Pine Gap

Just finished the first series. Really strong production values across the board, except the musical score which works well but is mainly underscoring background music rather than feature music. Script is intelligent while not being overly hard to follow, and there is a good balance between information the audience needs to retain for the story-details to make sense. The script is not overly dense with hard-to-follow information, but neither does it assume the audience have shut their brains down into unthinking mode thereby needing every little detail explained over and over.

Cast are well chosen for the main part, some characters develop a lot more slowly over time, but are done with some intelligence by the director and producers. There is sometimes a little too much emphasis on side-ways glances and surreptitious looks and reactions, done sometimes to distract, sometimes to raise suspicion, sometimes to direct our attention (all normal), but does sometimes lack a little subtlety in the directorial execution. My assumption this is done for the sake of an international audience.

Plot is engaging, has enough intrigue to build interest, contains a complexity that is allowed to unfold over time that requires a little patience (which gets rewarded), maintains a pace that doesn't quite keep you on the edge of the seat, but nor does it set out or pretend to try and be people swinging from exploding buildings or planes at 20,000 feet.

Finally, a comment to the few reviewers claiming "anti-american" script, I would recommend watching more than the first opening scenes. This is a story, entertainment, all based around espionage and intrigue. Chinese are keeping secrets, Aussies are keeping secrets, the Yanks are keeping secrets, heck - everyone is keeping secrets from everyone. The plot revolves around exploring 4 concepts - Money, Ideology, Coercion and Ego. It's not even CLOSE to being anti-American, but it also does not paint America as the untainted hero to the world. Surprise surprise, NSA, CIA etc have done some questionable things at different times in history. Whoopdy frikkin' doo. Welcome to Earth.

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.

Not sure why Pine Gap is getting bad reviews. The topic is perfect for the current political climate, the acting is sensational and the location scenes in Alice Springs and surrounds is stunning. I'm aware that life inside Pine Gap is likely to be tedious data gathering performed by a bunch of 'yes' people but that would make for tedious viewing. I like that series writers have created such dynamic, diverse, intriguing characters who have opinions about real things. (In the real world they world they would never have been allowed to work in 'intelligence'). I hope there will be a new series.... feel that there are still many loose ends.

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.

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.