Cleverman

What to say about Cleverman? Its not exactly an entirely new concept but what it does, it does well.

Certainly its a brave and very relevant series, given the sometimes awful treatment of Aboriginal communities, at the hands of Federal and State authorities, in Australia. It can also, in one sense, be viewed as a unapologetic commentary on the plight of asylum seekers, in Australia's contentious detention centers.

Looking beyond these factors how does Cleverman stack up as entertainment? Its a thoughtful series and its pacing, may not hook hardcore sword and sandals fantasy fans. Indeed, its fair to say this series is probably going to appeal most to viewers who enjoy slow burn fantasy dramas, where things take time to develop and secrets are revealed by degree.

The acting is of a mostly good, if not exceptional, standard too. There are some well known Aussie actors who have taken up roles in this series, who sit alongside fresh faces I have not come across before.

In summary, whilst Cleverman is not for me (I'm more of a sci fi/futurist buff) I can see it appealing, in particular, to fans of the fantasy genre. Especially those looking for a refreshingly different departure from your standard US/UK fare. Seven out of ten from me.

To the reviewer who said that the premise is dated because this type of racism is no longer a big issue: you need to watch the news, read the news, talk to anyone of racial minority - it absolutely does exist.

Violent oppression is a problem in many places all over the world - systematic violent oppression like is shown in the very first episode. The attitudes of the boys on the bus or the cops' fear: this happens in "First World" countries every day. And where we've evolved beyond violence, there still exists systematic oppression in many forms from micro-aggressions all the way up to human trafficking and modern-day slavery and murder.

There is a sci-fi/fantasy twist to this story, but the story it tells is not in any way dated. If you think race and color no longer exist, you're part of the problem. The point is to see it and not have it make a difference in your behaviors and attitudes toward those of a different race.

And I love the Aboriginal angle to this story as well since they need their stories told as much as everyone else. Also, Indigenous populations' stories are often told from perspectives other than their own and we need to ask for more told by the population themselves. Let networks know that just because one show doesn't work out, it's the storytelling not the subject matter that is less than.

I don't usually write reviews on IMDb but felt compelled to, considering that Cleverman really succinctly questions modern Australia's political, social and racial climate. In fact, the nature of other reviews, positive and negative, are actually a testament to how well this series has done in exploring key concepts. Namely, Cleverman is actually serving its purpose very well, considering the number of racist reviews!

Cleverman is telling a story about how Australian's (and perhaps more broadly, general society) are fearful of those that they don't know and minority cultures. In the series, a society is afraid of the insinuation that another culture might be different to theirs and feel the need to put them "back in their box". It is truly poetic how the actions of many of the antagonists in Cleverman, are so well mimicked by the negative reviewers here on IMDb.

Xenophobia is still relevant and Cleverman clearly explores this theme effectively and strikes a chord with a number of viewers.

I would recommend this series for those looking for something different and who are knowledgeable of the science fiction genre (and that speculative fiction sits within it!) It is a really unique show that explores some aspects of Aboriginal folklore from well respected artistic groups. It's also excellent for its consideration of political rhetoric around tolerance; exceptionally relevant viewing.

I skimmed thru the first episode and was unsure if I wanted to continue.

After deciding to give it a try I was unable to remove myself from this series. Sure, we may be used to blockbuster budgets and desire every TV show to spend 6 million dollars per episode (ie. the OTHER TV show Ian Glen/JARROD SLADE is in)however I found myself drawn to the story and stopped my "I.L.M." special effects hunting.

AMAZING. That is all I can say. This show gets a solid A in my book.

Sure - there are some things I did not agree with, but how many TV shows do I agree with 100% in full? Almost none (if that many).

EXCELLENT.

I hope to see a season 2 !!!

With well paced plot, full of suspense and mystery, as well as a fantastic young and relatively unknown cast, Cleverman promises to be one of the best shows of its genre to come out of Australia for a long time. Drawing on indigenous culture and lore, the social issues prevalent in Cleverman are obviously representative of current issues facing Indigenous communities, with the premiere along touching on high levels of incarceration and the loss of culture. The political allusions also reflect the Australian governments attitude to asylum seekers in recent years. The action scenes are fast paced and dynamic, and the show does not shy away from sex and nudity. The drama is realistic and raw, and is portrayed very well. Overall a very impressive premiere, and i will definitely be back for more