The Survivors: A Gripping Murder Mystery that Exposes the Dark Side of Grief
A new Australian crime drama has landed on Netflix, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats with its intense and gripping storyline. The Survivors is a six-part adaptation of Jane Harper’s bestselling novel of the same name, written by Tony Ayres, who also adapted Christos Tsiolkas’s The Slap and co-created Stateless. This is a writer who doesn’t shy away from exploring the pain and trauma that human beings can inflict on one another.
According to an interview with the production team, Ayres noted that he wouldn’t dare start The Slap now as gently as he did then, as the pressure to grab the audience immediately and hold their attention is simply too great. This is evident in The Survivors, which begins with a dramatic and intense scene: a teenage boy, Kieran, is on the verge of drowning in the storm-lashed caves of his local bay. A boat crewed by his older brother, Finn, and his friend, Toby, comes riding out of the darkness, only to overturn at the last second. The scene cuts to a funeral, where Kieran has survived but his brother and friend have not.
The story then jumps 15 years into the future, where Kieran, now played by Charlie Vickers, returns to his hometown of Evelyn Bay with his wife, Mia, and their new baby. However, his return is met with mixed emotions, as the townspeople still harbour feelings of guilt, anger, and resentment towards him. His family is also struggling, with his father, Brian, in the early stages of dementia and his mother, Verity, played by Robyn Malcolm, who is still grappling with the tragedy of 15 years ago.
As reported by The Guardian, "In a small town there is no escape. Everyone knows who he is, everyone has an opinion about the degree of his culpability, none more so than the owner of the local pub, which is owned by Toby’s father Julian." The atmosphere in Evelyn Bay is tense, and it’s clear that Kieran’s return has stirred up old wounds.
The discovery of a corpse on the beach brings the community’s emotions to a boiling point. The body is that of Bronte, a young woman from out of town who was researching the possible death of a third person on the night of the tragedy 15 years ago. As detectives try to piece together the events surrounding Bronte’s murder, the community is forced to confront its dark past and the secrets that have been hidden for so long.
The Guardian’s review of The Survivors notes that "the particular pain of the three mothers – Finn’s, Bronte’s and Gabby’s – deprived of their children and for ever changed by it" is a powerful theme of the series. Their suffering is almost palpable and marks The Survivors out from the murder mystery herd.
As the investigation unfolds, the labyrinthine connections among the townsfolk are gradually revealed, offering up new motives and ruling out others. However, the situation becomes increasingly dark for Kieran and his family, as they become embroiled in the mystery and are forced to confront their own secrets and lies.
In conclusion, The Survivors is a gripping and intense murder mystery that explores the dark side of grief and the devastating consequences of trauma. With outstanding performances from the cast, including Robyn Malcolm and Charlie Vickers, this series is not to be missed. As The Guardian notes, "The Survivors is a study in how raw grief and festering resentment warp everything – and how surviving a tragedy rarely means getting away unscathed."
The series is available to stream on Netflix now.
