This week, Netflix unveiled its latest Australian original in The Survivors.
When the series begins, a terrible storm sees a dramatic rescue turn into tragedy as Kieran (Ned Morgan) watches his brother Finn (Remy Kidd) and Finn’s friend and crewman Toby (Talon Hooper)’s boat overturns, taking their lives.
In the present, Kieran (Charlie Vickers), is still haunted by guilt fifteen years on. Longing for his mother, Verity’s (Robyn Malcolm) forgiveness and love, and to see his beloved father, Brian (Damien Garvey), who has early onset dementia, Kieran returns home with his partner Mia (Yerin Ha) and baby daughter- his parents’ first grandchild- to Evelyn Bay and must face the lingering pain of the past as the anniversary draws near and the town prepares to memorialise the two boys.
Kieran and Mia reunite with childhood friends, Ash (George Mason), Sean (Thom Green) and Liv (Jessica De Gouw), who are glad to see Kieran and Mia back at the pub owned by Toby’s father Julian (Martin Sacks), who is still grieving and the resentment he feels has been passed down to Toby’s son, Liam (Julian Weeks).
It’s here that Mia meets Bronte (Shannon Berry), a young woman who has come to town to capture the landscape in her artwork but now focuses on uncovering why the town has forgotten the third life lost in the storm- teenager Gabby Birch (Eloise Rothfield), who was reportedly swept off the headlands and her mother, Trish (Catherine McClements) still clings onto hope that her daughter’s still alive. Bronte’s determined to find closure for Trish’s sake and memorialise Gabby.
The next morning, however, the town is once more rocked by tragedy when Bronte is discovered murdered and the investigation of her death led by Detective Senior Sergeant Sue Pendlebury (Miriama Smith) and Detective Dan (Johnny Carr) threatens to reveal long held secrets, the truth behind Gabby’s disappearance and a killer lurking amongst the townsfolk.
Throughout the 6 episode series, the secrets of the bay come to fruition as the present and past events are pieced together and relationships are tested as the town grapples with the truth and grief. The cast assembled all give compelling performances and the series written by Tony Ayres, Alberto Di Troia, Christian White, Peter Templeman and Belinda Chayko adapt the Jane Harper mystery with twists and turns a plenty.
5 stars
The Survivors is now streaming on Netflix
