Population: 11

Another deliciously quirky Aussie outback mystery from Stan, following on from the likes of "The tourist" again streamed on Stan.

I didn't realise Population 11 was "loosely based" on the unsolved murder of Paddy Moriarity in Larrimah, Northern Territory. So I urge viewers to take in "A dog act: The disappearance of Paddy Moriarity" on ABC iView (Australia) or even the Netflix series "Last stop Larrimah" for reference and several more quirky outback characters.

Anyway, there's laughs a plenty from the cast, and many Australians will recognise Stephen Curry and Nicole from Muriel's wedding. (Pippa Grandison)

A sharp soundtrack accompanies the series.

It wanted to be Only Murders In The Building, or Twin Peaks, or maybe Schitts Creek. Letterkenny maybe?

But those shows had great writing, and a large cast of good, some great, actors. This one? Not so much.

The writers and showrunner needed to pick a lane, while they tried to drill down to a central storyline.

Instead we get an unsuccessful mish-mash that kept us hoping for more, only to be ultimately disappointed.

Ben Feldman as Andy, our anti-hero protagonist, is surprisingly good, given the goofy plotting and set pieces. Perry Mooney as Cassie is acceptable as his not-quite-love-interest, but she shows up late to the game, and her dimpled charm becomes too muted.

There are so many subplots, a problem in this sub genre, that it's hard to keep track of all of them. Drug running, money laundering, UFO Tour scam, missing dad (dead dad?), crooked and inept cops, strange hobbyists (Welcome To Marwen came to mind), a food business with a very gross secret...and that isn't all. There's a podcast too (Bodkin perhaps?).

As is required in this type of series the tiny town (Population 12, now 11) has an inordinate amount of goofballs, weirdos and sexual deviates. Which makes finding any of them relatable, much less likable, nearly impossible. That heavy lifting is left to Andy, an admittedly corrupt bank employee, and Cassie, who has a hidden agenda. And while both are charming they don't reveal their softer sides until the last few episodes.

One reviewer notes that the series "tries too hard", and I've got to agree. Pare back a half dozen sub plots and work on character.

I fast forwarded through most of the second half (12 episodes) and really felt like I hadn't missed much.

The payoff at the end...feels less like a payoff than a warm glass of water. Nothing startling, revealing or satisfying.

While I don't recommend it, I have to say I wish it had cashed some of the checks it wrote in the first two episodes. Could have been good.

We started this show with no expectations.

A quirky start as you would expect from a mystery based on a population of 12 -1 in the Aussie outback. Give it a tick, the pace picks up fairly quickly and it's a fun ride.

You could easily pick it apart but keep in mind it's billed as a comedy, so if you were expecting something else, this ain't it.

The absence of DEI, virtue signaling, racial bias is refreshing. So tired of all the shows that promote that.

This was just a fun whodunnit, albeit quirky and if you want to spend 3.5 hours on a fun show this might fit the bill.

We enjoyed the series, hope you give it a go.

If you are not paying attention to the quality product coming from down under, you are missing out. Mystery Road (the original) is awesome. Mr. In-Between is unforgettable, especially the episode where the protagonist goes after a local who abducted a child. And Deadloch is like Fargo, wacky and interesting at the same time (early Fargo, not recent Fargo!). Population 11 seems to aiming for zany, and hits the mark more often than it misses. The writing is the hook, and there is dialog here that sneaks up on you and, before you realize it, you find yourself laughing out loud. (S01E01 -- Officer Geraldine, claiming the reward after producing a generic and nondescript boot -- "That's for you to figure out. Now's the time for you to cough up the reward money.") Smooth! ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Find it really hard to make a review 600 words now lol, but here we go.

I managed to finish the series in one night and while I normally don't do that, it was the support cast that kept me engrossed as I chuckled alongside them.

How good was it seeing Katrina Milosevic in a comedy for once? Especially after Wentworth she was truly a breath of fresh air that made me chuckle watching her in a role far from the confines of Wentworth. Geraldine was a hoot who wasn't afraid to cross a line when needed.

It's not supposed to be serious and why are people complaining about that? Acting like you're superior, it's silly fun and if you don't like that, maybe comedic dramas aren't your thing.

Give it a go, it's comedic drama being silly and it's good.