Under the Vines

To all those negative nancies on IMDb; chill bro. It's a bit of fun. It's like wine. Sometimes sickly sweet, sometimes dry. But always fruity. Don't expect Academy Awards, more a secret fantasy where we'd all like to own a winery. He acting is good. The cast excellent. And it's fun. End of. Just enjoy.

This review is through episode 4 of season 3. I will update the review as needed based on future episodes.

Edit (9/15/24): Episode 5 of Season 3 was particularly bad.

What I like: 1) The premise and setting. Both provide opportunities for unique and compelling storylines. The premise in particular feels very fresh.

2) The cast, in particular the interactions between the four main cast members. The couple running the rival winery is also quite compelling. A show primarily focusing on these dynamics and conflicts would have been enough, in my opinion.

3) Storylines focusing specifically on the six aforementioned characters. Seasons 1 and 2 do this pretty well. Season 3? Much less so.

What I don't like: 1) The overemphasis on the many, many romantic storylines. The writers lean way too heavily into this. And (perhaps intentionally) there's never any resolution to any of these quite tedious subplots.

2) Many of the secondary characters. They start out quirky and sparingly used (which is good), and slowly gain more screentime. They become less quirky and fun. Instead they become somewhat boring.

3) The primary storyline of Season 3 (no spoilers). I get what they are trying to accomplish, but honestly it's just not fun. Nor are the b-plots for this season. A show which already leans heavily on emotion and sentimentality decided to double down.

First of all, I would not describe this show as a comedy; it's more of a lighthearted drama. The premise - a buttoned-down lawyer from London and a pampered party girl from Sidney forced to work together to keep a venture (in this case a vineyard) they jointly inherited from going under, is not new. And I think we all know where this is going.

The acting is competent, the main characters are interesting and likable - which is important if we are to become invested in their success - and the minor characters are quirky in a relatable way. There's a bit of "Green Acres" going on here - including a talking pig - along with a few very real, very contemporary underpinnings, like the emerging New Zealand wine industry. And speaking of New Zealand, the settings are gorgeous.

The one drawback is the lack of any real comedy. I am a huge fan of New Zealand humor, so it's not as if it's there but I just don't get it; the show is falling short of the mark. There are no LOL moments, and only a very occasional snigger or two. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - as a light drama, the show is quite good, but since it was billed as a comedy, it can't fail to disappoint on that score.

Bottom line - if you like the light romantic dramas shown on the Hallmark channel, you'll like this. But if you were expecting What We Do in the Shadows, you'll come away scratching your head.

Not really a comedy, but very engaging with likeable characters, There is easy humour and the two main characters have a good chemistry but there is room to have them find more conflict between them. Love the scenery backdrop and can't wait for another season.

Makes a nice change of pace from heavier fare.

Wonderful, uplifting little series showcasing the strong acting skills of the well known main characters but also intrducing us to some of the wonderful new talent certain to grace our screens. Rebecca Gibney is the glue that holds all this together.