The BBC has secured the rights to the new Australian crime drama “Scrublands,” which is based on the award-winning novel by Chris Hammer. The series will be available on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.
This four-part series is produced by the Australian production company Easy Tiger, known for their work on “Colin from Accounts” and “The Twelve.” It features a talented cast, including Luke Arnold (“Black Sails,” “Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS”), Jay Ryan (“It Chapter Two,” “Top of the Lake”), and Bella Heathcote (“CAUGH*T,” “Relic”).
“Scrublands” is set in a secluded country town, where a charismatic and devoted young priest (Jay Ryan) tragically opens fire on his congregation, resulting in the deaths of five parishioners. A year later, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives in Riversend to write a seemingly straightforward feature story about the anniversary of the tragedy. However, Martin’s journalistic instincts lead him to dig deeper, unravelling the accepted narrative and plunging him into a perilous quest to uncover the truth.
The ensemble cast also includes Robert Taylor (“The Newsreader”), Adam Zwar (“Squinters”), Zane Ciarma (“Neighbours”), Victoria Thaine (“Nowhere Boys”), Stacy Clausen (“True Spirit”), Genevieve Morris (“No Activity”), and newcomer Ella Ferris.
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “With its enigmatic central protagonist and atmospheric depiction of rural Australia, the compelling and complex narrative of Scrublands will keep BBC viewers guessing until the very end…”
The BBC acquired “Scrublands” (4 episodes, each 50 minutes in length) through Abacus Media Rights, which holds international distribution rights for the series. The series was produced by Easy Tiger for Stan Australia and the Nine Network, with Ian Collie, Rob Gibson, David Redman, and Felicity Packard serving as producers. The series is directed by Greg McLean and written by Felicity Packard, Kelsey Munro, and Jock Serong.
