User reviews

I enjoyed the show quite a lot, the backdrop of a small tight knit town, managed to watch the episodes as soon as they dropped, currently on episode 4, it may become a sleeper hit, it might also cure your insomnia, in a good way though not a bad way, it's clear to see that the bay and a murder mystery can put people at arms length or make you question what you did wrong all those years ago.

Put aside some time over the weekend or during your week and give the show a chance, there may be too many characters but in a small town everyones a suspect.

Several characters could've and probably should've dropped off after episode three but it'll peek a viewing experience.

Give it a go, you may just like it.

Initially I thought there were too many characters, but they were fleshed out really well and all had a part to play. At the end I wouldn't have taken anyone out. The chemistry between Mia and Kieran was a bit off, it wasn't until Liv came into the picture I understood that was intentional.

It's not really a whodunnit, so don't expect a great deal of mystery. It's a story of loss and how a small town deals with its grief. The family dynamics, the old friendships, the aesthetic made this an enjoyable watch. It was real, vulnerable and relatable. If you have a spare afternoon, give this show a try.

Definitely a twist. There are a lot of story building like every one of these shows. But this one really punched you in the gut because of the lead up. Its a great watch and definitely recommend. Although its a shirt series it really gets you hooked not kmow whats going to happen. Love these types of series. Sometimes I want it to last longer but it would just be stretching. Its perfect how it is. But now I need 200 more letters to write to be able to submit this review so if you are reading this part thanks for sticking by. I am running out of things to type so I am narrating myself to comple...

The Survivors is a hauntingly atmospheric drama set against the breathtaking Tasmanian coastline. The natural beauty of the setting contrasts sharply with the emotional scars and long-buried secrets of the characters. It's not just a murder mystery - it's a slow-burn exploration of grief, guilt, and the complexity of human relationships. The characters feel like people you might know: flawed, familiar, and deeply affected by their past. If you're drawn to stories with beautiful scenery, nuanced performances, and where every conversation seems to hide another layer of truth, this is a must-watch.

No pun intended - one might think: well this seems like an open and shut case ... well if that is what you thought ... you can guess it now: you guessed wrong. I think the show runs a bit longer than it should have, but it still is very well written and played. And the characters - actors portraying them of course - really give it their all - very well drawn (drown?) - again no pun intended.

I didn't know what to expect from this - but I reckon it did succeed ... and I was entertained - though I reckon it's more like I was really interested in where this would be going ... with reveals upon reveals ... and they do seem to make sense too. At least they do pass the (fast) smell test ... no pun intended.

"The Survivors" - A Slow Burn with Compelling Undercurrents The Australian mini-series, "The Survivors," draws viewers into the seemingly tranquil world of a bay village near Hobart, where a community grapples with the re-emergence of long-buried secrets. Fifteen years after an unexplained death, another fatality shatters the peace, forcing the residents to confront a past they've tried to forget.

The series weaves a complex tapestry of interconnected storylines, as old secrets begin to fray and unravel. While the plot's various threads promise intriguing revelations, the pacing of "The Survivors" is undeniably deliberate. A slight acceleration, perhaps by "half a notch," could enhance the overall flow and tension, keeping viewers more consistently on the edge of their seats.

Despite its somewhat leisurely pace, "The Survivors" offers a genuinely interesting narrative. The core mystery, coupled with the slow uncovering of past transgressions, creates a compelling sense of intrigue. This is further elevated by the strong performances of the cast, who effectively portray the conflicted emotions and hidden depths of their characters. Their nuanced performances ensure that even when the plot moves slowly, the human drama remains captivating.

Ultimately, "The Survivors" is a series that rewards patience. While a quicker tempo might have served it well, its compelling storyline and well-executed character portrayals make it a worthwhile watch for those who appreciate a slow-burn mystery with a strong dramatic core.

Not sure why this got so many mixed reviews, it's a fantastic series and really kept me guessing until the end!

