Spoilers are stuck in the limbo that is post holiday season.

I’ve tried to cast a wider net usual when it comes to things to watch. Mainstream seems to be going around on the same circles and streaming… Well, you gotta be picky. So, I took a shot outside and found this potential diamond in the rough. To be honest, it sort of is not my cup of tea but at the same time it can be an acquired flavour. Okey, let’s get into it.

(Credit: Blue-Tongue Films)

Mr Inbetween (2018-2021) was written and created by Scott Ryan. Meet Ray Shoesmith (Scott Ryan), an everyman but in the criminal underworld. He’s not the boss, he’s not fighting the system, he’s not a Robin Hood type. He’s just a thug for hire that has a life with an ex-wife, daughter, family and friends. He is not a hesitant or has a heart of gold, he’s just a criminal surviving on day by day. When we meet him, he doesn’t seem to have any qualms with the things he does. Discovering his motivations and his warped moral compass is part of the show.

There are no fancy cars or world takeover plots (or at least so far) here. This is the underbelly of Australia and ruthless is the name of the game. And within this scenario, violence and situational dark humour appear on the daily. There are no complicated capers or mysteries. It’s raw, basic and rather obvious but for all the dark situations Ray is involved in, he seems to have a rather subdued demeanor that feels almost down to earth. Even in situations involving his kid daughter Britt (Chika Yasumura), his best friend Gary (Justin Rosniak) and possible love interest Ally (Brooke Satchwell), he seems peaceful with only a hint of a threat cooking under the surface. Then he is all business when talking to his boss Freddy (Damon Herriman) or even dealing with his ex-wife Jacinta (Natalie Tran).

Recommended with some reservations. The show itself can have brilliant moments in which it becomes drama, thriller, action, dark humour and a character study, but it has rather solid writing and a grounded feel to every scene. It’s sort of an on and off for me in which I watch a couple of episodes, put it down and pick it up again. Worth a watch, even if you only binge on it sparingly.

That will do for now.