Series one:
'Detective Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen) is assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of two young farm hands on an outback cattle station. One is a local Indigenous footy hero, and the other a backpacker. Working with local cop Emma James (Judy Davis), Jay’s investigation uncovers a past injustice that threatens the fabric of the whole community.'
Source: Screen Australia (https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2017/07-12-mystery-road-series). (Sighted: 13/07/2017)
Series two:
'A headless corpse is found floating by the shore in a remote outback town. As if this weren’t mysterious enough, Detective Swan and his colleague Fran have to contend with protests against the excavation of an Indigenous site. And then another body turns up.'
Source: Berlinale program (Sighted: 13/02/2020)
Award-winning and individually published episodes are indexed on AustLit.
For a full list of episodes, see Film Details.
Gone
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
,
2018
14121692
2018
single work
film/TV
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
,
2018
The Waterhole
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
,
2018
14121759
2018
single work
film/TV
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
,
2018
Broken
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Commission
,
2020
20826037
2020
single work
film/TV
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Commission
,
2020
What You Do Now
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Commission
,
2020
20826126
2020
single work
film/TV
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
Australian Broadcasting Commission
,
2020
Mystery Road : Origin
( dir. Dylan River
)
Australia
:
Bunya Productions
,
2022
24477425
2022
series - publisher
film/TV
detective
The series 'follows Constable Jay Swan, a charismatic young officer who arrives at his new station. Fresh from the city and tipped for big things, Jay might be the new copper, but he’s not new to this town. His estranged father Jack lives here, as does the woman who will change his life forever, Mary.'
Positioned as the third series of Mystery Road, it is set some twenty years earlier and acts as an 'origin story' for protagonist Jay Swan.
'In early June, American reality TV show Cops was cancelled after 32 seasons. Live PD, a similar show, has since been canned.'
'Some new characters and welcome returns will arrive in the second season of this thoroughly satisfying modern-day Australian western with just the right amount of twists and turns.'
'The ensemble-driven Mystery Road deserves to be a hit for the ABC'
'It has been 25 years since the Indigenous Department at Screen Australia was established, resulting in some of the nation's most beloved films, television shows and documentaries.' (Introduction)
'As streaming giants ride the global upswing in TV storytelling, homegrown drama is conspicuously scant at Australia’s cash-strapped national broadcaster.'
'Aaron Pedersen, an Aboriginal actor who’s a major star in Australia, first played the Indigenous detective Jay Swan in the 2013 film “Mystery Road”. Swan is a classic type, the cop caught between his belief in the system and his loyalty to his own people, who automatically see him as a sellout. As embodied by the imposing Mr. Pedersen, he’s also a classic western hero: white hat, casual swagger, stony, squinting stare.' (Introduction)
