Robin Griffin ... Elisabeth Moss
GJ ... Holly Hunter
Matt Mitcham ... Peter Mullan
David Wenham
Lucy Lawless
Johnno Mitcham ... Thomas M. Wright
Plot: The story follows the disappearance of a five month pregnant 12-year-old named Tui whose last act was almost committing suicide.
My Review and Thoughts:
This is a powerful dark gritty mystery. This Mini-Series consist of a young girl, 12 years old, pregnant, she tries to commit suicide by drowning herself. Soon a female detective named Robin who is visiting her mother, who is dying of cancer takes on the case of the young girl.
A few days later the girl goes missing so begins the mystery of the show. You have wonderful, wonderful acting, probably some of the best acting I have ever seen. You have a thick storyline, very disturbing at times as you watch these people who are cut off from the world. They have their own little community, a little small-town, they take care of their own, there's lots of dark secrets, lots of murder that happen that are classified as accidental.
The female detective realizes there's more to the story then she knows. She is challenged often and smirked at because she is a female woman who is head strong and does not give in to male dominance. Robin goes searching and comes in contact with one mysterious man after another. There are many suspects and many scenarios.
She finds herself struggling with her own personal life. She is engaged to be married to her fiancé Steven who continues to call her and wants her to come back, yet she seems to be avoiding him. Almost all the men in the show pretty much are bad or scum or at least that is how they are characterized as bad. Most of them are emotionless or don't give a shit yet they end up growing on you.
There is also a group of females who are on a compound. They are trying to come to terms with things that happened to them. Their guru or teacher GJ played by Holly Hunter expresses to them about clearing their minds and their bodies. She had been struck by lightning and lived and now she thinks she's dead, yet alive, but not, she had a wake up call. Soon the mystery and the plot thickens as people end up dead, supposed suicides.
The mystery of just where the girl is takes place through each episode. 7 episodes of season one Mini-series. I feel this is a brilliantly written script. This season you can't help but watch one episode after episode after episode, once one episode is over you can't wait to get to the next one. I love the atmosphere it's always gloomy, always dark, rainy, cold, it just feels like the atmosphere is gritty and disturbing and mysterious.
I think what is so brilliant and utterly stunning about the show is it feels so real. You are introduced to these people so out there or at least so different from what society says you're supposed to be.
Drugs and sex, everyday life, and there seems to be something new everyday good or bad. Just when you think you know what that person is about, just when you start to hate the character you start liking the character or they become someone that you can relate to. Even after you know one character might be bad you relate and enjoy that character. That character tends to grow on you. Each character in this series is a unique and original person, each has their own story, their own mysteries.
Just when you know the character just when you think you're going to like the character, boy, a turn around, a 360 happens and all hell breaks loose again.
I was totally enthralled, very passionate and floored by the drama, mystery and the amazing brilliant acting in this television show. This series had so much in emotion. So much reality to it that you can't help but fall in love with the whole series. There was spots I was on the edge of my seat. There was spots that had me guessing and spots that I even had me shedding multiple tears.
I think what is a major part of the show is you cannot help but feel sorry for these people. I mean each one of them is so pathetic, depressing and makes you want to take some anti-depression pills or if you're on them already you want to take more. This show can make you want to drink; you thought your life was bad.
This is possibly one of the most original thought-provoking disturbing shocking twist and turn drama series I have ever seen in my life. This is a must see. I recommend this highly. The highest recommendation I can give is for this seven episode series, it's brilliant.
I was floored, one twist after the other just blew my mind. I felt numb in spots at the very end I was just in awe of how the story came together. The writing is flawless. The direction is flawless. The acting is flawless. The cinematography is flawless, beautiful and dark and feels cold.
What needs to be mentioned is the acting in the series, everyone is brilliant and perfect, but there are some that stand out that make this show. Holly Hunter plays GJ, she gives an extremely extraordinary simple yet interesting weird performance as this spaced out type of woman just brilliant at the part.
Then there is a small part played by a wonderful young kid that has never acted before. He plays in four of the episodes, his name is Luke Buchanan. He plays the character of Jamie. He plays the lost boy, the depressed boy, the boy that seems to be the loner. He is best friends with the missing girl. You have to watch his performance to understand what I say, he is extraordinary for this being his first. He owned his part and he gave it his all and he's a character that I will not forget.
Elisabeth Moss plays Robin Griffin she is stunning as the detective. She's a no holds barred woman, strong willed female role. She kind of sticks her nose in spots and sometimes over her head but she does fight for what she believes in. She stays strong. Moss gives a stunning characterization of this female lead. She can have my back anytime because she's a true protector A person that solves the mystery no matter what. Moss deserves an award for this role.
Thomas M Wright plays the love interest to Moss. He is the mysterious guy known as Johnno Mitchum. The past love interest. He holds many dark secrets. He is wonderful In this part very sexy, very manly, very protective. He has that raw man nerve that survival off the land that rustic get up of survival. He like many of the others in the series just owns the part, he makes you believe his character.
But the Oscar. The award for highest achievement goes to Peter Mullan who plays Matt Mitchum. The resident kingpin, the so-called godfather type character who thinks he owns the land and runs the police department and everything around him. Peter's performance is stunningly brilliant to the point I have not seen the characterization of this type of person on screen before. He makes this role his own. He owns this part. He gives the bad guy persona a whole new different point of view. You hate him, you love him, you loathe him and you can't stand him. He is brilliant and without him this show would lack. I can see no one else playing this part. Peter Mullan gives everything and more to this role, he is an acting god in this performance.
If I had to describe the show to give you a similarity I would have to say it's part Winters Bone movie, part Northern Exposure and part Twin Peaks all tied together in true originality, complete with moments that's never been done before.
When the mystery is solved and the truth comes out, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, a moment of upset stomach and me scratching my head to realize what the truth was. In the end I was thoroughly satisfied. More satisfied than I have ever been before.
Yes I keep going on and on about this show. I can't help it, it's brilliant, it's one-of-a-kind. You need to look no further to find a masterpiece TV show.