I was done! My knees made me acutely aware though upon standing up!

Seriously though, gripping slow burn plus the landscape and cinematography is amazing of course. The mixed reviews on here so far just tells me that you will either love it or maybe not.

After watching I thought that the feeling or pull was very similar to the first season of Pickett on Prime. If you've seen that show's first season and liked it then Untamed is for you. To all readers though, I suggest watching the first episode and I guarantee you'll know whether or not it's for you by the end.

I would like to add that yes of course there are some things, just like in every show or movie, that the viewer thinks could have been better. But this was one of the best shows I've seen in a while.

(...That being expected of course with Netflix's production budget that has taken TV Shows to another atmosphere! So thanks for putting our subs to good use Netflix!)