I kept thinking I knew who had done it, and what was going on but I didn't. Loved the red herrings, and the last episode tied it all up nicely

The scenery was beautiful as well, Tasmania is gorgeous and loved the small town appeal.

Managed to finish the whole series in one day just because I had to keep knowing what was going on.

All the main characters were well thought out and kept me gripped. Only slight negative was the character of Liv who I found quite annoying and not the greatest actress.

Overall I'd highly recommend!

Nothing about the plot, the set of characters, the picturesque setting, the whodunnit element etc is particularly inventive or different from a hundred things you've seen before.

BUT the difference here is that the script is intelligent and fresh, the character development unexpectedly deep and affecting and the whole thing is carried off quite expertly without the usual 'groan moments' we so often get. The performances of main characters Kieran, Verity and Mia are particularly strong.

You need to stay with it through a couple of episodes for these qualities to blosssom. You could do a lot worse for entertainment.

The writing is a little off plot-wise and its easy to guess what happened, especially with the original girl. Which makes it unbelievable that it wasn't investigated properly. The acting is fine, they all manage to portray their characters realistically and you get the feeling of how big the elephant is in every single room in the community. It is an extreme slowburn, but I think it is to really get a sense of how difficult things can be when there are so many secrets and open wounds among the townsfolk.

Whats great about this is the focus on the people and not some alcoholic detective, which every other show does.

If you're expecting a series with lots of complicated or intricate plot twists and turns you may be a little disappointed but if you're open to watching a well acted show with cool Aussie vibes, showcasing beautiful scenery and a plot filled with nuanced characters struggling with their personal tragedies and life in general...you will walk away satisfied with the time you've invested.

I have only seen Charlie Vickers as villainous characters in his previous roles so he was such a wonderful and pleasant surprise in The Survivors. Fans of his will not be disappointed with his performance as Kieran.

After reading the book, was really looking forward to seeing the production of this compelling story. I understand that movies and series rarely live up to or measure up to the novel, but this is a real let down. Not sure whether it is the ordinary (over) acting, the screenplay and or the directing, but this is B Grade at best. Sorry to say that, as there are some quite well known and good actors involved in the series. On a positive, the scenery is great! And why in Australian productions do they (nearly) always portray the police as halfwits? Thespian theatrical bias showing? It lets down productions time and time again. Disappointing, unfortunately. Could have and should have been so much better.

Ridiculous reactions from everyone and terrible police work. Very bad acting too. The mom's friendship with the kid is also super weird. I have no desire to even find out the mystery and who the killer is because the show was so freaking boring and so outlandish. If I have to hear one more person see Kieran's at fault when the dude driving the boat was going so fast he couldn't even control it and crashed, killing someone. Everyone acting like moving to Sydney was the equivalent of moving to Korea is just another terrible plot point. These people are meant to be adults, but act like college kids who didn't grow up.

Was nearly put off watching as reviews say it was too slow. It certainly did take at least two episodes to get into the storyline. I think after episode 3 it starts to speed up and things started to happen. The twists and turns keeps you guessing and second guessing. I found it enjoyable. The acting was good and quite intense. Filmed in Tazmania the scenery was beautiful with brilliant shots of the ocean.

The plot was interesting and was not predictable. There are constant flashbacks as the story starts to piece together. The number of suspects changed from episode to episode as the story unravelled. I did not guess the ending and it was a surprise.

This is a hard series to review. I actually really liked it, however, I kept forgetting about watching it, so clearly it wasn't as entertaining as other shows. From episode 4 (out of 6 episodes) I got really into it though and finished it all in one go. My guess is that most low reviews are from people who didn't bother to finish the show.

I think if you're in the right mindset you'd probably enjoy it from start, I was a bit distracted and I find it hard to get into shows unless they are really intense. This is more of a slow burn, with an amazing atmosphere, I really felt like these people are really living there at the beach in Australia, like I could go and visit them. It's not a feel good show, it's dark and gritty and people in it are messed up, there isn't really any likeable characters except from the lead played by Charlie Vickers. However, the series felt different and interesting and I will look for other series produced by Tony Ayres.

