True colours

We all know Australian productions can be hit or miss, with misses much more frequent.

Sometime Aussie dramas can be really oustanding, like Mr Inbetween for example or Wentworth. This in particular unfortunately is a miss, despite the obvious good intentions. It is broadcasted on NITV so possibly targeted to a specific demographic. I have watched two episodes and decided to drop it because I have found the plot and the acting not interesting enough to go on for the last two episodes. It is quite boring and with some unavoidable cliches. I give one star to average a bit the overly high rating left by viewers with a guilty conscience.

First up, I am Australian, but I am *not* Indigenous. I live in Melbourne, and while I have visited Darwin, I have never been to Alice Springs, so the land portrayed in this series is not something I have seen for myself.

I am embarrassed to say that the aspects of Indigenous Culture and Customs presented here are not familiar to me - although I have heard other references to it. I am therefore glad that it is so clearly presented here.

That said, this is what some would consider a "slow burn" of a story; one that presents as much about place and culture as it does about solving a crime (or two).

Personally though, I like the way that the story unfolds; I like the acting and the portrayal of the characters; and I like the way that it is filmed (especially because it doesn't rely *too* much on drone camera shots!).

For a city person like me, this shows a completely different view of Australia to what I know, but I recognize that this is a landscape that many foreign viewers fantasize about.

I must say also that I enjoy hearing an example of the Indigenous language (my understanding is that there are a great number of languages spoken by First Nations people, so I am not sure how widely spoken this particular language is.

So, don't expect fast pace and lots of action, but *do* expect to see an interesting story very well told and acted.

While it starts off slow and sometimes stays in the slow lane, I found it quiet interesting in the way the communities in the outback deal out their justices.

Rarriwuy Hick certainly held her own in her first lead role, and the cast are brilliant as well.

This being one of SBS & NITVs first commissions into the foray of Aussie drama, I believe whatever we see next from them will be just as good as their first offering.

Give it a go. You might just like it.

Very slow at times interesting story line about sadness in the indigenous people of Australia.

Pretty average acting by well worn stars with lots of plastic surgery.

Not the best we have produced.

Found this series interesting and real. An indigenous detective walking the fine line between white laws and and confronted with the preferred law of her people. THe reference to skin and who could talk to who was also eye opening and the storyline was far from predictable which kept us watching. Many of the performers were not seasoned actors but carried themselves well , and though the pace was slow, it was more realistic of a police investigation and not at all like the crime being solved in an hour of television. And there was more than one crime happening here - a constant sadness that aboriginal works are treated so carelessly by white entrepreneurs looking exploit and to make a lot of money out of them . Kudos to all involved in bringing a new aspect of aboriginal life to our screens.