Based on Jane Harper’s 2020 novel of the same name, six-part crime drama The Survivors is packed with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Fifteen years ago, the small Tasmanian seaside town of Evelyn Bay was rocked by the deaths of two young men, Toby (Talon Hopper) and Finn (Remy Kidd). They died heroically, saving Finn’s younger brother, Kieran (Ned Morgan), during a storm. But they weren’t the only people who died that day.
That same night, 14-year-old Gabby Birch (Eloise Rothfield) also disappeared – seemingly swept off the rocks.
She is forgotten by all but her mother, Trish (Catherine McClements), who refuses to give up hope that Gabby’s still alive. This is boosted by the arrival of Bronte (Shannon Berry) – a photographer keen to tell Gabby’s story.
With the anniversary of the storm approaching, Kieran (now played by Charlie Vickers) returns home with his partner, Mia (Yerin Ha), also a former Evelyn Bay resident and Gabby’s best friend. Kieran had moved to Sydney after being blamed for his brother’s death.
While his return is embraced by his high-school buddies, Kieran’s mum, Verity (Robyn Malcolm), is cold at best. Meanwhile, his dad, Brian (Damien Garvey), is in the grips of dementia, going in and out of lucidity.
Of course, the worst reception is from Toby’s family. While his brother, Sean (Thom Green), is one of Kieran’s closest mates, Toby’s dad, Julian (Martin Sacks), is still harbouring plenty of resentment.
“Julian really hasn’t forgiven Kieran – he holds him responsible for the death of his son,” Martin, 65, tells TV WEEK. “There’s a real unease from Julian, and the town in general, because there’s a lot of blame attached to Kieran’s return.
“It just gives a real sense of how people deal with loss and grief, what impact it has on the township and how everybody responds differently.”
When Bronte’s lifeless body is discovered on the beach the next morning, the town is plunged back into darkness and old wounds are reopened.
Kieran is immediately under suspicion – Bronte’s death so soon after his arrival is a little too coincidental. But so too is his father, whose late-night wanderings prove concerning. However, it seems everyone had a reason to stop Bronte digging into the past.
“Bronte comes into town and starts creating waves, and Julian really doesn’t want to mess with the memory of these boys,” Martin explains.
“Being in a small town like Evelyn Bay, I think they just want to leave things as they are so that everyone can just get on with their lives.”
The Survivors will be available to stream on Netflix from June 6, 2025.
Where to purchase The Survivors novel:
The Survivors is available for purchase at Big W, Amazon, and Dymocks.
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