The first Australian high budget series from Netflix, the eight-part Tidelands disappoints from the first scene, an ocean action sequence that promises nothing good. I watched Episode 1 with some anticipation, being an Aussie myself, and I found myself impressed by the sumptuous camerawork and a tight script that moves along. But the basic plotline – an ex-con back home, drug running, and a half-siren gang queen – hardly inspires and all the major characters are woefully miscast. The dialogue has a certain snappiness to it, but it’s unintelligent fare delivered with Australian accents in a way that imbues each scene with the feel of a soap opera. The end of Episode 1 is a cliffhanger that should entice me onwards but I won’t bother. For the first time, I’ll not give a series its full rein… such a shame.
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