ABC’s new drama has tension aplenty
InReview
Hot off their success with The Code, Playmaker Media and the ABC have again teamed up for another tense thriller set in the cities and suburbs of Australia. While The Code was a straight-down-the-line classic political thriller in terms of structure and tone (if not necessarily content), Hiding deviates from the tried and true path.
After a drug deal goes wrong, devoted Gold Coast family man Troy Quigg (James Stewart) is arrested and forced to give evidence against his accomplices and the big, scary crime figures he fell in with.
Troy’s unwitting family – wife Maree (Kate Jenkinson), and teenage children Mitchell (Lincoln Younes) and Shaneen (Olivia DeJonge) – are thrown into a potentially deadly situation.
The family enters witness protection thanks to federal cop John Pinder (Stephen Curry). Their loves are left behind as well as their names, jobs and any other identifiers, and they are moved to Sydney. Of course, everyone they are trying to outrun is constantly hot on their heels.
The first three episodes of Hiding run the gamut – there’s plenty of drama, as the Quiggs (now the Swifts) grieve for the life left behind, and shifting family dynamics as they discover the double life Troy (now Lincoln) has led.
There’s tension aplenty as the family tries to remain unnoticed while going about their new lives. And occasionally – just occasionally – creator, writer and producer Matt Ford strikes gold, blending an off-beat sense of humour into the action as all the aspects of Troy’s life and character threaten to collide. But Breaking Bad this ain’t, and a lot of the comedy feels tacked on.
Troy, who never had much of an education and wasn’t one for intellectual pursuit, ends up hidden away in the psychology faculty of a university. The lecturers believe they’ve got a solid understanding of criminal psychology, but does Troy’s life experience count for more than their research?
Unfortunately, the character never quite comes together in the way he should. The fish-out-of-water, tradie-turned-researcher tale has some promise, but there’s something awry in the character’s set-up, and James Stewart’s performance doesn’t light a fire under the proceedings. He’s not helped by the writing, which doesn’t serve his character’s apparent complexities.
Otherwise, these are compelling characters, perfectly cast. Kate Jenkinson is full of fiery determination as Maree, and Stephen Curry and Lincoln Younes make an impact. Marcus Graham slides with ease into his role as a fearsome, uncompromising criminal figure, and Kim Gyngell makes an eccentric, promising appearance in the third episode. Hopefully, Jacqueline McKenzie’s role as the head of the psychology school evolves into something more interesting and her prodigious skills will be put to better use.
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But the breakthrough performance comes from the young Olivia DeJonge as Shaneen (who is re-named Tara Swift – Taylor Swift, anyone?). The writers have perfectly captured the dynamics of her cliquey new school; the way she tries to reconcile her formerly good girl image with what she learns about her father is brilliantly realised. Her performance is reason enough to tune in.
Even with its flaws, Hiding is entertaining. Given time, it could develop a stronger voice. Can it do so with just eight episodes? We’ll see.
Hiding premieres tonight (February 5) at 8.30pm on ABC.
This article was first published on The Daily Review.
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