High Country

Ignore the other reviews... this is and should be a standalone series of its own accord and merit. Started off like so many other wannabe-mystery-thrillers and actually came to a very satisfying and logical conclusion, despite the red herrings along the way. Yes, the nit-pickers amongst us could argue the knackers off the side-stories including those of the teen gang and the native Bush tracker family but it all makes sense in the end. Beautiful, spooky, lush and emotive scenery utilised to its fullest potential with a well executed plot that kept me guessing all along. Not a disappointment in the slightest. Let's try not to be too cynical and hyper-critical here, OK?

Nothing could even prepare me to watch so far the first couple of episodes that have aired, because it was written by the team who were behind Wentworth and then you just knew it had to be good.

Leah Purcell being given the reigns of her first lead in a series and it is off to a magnificent start and how good are the shots of the country? We have some of the best bushlands in Australia and this show is showcasing it perfectly.

My only wish is what would Brian have said when he seen this one come to life, afterall it was his last commission as head of foxtel/binge, this one is for you Brian

Stick with it, you might just like it. I know I do.

I so wanted to love "High Country"! I've travelled this region for decades and was so excited to see a mystery set in the Mansfield region.

"High Country" is a disappointing TV series marred by lackluster acting and uninspired writing. The performances are wooden, with characters failing to evoke any real emotion or depth. The dialogue feels forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the storyline or the characters' motivations.

Despite these shortcomings, the series does boast stunning scenery and locations. The Australian landscape is showcased beautifully, providing some much-needed visual appeal amidst the mediocrity of the rest of the production.

Overall, "High Country" falls short of its potential, failing to deliver engaging performances or compelling storytelling. While the breathtaking backdrop may momentarily captivate viewers, it's not enough to redeem the show from its significant flaws.

The actors are excellent, the story on paper may have made sense, however, it had far too much busywork and pointless conversations, some of the characters were thrown in to keep us guessing, was it going to be a supernatural series, which is what it was looking like up to number four, when it did a 180 and went for a rather mundane practical and rather poorly delineated mystery. It seems like inexperienced writers threw in everything they could think of to make it interesting, and it was just confusing, too many directions and not tightly controlled, or focussed. It was, as an Aussie, great to see an unusual story, however, by the finish I didnt know who the crap one of the main characters was, and the actors credits on here dont even give the person a credit. I really hope it will be renewed, for all its missed opportunities, it was an intriguing watch. Tugged at the heartstrings, which is always necessary in a mini series.

High Country: Australian Noir which morphs into Folk Horror in a similar manner as Dark Winds did. Sergeant Andrea 'Andie' Whitford Leah Purcell) is transferred to the town of Brokenridge in the Victorian High Country, accompanied by her partner Helen and stepdaughter Kirra. She immediately encounters a doctor running naked through the woods. He's just killed his family and commits suicide. There are also five people missing in the area. Brokenridge is an odd place, a local psychic is suspected of murdering a boy years before and the sergeant (Ian McElhinney.) who Andie replaced is obsessed with the case. A survivalist is terrifying hikers in the woods and Andie has a few other murder cases on her hands. Oh! I forgot to mention the Yowie and the weird Rose who runs an artists colony on a farm. The woods and mountains are literally characters in this drama as they keep many secrets. There are far darker conspiracies at play here along with Ando's domestic traumas which are soapy enough for Neighbours and some interesting plot twists. It's a good series with fine acting especially from Leah Purcell and Ian McElhinney. Created by Marcia Gardner and John Ridley who Co-Write the series, Directed by Kevin Carlin and Beck Cole. Eight episodes on the BBC iPlayer. 8/10.