Population: 11

I was very nervous when I saw another Australian TV offering listed for streaming.

So I watched Ep 1 waiting for it to dribble into dross like so many of recent Australian offerings.

But it made me binge watch the whole series at one sitting and I totally enjoyed it!

It's not perfect and there are some elements which are a bit hard to take but it's script is tight and oft times humourous, balance by a team of actors each of whom know what they are doing, and get on and do it.

It's hard to pick out any one actor who stands out but the American actor Ben Feldman is excellent in his role and the script uses his American origins to good effect.

So thank you all, people, for providing me with a very entertaining night in front of the Telly.

Another deliciously quirky Aussie outback mystery from Stan, following on from the likes of "The tourist" again streamed on Stan.

I didn't realise Population 11 was "loosely based" on the unsolved murder of Paddy Moriarity in Larrimah, Northern Territory. So I urge viewers to take in "A dog act: The disappearance of Paddy Moriarity" on ABC iView (Australia) or even the Netflix series "Last stop Larrimah" for reference and several more quirky outback characters.

Anyway, there's laughs a plenty from the cast, and many Australians will recognise Stephen Curry and Nicole from Muriel's wedding. (Pippa Grandison)

A sharp soundtrack accompanies the series.

We stumbled on this randomly in a desperate search for something watchable on the wasteland that is streaming services.

Well, lucky us because we were genuinely shocked by how good this was.

Initially convinced this was a comedy, Population 11 is actually a carefully crafted mixture of comedy, drama, suspense, and mystery.

Most importantly, all the key elements of a quality show are here.

They developed authentic feeling characters, included multiple twists, and created a believable world, all using dialogue that sounds natural.

This is one sleeper I hope a lot of people manage to find because it is exceptional storytelling.

Well done to writers, cast, and crew.

It wanted to be Only Murders In The Building, or Twin Peaks, or maybe Schitts Creek. Letterkenny maybe?

But those shows had great writing, and a large cast of good, some great, actors. This one? Not so much.

The writers and showrunner needed to pick a lane, while they tried to drill down to a central storyline.

Instead we get an unsuccessful mish-mash that kept us hoping for more, only to be ultimately disappointed.

Ben Feldman as Andy, our anti-hero protagonist, is surprisingly good, given the goofy plotting and set pieces. Perry Mooney as Cassie is acceptable as his not-quite-love-interest, but she shows up late to the game, and her dimpled charm becomes too muted.

There are so many subplots, a problem in this sub genre, that it's hard to keep track of all of them. Drug running, money laundering, UFO Tour scam, missing dad (dead dad?), crooked and inept cops, strange hobbyists (Welcome To Marwen came to mind), a food business with a very gross secret...and that isn't all. There's a podcast too (Bodkin perhaps?).

As is required in this type of series the tiny town (Population 12, now 11) has an inordinate amount of goofballs, weirdos and sexual deviates. Which makes finding any of them relatable, much less likable, nearly impossible. That heavy lifting is left to Andy, an admittedly corrupt bank employee, and Cassie, who has a hidden agenda. And while both are charming they don't reveal their softer sides until the last few episodes.

One reviewer notes that the series "tries too hard", and I've got to agree. Pare back a half dozen sub plots and work on character.

I fast forwarded through most of the second half (12 episodes) and really felt like I hadn't missed much.

The payoff at the end...feels less like a payoff than a warm glass of water. Nothing startling, revealing or satisfying.

While I don't recommend it, I have to say I wish it had cashed some of the checks it wrote in the first two episodes. Could have been good.

If you are not paying attention to the quality product coming from down under, you are missing out. Mystery Road (the original) is awesome. Mr. In-Between is unforgettable, especially the episode where the protagonist goes after a local who abducted a child. And Deadloch is like Fargo, wacky and interesting at the same time (early Fargo, not recent Fargo!). Population 11 seems to aiming for zany, and hits the mark more often than it misses. The writing is the hook, and there is dialog here that sneaks up on you and, before you realize it, you find yourself laughing out loud. (S01E01 -- Officer Geraldine, claiming the reward after producing a generic and nondescript boot -- "That's for you to figure out. Now's the time for you to cough up the reward money.") Smooth! ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))