In the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the Australian outback, an abandoned ute is discovered, doors open, no sign of the driver. The hunt for a missing teenage boy, an Indigenous kid, brings detective Jay Swan (Pedersen) to the remote community of Patterson to assist the local chief copper, Emma James (Davis). The town has its secrets, Jay and Emma have theirs, but what would Mystery Road be without mysteries? It’ll all be revealed, laconically, over six episodes.
This TV series spin-off of the 2013 film of the same name takes a while to get its bearings. There is an initial disconnect between Pedersen and Davis, as there is between their characters. Jay prefers to work alone, Emma doesn’t see the point of help if it’s not cooperational. But after the dust settles, the show finds its rhythm, and there is a plethora of notable Australian actors supporting the leads—including Davis’s husband, Colin Friels, Deborah Mailman, John Waters, Tasma Walton and Ernie Dingo. But as with so many new series, it’s the talented young cast who bring freshness and heart to a desolate tale. It’s also a chance to see actress Jessica Falkholt, who died after a Boxing Day car accident. 3.5 Stars (Starts Sun., June 3, 8.30 PM; ABC. Stream full season on iView) —Deborah Grunfeld
In this week’s episode of WHO magazine’s TV podcast, Binge List, Matthew Denby, Clare Rigden and Gavin Scott discuss and debate true-crime drama American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, ABC series Mystery Road and Netflix food doco The Magic Pill. Plus, we ask To Binge Or Not To Binge The Good Fight and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and delve into Hidden Gem Dead Boss. Listen below, or on iTunes: http://po.st/syE3JF or OMNY: http://po.st/Bg4FlU