The Messenger

Wonderful adaptation of Marcus Zusak's novel. Even better than the book. I loved the writing, the fabulous characters and people I actually cared about.

Will McKenna is a beautiful actor, so incredibly watchable. He was supported by an amazing ensemble. So lovely to see a feel good Australian series with a big heart.

So many great moments and imagery, the multi coloured pills falling from the sky, raining down on Ritchie, and the whole scene with Ritchie showing Ed her typical day, seeing all the magic in the ordinary.

It's a show that gets better and better, the last two episodes are brilliant. I laughed and I cried in equal measures.

There are moments in The Messenger that are some of the most beautiful and heartfelt I have seen on television. I am talking about the young actors who play the four friends, each undergoing unresolved crises in their lives. The interplay between them is wonderful to watch, wrenching at times. None more so than William McKenna who plays the titular role and nails his character with a gifted array of non-verbal communication, a glance here, an anguished look there. He is never less than compelling to watch and surely great things lie ahead of him.

The series is a nice change from the usual fare and it is good to see quality Australian drama. Production values are top notch and cinematographer Geoff Hall evokes a period feel even though the story is rooted in the present.

The episodes unfold slowly and there is a dip in momentum about half-way through, but stay with it as the final episodes resolve into a satisfyingly warm conclusion that will stay with you for a long time.

I binged this series across two days and loved it. It was quirky, charming and offbeat. It expertly borrowed genre elements from mystery, drama, dark comedy and coming-of-age to create an entirely new world that felt fresh and original.

William Mckenna's performance as Ed was a clear standout. He brought a warmth and humourous charm to the screen that always had me rooting for his character.

This show makes me so excited about the direction Australian Television is going in.

If you're looking for a feel-good but also feel-everything (joy, heartache, laughter, tears) kind of series, look no further than The Messenger.

Here's hoping there is a s02!

I blindly walked into this series with no expectations. I finished this series and am all the better for it. Tears and laughs, joy and pain, love and heartache, it all happened, and as unexpected as they were, they were the result of the believability of the situations, presented in a somewhat unbelievable way.

If you want to escape over budgeted flicks with eye popping CGI and effects, if you want to dive into a corner of the world with real probelms that's all hidden behind a curtain of mystery and wonder, check out this series.

The acting is great, the plot is fun and touching in a way that is rarely seen in television today. And best of all, finish it and your heart will be lighter, your smile bigger, and your step into life outside the screen will be just a little bit better for it.

For me the acting, cast, direction, and production values are all fine, it's the script that is the problem. I've watched 5 episodes so far and I'm really struggling to get much further, it's becoming repetitive and less interesting as it goes on. As soon as I heard Cowboy Junkies Sweet Jane being played around episode 2 or 3 they really lost me, it just reminded me how cliche the show was. That was an edgy song for mainstream movies in the 2000's, it's just really unimaginative in the 2020's. And that is what the whole script lacks, imagination. The writers needed to go on some kind of Thai full moon party retreat or Peruvian assisted mediation camp. I'm sorry guys, love seeing Lithgow, but the show is boring me to tears.