Showrunner (and dominant writer) Paddy Macrae came up with a wonderful idea for the 10-episode Irreverent. When a Chicago gangster, on the run with a suitcase of cash, reaches Australia, fate lands him in the role of a pastor in a remote northern Queensland seaside town called Clump, replete with quintessential Aussie characters. Colin Donnell is pitch perfect as the fake reverend, cynical yet edging toward caring, whip smart, full of barbed humor. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Tegan Simpson as the local misfit girl, living in the church, dreaming of getting to Paris. The early episodes ham up the slapstick of the situation but gradually, in a beautifully controlled manner, a serious edge enters many of the scenes, overlaid by dramatic tension as the reverend’s Chicago past catches up with him. The mood of individual episodes can vary but the overall narrative of Irreverent is warm, comedic, and smart. Well worth watching.
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