North Shore

As long as you don't expect something amazing then you have a good shot at enjoying this show. There are enough characters to keep it from getting dull. The episodes don't feel too padded with filler. The subplots are fairly interesting, and the overarching main plot is pretty good.

The best aspect of the show, though, is the cast. While they weren't always given great dialogue to work with, I did like the range of characters they displayed. They somehow made most of the plot feel realistic. I didn't fully buy into the ending reveal, but it was good enough to avoid letting down the rest of the show.

All in all, I would rank this show ahead of most new miniseries I've seen lately. This isn't Mad Men, The Wire, or Breaking Bad, but it's worth a view.

Ok I'm five episodes in so probably shouldn't be calling it.

There's a bit to like.

The actual whodunnit is mildly intriguing.

The pommy detective is head and shoulders above the rest of the cast.

The Aussie lead detective is just dreadful. Probably not completely the actors fault though. She starts out as every cliche ridden caricature you could imagine and pretty much stays there.

What really annoys me though is the lack of reality in the day to day situations. We are supposed to believe that the leader of the opposition in the middle of an election campaign has 3 hours to spend at the beck and call of some strumpet every night in one city. Then there's meant to be a big trade agreement. FFS have the writers not heard of caretaker mode?

The star of the show could have been the harbour / ocean location, but it was relegated to a side show. Joanne Froggatt is always a solid watch, but I wonder if her shot at the big time has come and gone. With the exception of the cops, the characters are largely detestable, and if I had a plot control button I would probably design their ends in a ball of flames or bottom of the shark infested harbour, even the victim (again). Anyway, the plot is easy to follow, the outcome reasonably satisfactory. It's instantly forgettable, but in the gap between Christmas and new year, it did a job - sort of.

Do people write bad reviews just to be pretentious or do they just have really peculiar, particular taste? The ratings on this site have become almost useless. Shows and movies are always either 10s or 2s. So many times i will read terrible reviews, watch it and like it. And the films critics love, I despise. I know I don't have totally horrible taste or don't have any standards.... I thought this was a completely enjoyable mini series and I hope for a second season. And I loved the cast. It had a satisfying ending, and a good twist. The series kept me engaged and I would recommend people give it a watch.

Why be so inaccurate about Australia?? We don't call our detectives DS and DI etc. The country is not full of ignorant, bitchy people and criminals. But the biggest issue was the hormones in our meat. Australian agricultural protection is as strict as anywhere, let alone England. It's possible to make this whole series without all the inaccuracies. It ruins it. Just a little research here and there ...