Intriguer Reviews

Rush (2008–2011)

Recently watched Rush again

[8/10 · 10 March 2024]

I'd forgotten about this show for a little while after having watched it about 8 or 9 years ago. And then I read a fanfic on it and it sparked my interest to watch it again. Unfortunately Rush is only (currently) available to stream on 10Play here in Australia-with ads-but as someone who doesn't have the DVDs, at least it's available so I shouldn't complain.

Season one is definitely my favourite. It was my favourite season when I first watched and it still is. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it's because the characters are all new and exciting, and they haven't yet been ruined by the writing (thanks seasons three and four, in particular). I often wonder what could have happened in terms of storylines and the characters if Claire van der Boom hadn't left. Who would have replaced the character who was actually meant to die instead? I guess that's something for fanfictions now.

I am the kind of person who sometimes ships characters who never get together or it's only implied etc (basically non-canon I guess!). And I found myself shipping Kerry and Lawson, even though I know nothing happens, at least on screen. I don't know whether it was intentional or not but there is something to be said about the great chemistry between those two actors and the tension they brought which came to life when they shared scenes, and that's something I enjoyed on the rewatch.

The shaky cam was a little annoying (I don't remember being annoyed by it so much the first time I watched) but something I did gradually get used to. Some of the characters do start to get annoying as the seasons go on, and some, in the end, become really out of character to me. It's a shame because I think seasons one and two were (mostly) really great.

Water Rats (1996–2001)

Rewatching this show in 2024

[10/10 · 16 January 2024]

I'm currently rewatching Water Rats on Prime Video. It is annoying that the streaming platform lists season one as seasons one and two (and therefore stuffs up the rest of the seasons), and has about 15 episodes in season four (which is actually season three) which, when clicked on, don't match the episode title you click on.

However, the show itself is great especially from seasons one to four which is what my rating is for. I don't always bother with the last two seasons, mainly because it really did go downhill and the cast, to me, didn't seem to gel as well as the earlier seasons. And while everyone in the earlier cast is worth mentioning, I will specifically mention Colin Friels and Catherine McClements as Frank and Rachel. Those two really did have an amazingly natural chemistry and rapport with one another, and it came across on screen with their characters. Steve Bisley, too, as Jack Christey, had great chemistry with McClements which was also great to watch.

It's nice to see so many different locations around Sydney- even though a lot of it definitely has changed now. And the theme song is still great. Such a classic.

Water Rats: Catch & Kill (1996) Season 1, Episode 5

Rewatching season one

[8/10 · 28 November 2023]

I have just started rewatching season one, and I actually really enjoyed this episode more than the previous times I've watched it. Catherine McClements said on the DVDs that this was the very first episode they filmed, and I think it was a good one to start with. I did notice a couple of mistakes this time around (crew in the reflection) but I guess that can happen, especially when there's so many windows like on a show such as Water Rats.

The tension between the three detectives in Frank, Rachel and Kevin after the latter two sleep together is fantastic. I kinda wish they'd continued that tension for at least another episode but I also get why they didn't. The show this early on was very plot driven and not so much character driven.

And as another reviewer pointed out, the way Connie (trans character) was treated was great. I don't know much about what it was like at the time (mid-90s) but to have a television show treat that character the way Water Rats did is a credit to the writing and acting.

The Broken Shore (2013 TV Movie)

A great homage to the book.

[8/10 · 2 November 2013]

I saw The Broken Shore at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2013, and thought it was a great homage to the book by Peter Temple. Without giving too much away before it airs on the ABC in 2014, there is some good acting by all involved, and the screenplay has been well written by Andrew Knight (using mystery and humour).

The one thing I will say about The Broken Shore is (and this was mentioned on the night of the screening) that it would have been good if it was made into a 6x1 hour mini series, which would have meant that more from the book could have been mentioned/explored. An example of this is the character of Erica Burgouyne, who seems quite interesting in the book (and in the movie as well) however she only has a couple of scenes in the movie.

However, overall, The Broken Shore is quite good for what it is and it will be interesting to read what other people think once it has aired on television.

My Brother Tom (1986)

Nice little telemovie

[8/10 · 26 July 2011]

I happen to have "My Brother Tom" on DVD (converted from an old video tape) and every now and then I watch it to remind myself of what a good Australian telemovie it is. Based on the novel of the same name by James Aldridge, the TV version sticks quite closely to the book, with a few exceptions, like the ending.

Tom Jennings stars as Tom Quayle, a young Protestant man, living in the (fictitious) Victorian town of St Helen in the summer of 1938. He falls in love with Peggy MacGibbon (Catherine McClements), a Catholic, and the two try to hide their love for one another. They know that if it becomes publicly known, there will be backlash/division amongst an already divided town.

Christopher Cummins plays Kit, Tom's older brother, who also narrates parts of the movie, as he reminisces about his brother Tom, and Peggy.

It is quite a cute telemovie, with some good acting by all and despite its 'age', "My Brother Tom" is still quite good to watch now.

Call Me Mum (2006 TV Movie)

Excellent, and rather confronting, Australian film

[9/10 · 14 September 2010]

In my opinion, Call Me Mum is a hidden gem of Australian movies in the 21st century. It is one that probably gets replayed only once every year or two by SBS and is certainly not out on DVD (yet). For a film which only stars five people - and is set in just three places: a plane, a (very 1950s perhaps) house, and a hospital room - it is quite great. The characters don't interact much, with the exception of Keith and Dellmay (husband and wife, otherwise known as DellKeith), and is almost set up in like a monologue/mockumentary style as each of them tell their story to the camera. Kate (Catherine McClements) is a foster mother who is very upfront with the world, Warren (Dayne Christian) is an 18 year old who should have his whole life ahead of him, Flo (Vicki Saylor) is a very ill, very sorrowful woman, and DellKeith (Lynette Curran and Ross Thompson) are very strange people indeed, especially Keith.

Call Me Mum definitely wasn't quite what I was expecting when I recorded it on television recently, but that was the beauty (and surprise) of it.

CrashBurn (2003)

Not bad...

[8/10 · 2 November 2005]

Crashburn was a 13-part series which aired in Australia in 2003. Like many other Australian TV shows though, the timeslot for the show was dragged back to a later time after only a few episodes.

It was unfortunate because I found the show to be rather intriguing. The acting was quite believable and that is always a plus in any television show.

Crashburn's main stars, Catherine McClements and Aaron Blabey, play Rosie and Ben Harfield, a married couple going through a difficult stage when their marriage hits a brick wall. One of the most intriguing aspect about Crashburn, was it's ability to delve into the characters lives, in a "he says"/"she says" kind of way.

I enjoyed Crashburn, and although it isn't my most favourite show, it certainly deserves some credit.