Article written by Samuel Burnett.
Who knew that Brisbane was actually a real place?
When it comes to Western popular culture, Australia is kind of a blip. We’ve all seen the friends from, well, Friends hang out in New York City. We have watched open mouthed as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson solve crimes in London in Sherlock (and New York in its American counterpart, Elementary). But, we never really see Australian works of fiction have the same kind of appeal.
Honestly, the only Australian works of culture that have global recognition are Mad Max, Crocodile Dundee and Neighbours.
And, the few works of Australian fiction are inevitably set either in Sydney, Melbourne, or some fictional rural town in the middle of nowhere full of people that unironically say ‘fair dinkum’ or ‘what’s up, ya’ old wallaby?’
Brisbane isn’t even a blip on the radar.
In fact, as far as the entertainment world is concerned, in 1823, the Governor of New South Wales Sir Thomas Brisbane did not create a new penal settlement in Moreton Bay that was later named after himself.
So, you can imagine my delight when the ABC announced that their newest police procedural drama, Harrow, would be filmed and set in, wait for it… Brisbane.
My delight was then increased tenfold when I learned that former Hornblower star and number eight on the list of men I would turn for, Ioan Gruffudd, would be playing the title role.
The Welsh actor is known best for his roles in the British Navy period drama Hornblower and Mr. Fantastic in Fantastic Four and its sequel. And having a big-name star in the title role is a real coup for the show.
The show follows the adventures of Daniel Harrow, a forensic pathologist with a pathological disregard for authority. He works with the flirtatious Sergeant Soroya Dass racing around Brisbane (and make a memorable, crocodile related trip to North Queensland) and solves murders while hiding a dark secret of his own.
Right off the bat, it is very clear that this show is taking place in Brisbane with a truly magnificent view of the city, containing glimpses of City Hall’s clock tower and the State Law Building (affectionally known more commonly as Gotham Tower due to architectural similarities with the superhero’s hometown). Later episodes include Sergeant Dass’ office which overlooks the Wheel of Brisbane (actually taking place in the Brisbane headquarters of the ABC) and there are many stunning shots of the Brisbane River at night-time.
It might not seem like much to others but when popular culture is constantly about other people and other cities, it can be very easy to lose your sense of value. Seeing Brisbane represented in such a manner means so much, not only to me, but to every person that calls this fine town home.
Now, of course, absolutely none of this would matter if the show was bad which, thankfully, it is not.
Gruffudd brings his usual levels of charm to the role but injects it with a genuine sense of humanity, especially in scenes involving his fractured relationship with his daughter (played by Ella Newton). His deadpan, rapid fire delivery has been honed to a fine edge in a role not unlike his previous show, Forever. However, what sets Harrow apart from other intelligent jerks in fiction is that his personality has a real impact on his personal life. There’s no Watson here that will follow alongside him like a faithful puppy. While his assistant respects him and has learned a lot from him, he has no affection for the man, describing him as “the most selfish guy I know” and a “walking billboard for sexual harassment.” His daughter won’t even talk to him after one too many promises and his relationship with his ex-wife is difficult for the same reason.
While this is a man that loves being right and being seen to be right, outside of that, he really struggles in most social settings. In one memorable scene, he practically flees a party after realising that he like likes his colleague Sergeant Dass. There’s no flirty banter here or declaration of affection, just a man who clearly doesn’t know how to behave and is completely terrified of it.
But, a television crime show is more than just its lead character. What about the murders?
Luckily for us viewers, the show does not falter here either. The crimes are engaging, tragic and, sometimes, even frightening, the aforementioned crocodile incident being all three. There’s also enough variety in them to make them feel less like episodic freaks of the week and more like chapters in a story.
All in all, while there have been detective shows from around the world, there is only set in Brisbane and, thankfully, it is really entertaining.
All episodes of Harrow are currently on ABC iView
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