I did get frustrated by the apparent slow pace of the first three episodes. It seemed like the story was dawdling and meandering without obvious purpose.

However, from Ep.4 onwards, I started to become more engaged in the plot. Perhaps I was starting to get my memory of all the names into proper place - confusing at first!

The denouement in the last two episodes was generally quite gripping. In some ways more of a "what actually happened" than a straight out "whodunnit". Perhaps the most captivating part of the series was the location. A quaint seaside location with beaches, cliffs and caves is a great adjunct to the intrigues of plot development.

Ultimately I did feel rewarded for sticking it out to the climactic end - enough to forgive one or two plausibility weaknesses that are probably inevitable with this type of mystery drama.

If you're a fan of Broadchurch and the like, then you should try The Survivors and approach it with patience in the first half of the series.

While this isn't even close to a Harlan Coben story, it was engaging. The characters were believable and the interactions felt true to life.

The story took a couple turns (not full twists) and the ending was semi-predictable, if not a surprise.

This story could be set in any coastal country town, but for Aussies, having it set in Tasmania gave it some authenticity.

It was just long enough at six episodes and the wrap up at the end left you satisfied.

Seeing a lot of actors that have been staples of Australian dramas over the last couple of decades was another positive for this series.

Great to watch over a couple of night or on a lazy Sunday.

This show was much better than I expected. Some clever twists and well shot with beautiful Tasmanian coastal views. It reminded me of Tim Wintons Blueback - but sensitively dealt with dementia and small village trauma. Sometimes slow moving is good to allow character development and understand the community.

You move through suspecting and disliking many characters and although I suspected the outcome early on- it was good to see the plot unravel.

Quite a good small town Australian story set in Tasmania with beautiful shots of the beach and sea life and small town life.

Definitely something to watch if you're looking to support Australian tv making. One of the better ones.

While not bad, if you want another show to watch that is set in Tasmania just go and watch Deadloch or Rosehaven at least Deadloch's story moves quicker then the entire 6 episodes of this show.

I agree with previous reviews letting it "cure insomnia" because it most of cured mine, I fell asleep halfway through the first episode to wake on episode 3 and a bunch of random swearing from character, does that have to be mandatory in every Aussie script? Writers need to know that not every line needs swear words.

'Ohhh mystery" is all this show has to go on, and if you feel so inclined just go and go for a walk.

The story isnt half bad. Acting is decent. But this would have been better as a tv-movie or a bbc style four episode series max. It drags an becomes boring towards the end.

The 15 year gap between the past events and the present feels far too long to be believable. Too litle has happened in between. I think much of what is wrong with the series started with this mistake. No real tension. No fleshed out character development.

Everyone has secrets, is drunk and/or has a egocentric personality; but beyond that nothing interesting there. The plot twists couldnt save the lack of character detph - to the point where it becomes predictable or repetitive.

I watched it till the end but was realy bored by then.

I binge all 6 episodes in one night. This limited series was a lot better than I thought it would be. I love a good mystery and try to stay away from straight up drama, but this one managed to find the right balance between the two genres. Kieran and his wife Mia return home on the anniversary of a tragedy that happened out at sea 15 years prior. Kieran was the only survivor while his brother and friend were killed.

On the sane day a young girl from the town went missing. Kieran return and the murder of a young waitress who was investigating the disappearance of the young girl, opens old wounds and reveals long buried secrets.

I was riveted from the first episode to the last.

I liked this show and it was enjoyable espeacially the characters and their stories but i think the show could be in 4 episodes because sometimes it was quite slow but the last episode was really good and plus points for the last scene at the ocean it was really sweet! Even tho I think it's a bit too long sometimes the people that made the show also captured the different people's stories in emotion really good and just the characters in general was really well written. I also liked that we didn't get the full story at the beginning but rather a lot of plot twists over all which can be good when the show is a bit too long to be a mini. Series.