Barons

This has a wonderful cast. Some future Aussie stars I'm sure. Hunter Page-Lochard stands out in particular. The pacing of the series is slightly off at times and there are a few ropey American accents however what makes make up for it in other ways is the lush cinematography (makes me want to head to a warm beach asap) and the details in the seventies throwback costuming is very good also. The recent Daisy Jones and The Six adaption could've learnt a lot from this in terms of 70's vibes with feeling included. The series is not very long so it's a relatively easy watch if you want something that's easy to get into. I give it 7 out of 10.

Excellent local drama with a diverse cast and a compelling story - as well as lots of eye candy and brilliant surfing footage. Barons is a classic tale of friend against friend set in the heady days of the early 70s. It looks great and the rivalry between the two leads feels authentic and true. As well as being entertaining it also sensitively examines a lot of issues such as racism, sexism and the early days of the social justice/protest movement - but never in a way that feels preachy, diadactic or gets in the way of the narrative. It's great to see this kind of investment in Australian drama and it deserves a wide audience. Highly recommended.

I really liked the simple nature of this show, but it does have enough twists and turns to make it slightly more complex that you think. This is clever. Its fun and engaging and never pretends to be something it isn't. Acting was mostly strong, and the shots are great with particular reference to the surfing, so I would definitely recommend this one.

I don't think show has the budgets of the big US drama series, but look past that and simple enjoy the experience. I will be watching for Season 2 for sure.

Barons beautifully paints a picture of a very specifically Australian Surf culture as it emerged in the 70's. The way this is shot and presented gives an immersive and sensuous window into that time, drenched in sun and film light leaks. The story and settings are well put together, but the casting choices are the real standout, with Sean Keenan, Ben O'Toole, Jillian Nguyen and the rest of the ensemble blending together beautifully to give a sense of the dynamics shifting between them, but also wonderfully portraying the period in which it is set.

I watched all 8 episodes in a couple of days - thanks to Covid. In my opinion this is a seductive drama with excellent acting and believable story. Stand out performances for me were Ben O'Toole, Jillian Nguyen, Hunter Page-Lochard, Sophia Forrest, Catherine Van-Davies and Sebastian Tang.

What I really appreciate is how the series tackles entrenched misogynistic beliefs, laws and behaviours. You see the women managing these aspects of their community with intelligence and stamina.

Well worth watching till the end.