The Straits

I saw this program listed on Netflix. I knew nothing about it. Brian Cox was the only actor in the series I had ever heard of.

I have watched the first ten episodes - and was mesmerized.

It is one of most well scripted series I have seen in longer than I can remember.In this type of program, the script drives everything else - and it is very well done.

The ensemble cast is totally believable from start to finish. They sell the script in a completely convincing way.

Another great perk is that this series is filmed in Queensland Australia,. Each episode is brim full of incredibly beautiful scenery and the local flavor and culture.

Seen a lot of Australian drama. Seen a lot of highly sophisticated overseas drama. I am familiar with the Top End and with law enforcement issues up there. I reckon this series captures the feel and the taste - it has the contrasting textures of characters from the mainland and the Straits. It captures the pervading cultural and family cultural differences. It also has the whimsy which so defines much Australian content I have only just seen the series - and I am astonished I hadn't come across it earlier, and grieved that it only went to one season - when it was clearly set up for a second. And what a wonderful and talented cast too.... I dont usually bother to rate things and I dont usually give high ratings. Best thing I have seen in a long while.

I lasted until half way through the second episode and gave up.

You have to like people and have some sympathies in a drama, but this was about a family of murderous drug smuggling criminals.

Would jellyfish survive in a chlorinated swimming pool?????

I started watching this show on Hulu without knowing anything about the show. The acting is fantastic! The story lines are compelling and believable for that sort of gangster lifestyle. The scenery is lovely especially the views from the airplane which shows all the little islands off the coast of Australia with the aqua colored waters. The actors were very well chosen for this show. It seems to me they use locals as extras who are sooo believable to their rough characters. This show is definitely a winner and I hope they are filming a second season as they can't leave us with such curiosity for more. Go to Hulu and watch the entire first season it's worth it!!

I like Brian Cox, so thought I would give this a go on the strength of some positive reviews. It's about a mobster family running drugs, guns and whatnot over or via the islands of PNG and the surrounds to and from Australia. It starts off promising as the family is quite disperate, and there's a suggestion that the old man is looking for a successor. Game of thrones? It gets a bit silly sadly, a bit too soon. And there's lots of young boys waving guns about. The interesting themes such as cultural and family history, customs and the different islands don't get explored enough and people seem to be physically unscathed after being tortured and shot at. If fleshed out more over a couple of seasons, it may have been better. There was something good here in the mix, but ultimately it is rather meh.