Territory

Reading some of the reviews here and had to give my opinion, because people may miss out on a terrific watch. It may just be some people are just expecting too much from these shows, but if you fancy a few hours watching great acting by great (don't have to be popular) characters, plenty of storylines to get on with, drama, violence, emotion, scenery, and escape from city life, then please don't miss out. Don't watch it to compare to other shows. View territory on its own merits. From the very start it grips and the thrills and spills don't end to the very last scene, and as the credits rolled, I'm sat here thinking please get season 2 out as quick as possible. I'm already missing this fabulous entertaining show.

There are shows you start watching and have high hopes for. This show is about a family owning a very large amount of land in the outback of Oz . Which could make for a lovely scenic drama. The land and it's charisma is unfortunately ruined by extremely poor script writing. It's very over dramatic, has characters that are borderline charicatures and there's way too much totally unbeleivable stuff happening. While as a viewer you want to be swept up by a story about a family that has characters with depth and and complexity. They try that but the characters fail to form a family you engage with. There's way too much crime and drama happening, which again is poorly written.

Apparently people just constantly shoot, rob and hurt each other in the big land down under.

So I really wanted to like this, but the writers made this a second rate crime show that despite some great actors doesn't deserve a high rating.

I will however have hope for a second season if they dial the drama and violence back a lot, and let some intelligent people do the writing. There is a foundation with the scenery and a good cast they can build on. But that's it.

Yes, it's going to be compared to Yellowstone. Yes, it has same over the top plots, conflicts and wacky characters. Yes, you can point to a lot of similar issues.

For me two main problems are stuff that just happens because it has to drive plot forward. Plots that make no sense. Family patriarch just decides on succession without really considering pros and cons of each option.

Second is plot holes that exist for similar reason, to drive plot forward. Station is supposed to be the size of Belgium yet is run by family (4 members initially, later expanded to a bit more) and what seems lie a skeleton crew. But of course greedy corporations try to take it away from them.

I also didn't like how everything keeps building up. Tensions rise, conflict deepen, passions get stirred... and then things gets resolved (after a fashion) within half an hour.

But it's ot a bad show, if you can look beyond that. Camera work is good, nature looks gorgeous....

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Netflix's Territory is a captivating series that plunges viewers into the heart of the Australian outback, where a powerful cattle dynasty faces a crisis of succession. With stunning cinematography capturing the vast, unforgiving landscape, the show delivers a thrilling blend of family drama, political intrigue, and high-stakes action.

The performances are outstanding, with Anna Torv delivering a commanding portrayal of Emily Lawson, the matriarch fighting to protect her family's legacy. The supporting cast is equally impressive, bringing depth and complexity to their roles.

The series excels in its exploration of themes of power, greed, and the enduring spirit of the Australian frontier. The writing is sharp and engaging, keeping the audience hooked with its twists and turns. While some may find the soap opera elements excessive, they ultimately contribute to the show's addictive quality.

Territory is a must-watch for fans of dramas like Succession and Yellowstone. It's a gripping tale of ambition, betrayal, and the fight for survival in one of the world's most unforgiving environments.

It's Yellowstone set in the rugged outback of northern Australia! And if that sounds both fun and slightly over the top, that's exactly what it is.

I'm only a few episodes in, but it's already hitting all the marks. Rampaging bulls? Yep. Bar fights? Tick. Rampaging killer dingoes (?!) You betcha.

The cheesiness is held in place by some nice performances, particularly from the ever-reliable Anna Torv and the marvellous Robert Taylor, here playing a flabbier, viler and more misogynistic version of Kevin Costner's Yellowstone character.

The best character, though, is the scenery, which is every bit as stunning as you'd expect.

I'm looking forward to finishing this one!