Territorial review – “Succession in the Outback” makes for exuberant television | Australian television

TThe high-octane premise of this rollicking Australian drama from creators Ben Davies and Timothy Lee is “succession in the outback.” Or for those who like cowboy hats and Kevin Costner: “Yellowstone, in Australia.”

Director Greg McLean (“Wolf Creek”) brings power struggles and tense family dynamics to the forefront in “Territory.” The majesty of the landscape perhaps suggests that all the human conflicts bubbling on the surface are leaving tiny traces in the old scheme of things.

Not that it doesn't resonate: At Marianne Station, the (fictional) largest cattle ranch in the world, the stakes are very personal and high. His future is thrown into jeopardy when heir to the throne Daniel (Jake Ryan) is killed in a way rarely seen on screen – by a dingo! Daniel is attacked by a group of ravenous dogs in a scene that reminds me of a moment from Joe Carnahan's great film The Gray when Liam Neeson straps shards of glass to his fists and prepares to pummel a pack of wolves.

Poor Daniel is tough, but not Liam Neeson, and he's reduced to nibbling. His death triggers a “who’s next turn?” Mystery for the Lawson family who own the station. Grumpy patriarch Colin (Robert Taylor) – Logan Roy's character – doesn't like his options, which include his alcoholic son Graham (Michael Dorman); Graham's wife Emily (Anna Torv), who is related to a rival business family; and their children Marshall (Sam Corlett) and Susie (Philippa Northeast). Everyone wants the top job, except Marshall, a free spirit more interested in adventure than power and inheritance.

In the first episode, Lee (also a screenwriter, subsequent episodes written by himself, Kodie Bedford, Steven McGregor and Michaeley O'Brien) connects family trade with emperors and dynasties. “Cattle ranches aren't democracies – they're kingdoms,” says Colin, who gives a practical overview of the characters when he rants about having “a hopeless alcoholic for a son, a daughter-in-law whose family it was.” I have “Stolen my cattle for generations, a granddaughter who dropped out of school, and a runaway grandson who hates us all.” Lines like these can be very effective when used in moderation and naturalistically.

All Lawsons are headstrong and a bit dangerous; Part of the dramatic intrigue comes from not knowing what they are capable of. The actors capture this very effectively. Torv's eyes have an iron and sad gleam; the look of someone who is ready to fight but would rather not. Dorman is powerful yet vulnerable as Graham, who takes bold steps in the fight against the demon potion. Corlett brings the courage and attitude of a young man still finding himself, and Northeast convincingly portrays Susie, who is harder to read – quieter than the rest of her family and successful in the long run.

The supporting cast is also impressive – particularly Clarence Ryan, who plays Nolan Brannock, an Indigenous train station owner and rancher caught up in politics and turmoil. Ryan has real fire in his belly and a dynamic presence that heightens the tension. Hamilton Morris has a small role as Indigenous elder Uncle Bryce, but my goodness, it's good to see him: it's Morris' first film appearance since his stunning performance in 2017's Sweet Country, in which he played a farmhand who was pursued through rough terrain by Bryan Brown's police sergeant.

The aforementioned dingo scene is the first in a series of unpredictable bursts of wild spectacle that erupt like claps of thunder throughout the running time (this review covers the first five episodes available to media out of a total of six).

I love the way Territory strives to be an appointment television channel while, from time to time, inviting the ghosts of the Ozploitation movement to come in and host the drama. McLean knows how to bring genre thrills to the table. He made his name with “Wolf Creek” and directed several other seedy productions, including the giant crocodile thriller “Rogue” and the pulpy Daniel Radcliffe survival film “Jungle.”

In “Territory,” explosive splashes of action enliven all the bickering and jostling; Before you know it, Torv jumps into a helicopter to break up a shootout. And it works surprisingly well: these moments may not be entirely realistic, but they don't result in absolute implausibility either. Do we call this increased action? Prestige drama with a head shot off? Either way, it's a sensationally intoxicating mix.