I try not to read reviews on here before I watch something but I confess to seeing some for this show. I'd have to agree with most of them because I either loved it or hated it at times which is not the best viewing experience. Shows like this push the boundaries of quirkiness and you can feel the obviousness of trying to shock with the dialogue, or maybe be outrageous is a more apt way of putting it. The real misstep as others have pointed out is the Darwin detective. Such a silly, unfunny character in a world where everyone else is just managing a semblance of reality. On the plus side the scenery is marvellous.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Heat
(2023– )
Brits and Aussies in peril
27 January 2024
It seems like every second drama shot in Australia now features a lead British or American actor. In the case of Heat it's two Brits, though one (Darren McMullen) has a local career while the other (Danny Dyer) is imported. It makes sense to have them play two expats who married Aussie women and had kids. The problem is Danny feels like he just arrived from the London EastEnd a week earlier - which evidently the actor did, fresh from EastEnders.
If you can get past this you will find an enjoyable drama. It's a familiar scenario - friends trapped in a situation,with ensuing secrets unfolding - but the nasty secret lurking beneath all the pleasantries turns out to be darker than you'd expect.
Performances are good (well maybe less so the cockney guy) and the final episode is gripping to watch. A solid 7 out of 10.
If you can get past this you will find an enjoyable drama. It's a familiar scenario - friends trapped in a situation,with ensuing secrets unfolding - but the nasty secret lurking beneath all the pleasantries turns out to be darker than you'd expect.
Performances are good (well maybe less so the cockney guy) and the final episode is gripping to watch. A solid 7 out of 10.
Prosper
(2024– )
Succession goes to church
27 January 2024
Right off the bat I will say this is one of the slickest looking Australian shows I have seen. It looks expensive and I suspect it probably is.
Five minutes in it was clear the writers and producers are big fans of Succession as the family dynamics are very similar, though in this show the setting is a Sydney mega church. Most Australians will appreciate the direct associations with the Hillsong church right down to the fictional Bieber-esque pop star. There's also a bit of Jim Baker in the Roxburgh character, who is something of a cliche when it comes to the US megachurch culture.
For these reasons I felt I have seen the story before. But the pacing is fast and the performances are very good so it's a positive review from me all up, even if I wanted more originality.
Five minutes in it was clear the writers and producers are big fans of Succession as the family dynamics are very similar, though in this show the setting is a Sydney mega church. Most Australians will appreciate the direct associations with the Hillsong church right down to the fictional Bieber-esque pop star. There's also a bit of Jim Baker in the Roxburgh character, who is something of a cliche when it comes to the US megachurch culture.
For these reasons I felt I have seen the story before. But the pacing is fast and the performances are very good so it's a positive review from me all up, even if I wanted more originality.
The Tourist
(2022–2024)
Slow start but enjoyable
27 January 2024
I'm a big fan of Jamie Dornan and will pretty much watch him in anything so I'm a bit biased from the start. The opening of the Tourist was very exciting and it made me hopeful for the rest of the series. I did enjoy it but after the opener the pace slows dramatically and it really is the performances that carry it from this point onwards.
The cast is excellent particularly the female police woman.
At the heart the amnesia plot line is a bit soap opera meets Momento but you forgive it since it's so well done. As others have said the plot line and scenery are very Fargo, not the outback but more the wide open desolate spaces. Very well shot.
The cast is excellent particularly the female police woman.
At the heart the amnesia plot line is a bit soap opera meets Momento but you forgive it since it's so well done. As others have said the plot line and scenery are very Fargo, not the outback but more the wide open desolate spaces. Very well shot.
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