Mystery Road: Origin

Excellent production, character development, acting is amazing. Even bit parts nail it. If you enjoyed mystery Road you will love this. Very, very Australian. And if you've been in places like Jardine, yep it nails it.

Fan service writ large for the target audience. Two things set MR apart from almost every other police show on TV. The locale. And the pacing. If the pacing were any slower, viewers would be able to paint the garage between scenes. But with that slow pacing comes a constant unflinching sense of perpetual dread, and that is what makes MR a standout.

It would be hard to step into the shoes of the brilliant Aaron Pedersen, but as we enjoyed all the Mystery Road's, including Goldstone, before were prepared to take the risk. We were worried about the character development and if an authentic young version of Jay Swan would come across but no matter bc Mark Coles Smith didn't disappoint. You can see the likeness in the brooding temperament, the thinking man's scowl and then once or twice, that dazzling smile breaks through. The series delivered complexity and depth and our lead was matched with an equally strong cast.

Didn't see that twist though.

We hope ABC continues to write this series eventually linking the stories of young Jay to the older version.

Having seen all the other Mystery Roads and Goldstone with the great Aaron, I was anxious about how his younger self would act, he has achieved total mind-meld with Aaron and put his own stamp to perfection on the character, if you like the series you will be amazed at how good this mini series is, brilliant and totally Australian in every way, just awesome.

Mystery Road - Origin

This prequel got off to a slow and lumbering start, it was just insufficient to start the show with "soap" like issues.

However, as the show progressed, at a very decided pace, it started to establish a crime and potential suspects, they couldn't help themselves with the woke inserts and predictable indigenous issues that lacked heft. We had some terrible stereotyping and really there was little new here.

Mark Coles Smith made a fine Jay Swan and he did look uncannily like a young Aaron Pedersen. Overall the acting was crisp but the story lacked narrative impetus, as this rate they would get through a couple of cases a year in this hick town.

I'm giving this a 6 outta 10 meaning worth watching but it could have been so much better!