Scrublands

I don't normally like Aussie series - always the same rough diamond low IQ characters in the country with heavy accents making us all look like a bunch of uneducated yokels. Yes...sigh...this had the usual bogan characters but it was a good story that held my interest until the end.

The lead characters, Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcoate and Jay Ryan did a terrific job but there could have been more of the dishy priest played by Jay Ryan..but oh well. All three characters had good chemistry with each other.

Have to say there have been some good Aussie mystery thrillers and I hope they can keep it up, The Kettering Incident comes to mind. But yes please stop with the bogan characters, it's tiresome.

I you like Mystery Road you will probably like this as well. It has the same style, but not quite such an outback feel, and I preferred Luke in this one to Jay (Mystery Road) as the central character.

Despite the shocking opening, it was pretty clear that there was more to it and that the event was calculated and not random.

A year later, a journo Luke hits town looking for a follow up human interest story, but starts to unpeel an onion skin of lies and deception relating to the event.

Follows investigative journalist Martin Scarsden as he has to uncover the truth of the case of killing of five parishioners by a charismatic and dedicated young priest.

Despite his apparent popularity, I find Robert Taylor a very dour actor.

This is a contemporary drama and contains language and/or attitudes that some viewers, particularly those of a more mature generation, the Silent Majority, will find offensive.

There are frequent profanity bombs and the F word is peppered throughout. One C word.

... this a good one... other producers should take note of this four-part-mini-series... keeping it tight-simple gives viewers a chance at outstanding shows... very-well-written-cast-acted-produced this is one of the best programs of 2023

... lots of shows attempt what this little series has achieved, a crime-thriller with heart... don't know if there's plans for a second series, but what was established in the first was that there could surely logically be one... an investigative-journalist now off on another assignment-mission while a potential long term love interest awaits in the outback... now that's a nice setup.

This Australian series open in a remote town in Victoria. We see Byron Swift, a priest, talking to his congregants outside his church. He goes inside, returns holding a rifle and shoots five men before being killed by the local policeman. One year later journalist Martin Scarsden heads to town; he has been tasked with writing a 'puff piece' about how the townspeople are coping a year on. The story was that the priest went on the rampage after child abuse allegations were made against him so Martin is more than a little surprised when plenty of people defend his character... perhaps there is more to the story than was initially reported.

I thought this was a really good little series. At four episodes it didn't outstay its welcome but similarly didn't feel rushed. The opening scenes immediately grabs ones attention and further revelations keep one gripped. The use of flashbacks throughout the series shows key details of what happened and means Byron Swift becomes a fully fleshed out character rather than a mysterious figure only seen in the prologue. The location is impressive; it may be very open but there is a claustrophobic feel due to its isolation. The cast does a fine job; most obviously Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan as Martin, Mandy, a woman who knew Byron well, and Byron. The conclusion is solid; being neither too obvious nor too surprising. Overall an impressive mystery that I'd recommend to fans of the genre.

I didn't read the book so had no preconceptions of how the story should unfold. From others descriptions, that's an advantage but I feel those going on about this sound a little boring because nowdays, most have left this review already as it's too long to read through. It took till the 2nd episode to really get some momentum and just got better as it went. There are lots of backstories that could have been fleshed out but that would have filled 4 more episodes and maybe there wasn't the budget for that. This is a pity, as there was fertile ground here. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a ripping yarn that had a universal flavour rather than the often ocker slant of Aussie dramas. Look forward to season 2 filmed in Augusta in my home state of Western Australia!