Written by Shannon McGrew

I’ve always had a weird fascination with the “Wolf Creek” movies. They aren’t necessarily the best serial killer films I’ve seen, but I can’t help being attracted to the Aussie killer himself, Mick Taylor. The mixture of his unapologetic violence and charismatic humor continues to captivate me, even though his depravity is completely unsettling. This past fall, the cable network Pop premiered the series based on the wildly popular films and it has quickly become one of the most exciting and talked about new shows on cable.

“Wolf Creek: Season 1”, centers around Eve, a college student who is on the hunt to kill Mick Taylor after he brutally slaughters her family in the Australian Outback. The series stars John Jarret (Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek 2), who reprises his role as the deranged murderer, along with Lucy Fry (TV’s 11.23.63, Mr. Church) and Dustin Clare (TV’s “Spartacus: War of the Damned”). The series was also executive produced by the creator and director of the “Wolf Creek” franchise, Greg McLean.

All in all, there were a lot of aspects that I enjoyed about “Wolf Creek: Season 1”. As I mentioned, I’m a fan of the character Mick Taylor, and I was happy to see that John Jarrett agreed to reprise his role, as I don’t think anyone could take his place. He was just as psychotic in the show as he is in the movies and sets the stage early on by proving the magnitude of carnage he’s capable of. I enjoyed Lucy Fry as Eve, though I did have some issues with the decisions her character makes, she was still able to evoke strength and badassery that was enjoyable to watch on screen. As for Dustin Clark, who plays police officer Sullivan Hill, I grew to like him as the season went on and found myself incredibly concerned for his well-being.

I think one of my biggest problems with the series stemmed from the storyline and the believability of Lucy Fry’s character. I had a hard time believing she was capable of all that she was able to do, in a foreign country, while evading police, and on the search for a crazed serial killer. Listen, we can all do incredible things when motivated by hate, but this seemed to be a little bit of a stretch. Speaking of the police, I initially had a hard time coming to terms with the depiction of Australian law enforcement, especially because they didn’t really seem motivated to solve anything until an Australian friend of mine informed me that the depiction was pretty accurate.

I also noticed that the pacing of the show seemed to be a bit off. There were moments where the storyline seemed to unnecessarily drag on resulting in some slow points and unneeded filler. However, when the action began to unfold, there wasn’t a dull moment in sight. For those who love blood and gore, you are going to be very pleased with the fate of some of the characters. One thing I noticed about this show, and I’m not sure if it has to do with the cable channel it’s on, but it does not hold back when it comes to showcasing the different ways Mick Taylor likes to torture and kill his victims.

An aspect of the show that really impressed me from the first episode to the last was the cinematography and depiction of the Australian Outback. The camera work was astounding and the art direction that was taken to film the series was visually impressive. Also, there was a realistic feel that was captured to make the audience feel as though they were immersed within the show. I also appreciated that the actors and actresses didn’t look all done up and perfect, especially considering our main character was running for her life in the Outback. Each person that was encountered looked tired, dirty, and sweaty and for whatever reason, that seemed to fit perfectly with what was going on with the show.

Lastly, one of my favorite parts of this series was when we learned about Mick Taylor’s backstory. Unfortunately, we don’t get to find that out until the end of the season, but it was incredibly fascinating and gave viewers a glimpse into how and why Mick is the way he is. I would like to see more of Mick’s story in the future as I thought it was one of the most compelling aspects of the series.

Overall, “Wolf Creek: Season 1”, has a lot of enjoyable moments that lend themselves to the impressive cinematography and the bloodshed and carnage that unfolds. Though the pacing and storyline could have been tightened up more, it didn’t deter me from binge-watching the entire season. My only other gripe had to do with the ending. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone that’s interested in watching (so I suggest you stop reading now… are you done… are you sure? Okay) but if someone is clearly killed, and I mean in a “no way they could have survived that” scenario, then there is no reason to bring them back. By doing that, you have lost that ounce of validity that the show possessed. With that being said, if what John Jarrett says to be true, we will be seeing not only a “Wolf Creek: Season 2” but also a third installment to the “Wolf Creek” movie franchise. And truth be told, even with all of my issues with this season, I’m pretty much okay with Mick Taylor gracing the big (and small) screen once again.

“Wolf Creek: Season 1” is now available to own on DVD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.