Pine Gap

This limited series takes a bit to rev up, but several threads emerge that are convincingly woven into a complex and convincingly real plot. The subject matter is high tech intelligence and the managers and analysts who staff a massive and isolated installation The references to current events and more or less obscure geography are on the mark and lend a sense of the real thing to the story line. The characters are nicely drawn for the most part with a few minor shortcomings. And, there are a couple of (mostly unnecessary) plot lines that are not up to the overall depth of the series. Hence 8 stars and not 9 or 10.

But, by the last couple of episodes, I was truly enthralled by the growing tension and continuously twisting plot. Very good cast - not a big name among them. Well-written. In a word, this series is smart - a rare quality in screen material these days.

I have only seen the first two episodes, so this review is about a work in progress. I felt that the geopolitical context was timely and relevant for anyone living in or near one of the "five eyes" countries. The storyline is good, if somewhat predictable with regards to the Chinese bogeyman, but the tensions between American and Aussies are culturally accurate, if at times a little crude. The romantic sub-plot is too obvious and somewhat contrived, but I guess that's par for the course if the series takes a couple of unexpected turns (not likely so far, but who knows?). If you enjoyed Berlin Station, you may like this one as a remote controlled / drone version along the same kind of spy series. Not perfect, but still very watchable. And there are some spectacular views of the Australian outback.

Very enjoyable story with strong characters who make you care about what happens to them. The broader plot is credible and the atmosphere of small town Alice is intriguingly portrayed. The personal loves of the characters interweave really well with the plot and keep you interested and guessing. I often don't bother with second seasons, but I probably will with this one, even tho season 1 is nicely complete in itself.

When I started to watch this show, I didn't know what to think of it. it didn't particularly grab me, but kept me interested enough to keep on watching. And it stayed that way until the end of season 1. And there where two cliffhangers that makes me want to see season 2 as well.

The series is what you can expect. Some romance, some drama, some unexpected turn of events and plenty of factors playing an influence. In the series you follow A-crew from the secret listening post Pine Gap, located in the outback of Australia. Pine Gab is a collaboration between the US and Australia, which means that there is a dynamic of two governments and a sort of divide between American en Australian operatives within A-crew. As the serie progresses, the tension on the world stage increases and that means tension in A-crew increases as well. With a few twists here and there, the series keeps itself interesting, though at some points I find the dynamic between certain characters a little unbelievable.

Some of the members of a-crew get a lot of attention and we get to know a lot about their background, while other members stay relatively in the shadows. The last part is a bit of a downer, since it doesn't make you bond with members who'll be playing a major role in season 2. It also doen't explain certain behavior shown by those members. But the series did managed to keep me watching and half way through starts making things interesting. The ending of the season is good enough to make me want to watch season 2. So i'm going to rate this a 8 out of 10 and would advise people who like series that revolve around secret agencies to watch this show. Remember though, this is not an action series, so don't expect gun blazing action and bond style like situations (or even those out of homeland).

I enjoyed it. It was long enough to be binged through but not slow paced so you'd get bored. There are enough elements there to keep you guess. Overall story is layered and strong, good background. Strong stakes. Smart bad guys and an interesting dilemma overall.

Few things, I suppose were a bit corny but I realize you can't have a plot with no holes or devices to get to it. I could care less about geopolitical agenda, because this is a tv series, not life. If you want to watch nice political/spy drama, then you'll never enjoy anything edgy.

Hopefully there will be season 2. I felt acting was good. Casting was well done.

8/10.