Barracuda

On the strength of the first two episodes of Barracuda, Christos Tsiolkas has failed dismally to recreate the elements that made The Slap the kind of drama that had everybody talking. There is no equivalent social issue. There are no similarly recognisable suburban archetypes. And the plotting falls well short of compelling. The first episode barely lifts itself above the level of Neighbours or Home & Away. Indeed, they've both done similar stories, and done them just as well. Much of the dialogue is also risible ("I've always admired the working class" says Helen Morse, as Tsiolkos's idea of a haughty society matron.) And while the director delivers pretty pictures of athletic bodies and swimming races, the performances he gets from his cast are mostly sub-standard. Rachel Griffiths struggles to make anything of a fatally under-written character. And our would-be hero is played by an actor with eyebrows that recall the Thunderbirds marionettes, except that they don't move - which leaves him with precisely two expressions: wet and dry. The stars are mostly for the actors' abs.

This mini series covers two topics so important to Australia: acceptance of migrants & obsession with winning. The acting is brilliant as we identify so well with a brilliant swimmer who has been given a scholarship to train at a school where white upper middle class privilege rules. The challenges faced by the main character are so well told. We really get a sense of the devastation that winning or not winning, can hold in the world of competitive sport. There are other issues explored including sexuality & the violence. This is a brilliant series, exploring topics that Australia and other nations need to explore & resolve on a personal, educational & leadership level. To accept others & value all people.

Overall the series is quite good. I have to admit I haven't read the book, however I would have liked to know more about Martin Taylor's character.

My only problem is that, the final episodes were too sad, and the plot a bit depressing, as were the characters. I know it's based on a book, but I would have liked that Danny would have fulfilled his dream, and that the relationship between Danny and Martin wouldn't have ended badly.

I also would have liked the timeline between all the episodes not to have moved so fast, and more episodes, so that more drama, romance etc. Could have been developed. However, I think this series is amazing, as it makes you reflect and think, and I think it can teach you a lot of things.

On the other hand the production is very good, and the plot interesting, the best actress was Danny's mother, Victoria Haralabidou, she makes you get into the story and her role makes it perfect.

I hope they make a second season, or another series similar to this one.

I do not know the book. But I admire the great acting and the fair construction of a parable about life and its fundamental meanings. It is not a swimming story. Or one about succes. It represents only a precise portrait of an age, a family, few clashes, succes and apparent fall as necessary wake up. A serie about the reality . Impressive for nuanced work of actors, for cultural references, for the courage and inspiration to give a honest image of ambition, triumph and the death of the hill in the most decent terms. Sure, for me, Elias Anton, Matt Nable and Victoria Haralabidou are the authentical stars. But each scene gives more than you expect in fair and powerful and clear manner becomind, in some measure, a mirror reflection or a precious lesson about life purpose.

What a Greek classic this is. As with others here I'm so glad to catch this series currently on ABC iView after dodging it previously. Maybe I was ready for it now because it's relevant and revelatory of what happens to young men finding their feet in a tough world. In this case, the world of elite sports. Admit I rushed to find out who this Matt Nable is and what else he's done. Totally surprised to find he's an Aussie and not Hungarian! How convincing he is, along with all the others in the cast. Barracuda's an attentive study in clashes and polarities, how you can make choices: to be aggressive, hungry, angry vs entitled, confident, moneyed and weak, and any combination of those. The structure is very much classical Greek theatre with Emma (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) in the role of commentator (Greek chorus) to Danny (and us) of her family.

Good treatment of the press mediating life into trash (especially if you watched Frontline TV series). Everything counted for something - even Torma's house. Great script and characterisations. Loved Theo and loved the motor bike guy ("I'm not a spastic!!"). Thought Rachel Griffiths good in the part of not being able to say much while her life spins away from her dreams. And Helen Morse the tiny, aged controller watching all of them vying for power and favour. In support of the focus on beautiful masculinity, an article somewhere described Elias Anton's dedication to building his physique for the role, so I hope people don't assume it's about beauty for voyeurism. Athletes are the gods of Olympus basically, physically and in the dramas they play out among themselves, beyond the rest of us. My heart goes out to reviewer Jacob James Stapleton from London who knows what it's like to live this life like a comet – a gift with a sting in its tail.

Some reviews here seem to miss the biggest thing in the frame – it's easy when it's so big we can't see it. The Pool, the arena. It's a beast, and as one said, what's going on above it, in it and below it. Frank Torma the water whisperer, kindly shares with us his wisdom and knowledge of this beast. And, much like Cassandra really, the key figures seem deaf to his warnings.