The story starts when Sophie Crawford, daughter of a British government minister, is found dead in Sydney. At first it looks like an accident, but the police soon realize she was murdered.
The main character is Max Drummond, a British detective played by John Bradley. Max gets sent to Sydney to watch how the Australian police handle the case. He's not very popular back home in Britain and his marriage is falling apart, so this trip is like an escape for him. In Sydney, he has to work with the local police team, especially Detective Sergeant Meg Driscoll, who doesn't like having a British cop around and treats him badly at first.
Sophie's mother is Abigail Crawford, played by Joanne Froggatt. She's a important British politician who was in Australia to make a big trade deal when her daughter died. Instead of just focusing on her daughter's death, she keeps working on her political business, which seems strange for a grieving mother. This makes her character hard to understand - is she just very professional or is something else going on?
As the police investigate, they find out Sophie's murder is connected to corrupt politicians and shady business deals. There are lots of suspects with different reasons to want Sophie dead. The case gets more complicated as they find clues that point to different people, making it hard to figure out who really did it.
While all this is happening, Max starts to like his sister-in-law Tori, who lives in Sydney. This creates a love story problem because Max has to choose between going back to his unhappy marriage in Britain or staying in Australia for a new relationship. This personal drama gives Max something important to think about besides just the murder case.
The investigation takes the team all around Sydney, from government offices to sketchy neighborhoods. They discover the murder is part of a bigger conspiracy involving international business corruption, personal revenge, and family secrets that have been hidden for years. Each episode reveals more about both the crime and the relationships between the characters.
After watching the whole series, I have to say it was pretty disappointing overall, even though some parts were good. The best thing about the show is definitely John Bradley as Max. He was great as Sam in Game of Thrones, and here he makes Max a really likeable character. Max is funny and relatable as he tries to figure out how Australian police work while dealing with his own personal problems. The way he slowly becomes friends with the Australian cops, especially after they start treating him better, makes for some of the show's best moments.
Sydney looks absolutely beautiful in the show. They filmed at famous landmarks and scenic spots around the city, making it look like a postcard. The camera work captures both the fancy city areas and the natural beauty, creating a gorgeous background that almost becomes part of the story itself. Even when other parts of the show aren't working well, at least it's nice to look at.
But here's the big problem - Joanne Froggatt is completely wrong for her role as the government minister. I've seen her in other shows like Downton Abbey where she was excellent, but here she's terrible. She doesn't look or sound like someone who could be a powerful politician. She talks in this weird, fake formal way that sounds like an old-fashioned radio announcer instead of a modern government leader. Her acting is stiff and unconvincing, making it impossible to believe she could actually run important government business or command respect from other politicians.
The worst part about Froggatt's bad performance is that her character is supposed to keep working on her political deals while her daughter's murder is being investigated. This could actually work as a story idea if the actress could show the complicated mix of grief, professional duty, and political pressure that would make someone behave this way. Instead, Froggatt just seems cold and unfeeling, making the character look uncaring rather than professionally focused.
The Australian actors in the supporting roles are hit and miss. Some of the local police officers feel real and bring good energy to their scenes, but others just act like stereotypical Australians in a way that feels fake. The writing doesn't help because it often gives these characters dialogue that sounds unnatural and forced. The romance between Max and Tori is okay but predictable, and the two actors don't have much chemistry together.
The actual police investigation is fine but nothing special. It follows the usual pattern of crime shows - interviewing suspects, following false leads, gathering evidence, and slowly piecing together what really happened. There are some interesting twists and the final answer to who did it is surprising, but getting there takes longer than it should. The six episodes work well because the show doesn't drag on too long, but even at this length, some parts feel slow and boring.
The show tries to be funny sometimes by showing the cultural differences between the British and Australian characters. Some of these jokes work, especially when Max struggles to understand local customs and police procedures. But other attempts at humor feel forced and happen at the wrong times, ruining dramatic moments that should be serious.
The technical aspects of the show are decent. The filming and directing are competent without being exceptional. The writing has some good moments, particularly in developing Max's character and showing how the team relationships evolve, but it's inconsistent and sometimes falls back on tired clichés.
One thing the show does well is showing how police work affects people's personal lives. Max's failing marriage and career disappointments back in Britain feel real and important. His gradual acceptance into the Australian team seems authentic. The show works best when it focuses on these human elements rather than trying to create overly complicated conspiracy plots.
The mystery is solved in the last episode when it turns out that Charles Maclean, a politician and old friend of Abigail Crawford, is the one who killed Sophie. She had found out about his corrupt business deals linked to a big trade agreement, so he murdered her to keep it secret. The twist is surprising because most people didn't suspect him, but the clues make sense in hindsight. Even though the ending ties things together, it doesn't feel very emotional, Abigail barely reacts to finding out the truth about her daughter. The final scenes are rushed, and instead of giving a strong conclusion, the show quietly ends with Max choosing to stay in Sydney, possibly setting things up for a second season.
North Shore feels like a wasted opportunity. The basic idea of British and Australian detectives working together on a crime is good, and Sydney makes a great setting. John Bradley's performance alone makes it worth watching, and there are enough good moments to show what the series could have been with better casting and writing. However, the terrible miscasting of Joanne Froggatt and inconsistent quality throughout, prevent it from being a good tv show.
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