High Country

I have delayed writing this review while I sort out my conflicting thoughts about this series.

On the one hand the eponymous high country is an impressive backdrop to the story, there is an interesting sub-text regarding the aboriginal heritage of the police sergeant and the plot is complex and the ending contains surprises.

On the other I did struggle to follow the plot, which is not usually a problem for me. Worse, the main characters were too often required to behave nonsensically in order to create the next moment of drama.

So this series has its merits and I did watch it through to the end. But it could have been better.

A police sergeant ups her urban family and moves to the Aussie high country to run a local station. A murder case and a few run-in's with the locals keeps Sergeant Whitford on edge, and it only gets complicated when she involves a psychic with a dubious past.

It's a run-of-the-mill story of police officer moving to an inhospitable country and challenged every step of the way. What makes it interesting is the indigenous heritage of the sergeant, and the relationship with her partner, Helen. These elements will no doubt weigh in heavily as the series progresses, and hopefully improve it.

Leah Purcell does the best with the material on offer, that lacks an edge, or even any conviction. It is a mystery series with a few thrills that has moments, but no real creative tone or structure until the last part of episode two. Worth staying for further episodes to see in what direction it points.

I so wanted to love "High Country"! I've travelled this region for decades and was so excited to see a mystery set in the Mansfield region.

"High Country" is a disappointing TV series marred by lackluster acting and uninspired writing. The performances are wooden, with characters failing to evoke any real emotion or depth. The dialogue feels forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the storyline or the characters' motivations.

Despite these shortcomings, the series does boast stunning scenery and locations. The Australian landscape is showcased beautifully, providing some much-needed visual appeal amidst the mediocrity of the rest of the production.

Overall, "High Country" falls short of its potential, failing to deliver engaging performances or compelling storytelling. While the breathtaking backdrop may momentarily captivate viewers, it's not enough to redeem the show from its significant flaws.

There was a really good Aussie whodunnit in this, especially seeing the setting was so lush and expansive. However, the actual execution wasn't good.

Other reviews have said it but there's too much clutter. Too many characters and too many side quests. But these side quests (such as a cafe owner's son and the key suspect at the start being creepy to kids) just pad out the run time and then they go nowhere at the end.

In fact I have the biggest issue with the ending, it doesn't really have that satisfying wrap up at the end, there are some story points left in the air, like they expected they'd have another episode, bud didn't.

This can be really frustrating for a mystery series, especially when we don't know if Season 2 is coming.

This Australian crime drama is set in the mountainous 'High Country' in Victoria. Andrea 'Andie' Whitford, who was previously a detective in Melbourne, has just moved to the Town of Brokenridge and become the new police sergeant. One might expect this to be a quiet posting but soon she is investigating a disappearance that her predecessor is convinced is linked to the death of a child some years before... a crime he, and much of the town, blame on former teacher who claims to be psychic.

I really enjoyed this series. The mystery is interesting and kept me guessing and the characters are good. The setting really added to the story; previous Australian films and shows I've seen have either been set in cities or the Outback so this heavily forested, mountainous region was something new. There are some family concerns for our protagonist but these serve to give depth to her character rather than detract from the story. The cast does a fine job; especially Leah Purcell, who carries the series as Andie and Ian McElhinney as Sam, the predecessor who has difficulty staying out of the investigation. The main questions raised during the series, but not quite all, are nicely wrapped up by the end of the eighth, and final episode, hopefully that doesn't mean this will be a one season show as I'd like to see more. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of crime drama looking for something set somewhere different.