When a young police constable Jay Swan is assigned to the remote town of Jardine in the Australian outback, he isn’t especially thrilled. It was a place he had grown up, and the memories left behind in the idle mining town are all but pleasant. Mystery Road: Origin takes place way before the events of the previous seasons of Mystery Road. In this six-episode fast-paced season, we are greeted by a much younger version of the Jay Swan than the middle-aged hunk we are accustomed to. In the previous seasons of Mystery Road, the Australian sleuth is portrayed by Aaron Pedersen, while Origin has Mark Coles Smith, who gives a strong performance while keeping the character coherent and interesting.
Mystery Road: Origin’s filming locations stay true to the core story and the gritty season. Like the fictitious town of Jardine, the principal photography takes place in Western Australia. Now let’s look deeper into the unforgiving Australian outback and see what it takes to carve a stellar Australian series. After all, the series still has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 100%, so it’s about time the series receives the love and respect it deserves.
Mystery Road: Origins Recap
Mystery Road: Origin can be considered more of a prequel than a sequel, as the season opens with a substantially younger version of Jay Swan. Jay is in his mid-twenties, and though he has his iconic confidence and sense of composure, he is still a novice who has been assigned to his hometown, where a series of unsolved robberies are unfolding. Jay isn’t remotely excited to be back, for his estranged father still lives there, and some of the memories are a bit too overwhelming.
But he soon meets the love of his life, Mary, and right when things seem to fall into place, the robbers hit again. Their identities are unknown, causing the small populace to point fingers at each other. Even without the robberies, Jay has enough on this plate; the town is hostile towards police officers, and racial tensions are flaring. The racist group, Sons of the Soil, is at its peak, and a local business has the statue of Ned Kelly standing in all his glory.
Throughout the season, the relationship between Jay and his family gets stranger, as he gets pushed aside and is treated like an outsider (shades of Theon Greyjoy back at the Iron Islands). His brother is lawless, and his father is the adorable town drunkard who hates the force. But the narrative of Mystery Road: Origin never flounders, and the show stays true to the established characters from the first two seasons. Well, when the characters remain fresh and appealing even after two seasons, it’s safe to say that the showrunners are pulling the right strings.
Also Read:: How To Watch Mystery Road Origin? The Australian TV Show’s Streaming Details
Mystery Road: Origin Filming Locations
The principal photography of Mystery Road: Origin took place in Western Australia. The filming was spread across the town of Kalgoorlie, the suburbs of Boulder, and the ghost town of Coolgardie. The filming locations are certainly captivating, and the raw emotions of the wild outback perfectly ooze out through the lens. The story is set in the late 1990s, and as a result, the lack of people glued to the screens is also a refreshing sight.
Equally, Jardine has shades of being a sundown town, where the people of color never feel comfortable. One could even say that the idle mining town resembles real-world towns like Vidor, Texas, where racism is still rampant, with the population hostile towards law enforcement and is proud of its “racially pure” heritage. And to top it all, the cast and crew play their parts brilliantly.
Where to Watch Mystery Road: Origins?
All six episodes of Mystery Road: Origins are available on Australian cable TV. They are also available for viewing on ABC’s iView but at 8:30 PM Australian Standard Time. However, if you’re based outside of Australia or want to watch it on other platforms, you’ll have to wait for some time, as other distributors are yet to air it. Finally, coming to the topic of whether the season is worth the time? Absolutely! Like the previous seasons of Mystery Road, this season has opened to raving reviews, both commercially and critically. Safe to say, the series is turning heads while retaining fresh storytelling.
In an age where streaming platforms are fighting tooth and nail for dominance, ABC has certainly proven to be a contender worthy of your time (and, of course, bucks) by churning out this masterpiece of a television show. Until next season then, folks!
Also Read: Where Was Mystery Road Series 2 Filmed?
