Stan unveils its next Australian drama in The Killings at Parrish Station.
When we begin in 1987, Detective Georgia Cooke (Mia Wasikowska) and Detective Michael Thorne (Xavier Samuel) arrive at a huge outback astronomy dish at a remote outback research station to investigate the murders of four of the research team and find the missing member.
The deaths vary between the four- post-mortem sunburn, pulled teeth, missing fingers and a disembowlment- leaving more questions than answers for the police as they begin investigating. Then there’s the search for the remaining member of the team, astrophysicist Kate Reynolds (Alex Malone)- who is found scared, confused and dazed. As Georgia and Michael attempt to talk to her about what happened, Kate’s mental state becomes clear- she’s erratic and quotes a mystery text, only complicating the case further. With Reynolds the obvious and only suspect, Georgia refuses to let it go, irritating local mining magnate Callum Parrish (Nic English), who owns the station and half the state, and tries to uncover the link between the massacre and the mystery book quoted by Reynolds. The case quickly unravels into the paranormal, fracturing Georgia’s grip on reality, costing her a lot both professionally and personally- she’s a single mother to Frankie (Grace Owens), who isn’t keen on her mother’s involvement in the case.
Before long, time jumps to 2024 and the murders are the subject of a podcast hosted by Kayla (Alex Lee) and Damien (Cameron James), who reveal the huge impact the case has had over the 37 years since it happened. Older Georgia (Heather Mitchell) now resides in a mental insitution and is estranged from Frankie (Emma Lung), and, shockingly, the massacre remains unsolved. Georgia’s former protege-turned-homicide-detective Millie (Doris Younane) comes to Georgia to help her solve a new set of seemingly copycat murders, earning Georgia freedom from the asylum, something she’s craved but has been able to achieve on her own. Georgia’s forced to confront the past while old wounds are reopened and new horrors unfold. Are they pursuing a copycat… or is the Parrish Station murderer striking once again?
Creator Ben Jenkins has created a crime drama that is a little spooky, but has enough twists and turns to keep you hooked and with a standout performance from Mitchell and Younane and Wasikowska laying the ground work in the past.
The Killings at Parrish Station is a surprisng thrill ride.
4 Stars
The Killings at Parrish Station is now streaming on Stan.
