The Gloaming

Another embarrassing Aussie production trying to copy what everyone else does and ending up with a complete mess.

A clunky script, dull characters and completely derivative story combine to make this show not the Nordic Noir it wants to be but Tassie Try-hard!

It is over filtered and over styled, seemingly focused far more on how it looks (leading to some really bad calls on make up and costume..would Molly McGee really put heavy eyeliner on each day when she can barely get out of bed?)

Even the shots of the the ravishing scenery are somewhat ruined through the endless repetition of a snow capped Mount Wellington.

Yet another missed opportunity.

Stan have done some good Tv (Wolf Creek series one) but recent productions whilst well funded are totally missing the mark.

So enjoyed this first series and hoping for a second ! Loved the scandi noir feeling of the storytelling and cinematography. Terrific characters and very unsettling. Really enjoyed this one !

It's a good watch. The style and some other elements borrows heavily from True Detective Season One. I would have given it a 7 or 8 except for one thing, one of the central villains a Scottish Australian is played by a New Zealand Maori with a thick NZ accent. This is utterly ridiculous considering she's supposed to be a 5th generation Australian descended from Scottish convicts.

You cant fault the Tasmanian landscape or the cinematography at all. There is a really haunting feeling to the whole production which is right on point. But then there is something really mediocre about the acting and script. And it's really surprising because there are some really great actors in it. But all the characters are just so ridiculously clichéd. The storyline had such great promise too; murder, religious cults, family secrets and convict history. What more could you ask for?! But it too was incredibly clichéd and none of the plot twists were even slightly surprising. Overall it was ok. But I had just hoped for so much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Gloaming. The slow burn and cinematic landscapes set the atmosphere so wonderfully and pulled the watcher in seamlessly. The onscreen presence of Emma Booth as Molly McGee and her chemistry with Ewen Leslie as Alex O'Connell along with a character filled support cast simply made this series. I love that the series was unashamedly Australian, it makes me want to visit Tasmania now more than ever. I look forward to seeing if there is a second series. We need more quality TV like this!