North Shore

As long as you don't expect something amazing then you have a good shot at enjoying this show. There are enough characters to keep it from getting dull. The episodes don't feel too padded with filler. The subplots are fairly interesting, and the overarching main plot is pretty good.

The best aspect of the show, though, is the cast. While they weren't always given great dialogue to work with, I did like the range of characters they displayed. They somehow made most of the plot feel realistic. I didn't fully buy into the ending reveal, but it was good enough to avoid letting down the rest of the show.

All in all, I would rank this show ahead of most new miniseries I've seen lately. This isn't Mad Men, The Wire, or Breaking Bad, but it's worth a view.

The star of the show could have been the harbour / ocean location, but it was relegated to a side show. Joanne Froggatt is always a solid watch, but I wonder if her shot at the big time has come and gone. With the exception of the cops, the characters are largely detestable, and if I had a plot control button I would probably design their ends in a ball of flames or bottom of the shark infested harbour, even the victim (again). Anyway, the plot is easy to follow, the outcome reasonably satisfactory. It's instantly forgettable, but in the gap between Christmas and new year, it did a job - sort of.

I liked it. It's not the best show out there, but it's also not the worst. It was obvious who the killer was about halfway through, but the twist they used to show it was probably the best 5 seconds of acting in the series. It's a police procedural that you can watch with your kids. No intense shoot-outs, no car chases through the city with multiple wrecks, no sex scenes etc. Watching this reminded me of watching the last Crocodile Dundee; It definitely won't win any awards, but you can do far worse. It's a very pleasant 4 hour evening binge. I'm looking forward to a second season if they make one because the ending of this one could go either way.

Likeable main actors and a few complex characters make this an easy to watch drama that otherwise is pretty mediocre.

Although the murder mystery is central to everything, it feels like just a backdrop for exploring three complicated marriages that are falling apart in slightly different ways. The three strongest actors play three of the four main characters in these marriages, and it's exactly them that make the show so watchable.

Other acting is either mediocre or pretty bad, but luckily most have relatives minor roles. Meanwhile, the setting, the mild Aussie accents, and a satisfying (if a bit obvious) ending add just enough more to make it worth a watch.

The Australian actors make the actors on Home & Away and Neighbours seem like the best actors on the planet - that's how bad it is. The British actors are good, but you can feel the cringe they are going through by working with these E grade actors. The script writing is terrible - soap level at best. I felt terrible for John Bradley and Joanne Froggatt having to try and make the best of the awful script and the cheesy acting by the Australians. Could have been great and ended up being mediocre at best. Loads of cliches. I think British actors need to seriously consider whether it's worth tarnishing their careers by acting in Australian dramas unless it's Underbelly or Wentworth quality writing and acting. I've given it 5 starts out of respect for the British actors who are undoubtedly embarrassed.