A Remarkable Place to Die

I enjoyed the first episode very much. The New Zealand scenery is a huge bonus and the South Island of such great beauty, it adds to the atmosphere. I enjoy seeing different actors rather than the UK and USA actors I so often watch. I have seen Ms. Gibney in other series and she is always a great addition . There was a mystery to solve but also an ongoing one that will tie things and people to the plot line. And no car chases at least not yet. I certainly will continue with season one as it becomes available and hope for more. Chelsie Preston Crawford is most convincing in the role of Anais Mallory.

A good ongoing mystery (terrible title) but the mystery wasn't resolved. I was waiting for another episode to see who killed Maja. Harry (who seemed to be dating Veronica) was definitely a bad guy, but what did he do? He's obviously up to no good, but he disappeared in the end and we see Maja in the enclosure supposedly dead. What exactly happened? Who killed her? Was it her husband or Harry or the guy who killed the man who killed Anais' father and sister? Too many bad guys to keep track of. I was very confused. If this was supposed to be cliffhanger it was not a very good one. I keep checking to see if another episode will show up.

Love my NZ, Aussie and British murder mysteries. This was one is very promising, but there are a lot of disjointed issues. It feels like some departments got a better budget than others. The cinematography/scenery/drone department got the best budget as the vistas are gorgeous. The fact that the name of the Remarkable Mountain Range is in the title this makes sense. But other departments such as costumes, script writing, directing, and sets did not.

Script: show is episodic and serialized. Great! The detectives solve one murder per episode, but we have to deal with murder of protagonist's father and sister, which one is not resolved in last episode. This show wanted to be serious (One Lane Bridge, Toppo) but also quirky/funny (Brokenwood, My life is Murder) which is OK with me (don't enjoy One Lane Bridge) but it is done heavy-handily. The quirky character is usually the coroner or a nosey relative/friend, but here they loaded all the shows quirkiness on the poor youngest detective. Kudos to the actor who plays him and puts up with it.

Relationship between mother and main detective drove me crazy. If any viewer made a drinking game of how many times Anais went to her mom's house to make up with her or get help with the cases and got slammed out they would be sloshed. None of these scenes moved the plot forward or made any sense.

The details of the car accidents (both the first murder and detective's sister) and helicopter are played out forever in the first 3 episodes, but the finale was literally the last 10 minutes of episode 4. It happened so quickly I had to rewind to make sure i hadn't missed anything.

Anyway an OK way to see Queenstown and NZ outside a documentary compared to other murder mysteries, but not a top notch show.

I loved the slow build. People want everything served up in a neat, fast package. The real goal is to enjoy the storytelling and the journey to the end. I can't wait for episode 2. Hopefully there will be more than 4 episodes.

The scenery was amazing as well. Definitely added to the story. Acting was good at all levels. I don't believe there was a supporting character that wasn't believable . Which sadly isn't the case with a lot of shows anymore. Usually there's an actor that's cringe worthy or they've built an absurd character into the show on purpose. Either way it distracts from the show and that wasn't the case here.

This series was an absolute delight from start to finish, offering a captivating storyline that kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. The exceptional performances delivered by the cast were nothing short of extraordinary, bringing depth and authenticity to each character in ways that truly resonated with viewers like myself. While the final episode took some creative risks, it showcased the show's boldness and willingness to leave a lasting impression on its audience. Though certain plotlines remained open-ended, this approach added an intriguing layer of mystery and invited fans to reflect on the characters' journeys long after the credits rolled. It's clear that every detail was crafted with care, as evidenced by the breathtaking scenery that elevated key moments within the narrative. Additionally, the undeniable talent of the actors shone brightly, leaving no doubt about their ability to immerse us fully into the world of the series. Overall, this experience has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place-it's not just about resolutions but also about sparking imagination and connection through artistry.