The Guardian names Australian thriller Last Seen a standout Apple TV drama
Patrick Brammall and Maxine Peake lead a Victoria-made thriller about grief, disappearance and a call that reopens an old wound.
Last Seen, Apple TV’s first series made entirely in Australia, has been praised by The Guardian as one of the standout shows of the year. The thriller stars Patrick Brammall as Ian, a former police officer whose daughter Maggie disappeared 11 years ago.
Ian now works for Australia’s 000 emergency phone service, is six months sober and separated from his former wife. His fragile routine is disrupted when the remains of a small child are found in Victorian bushland near his home. The discovery is assumed to be connected to Maggie, though her identity is not confirmed.
The story gathers pace when Ian receives a mysterious phone call he believes is from his missing daughter. The Guardian’s review avoids disclosing the caller’s identity, while describing the series as a gripping and carefully constructed drama.
Adapted by Kris Mrksa from Ryan David Jahn’s novel The Dispatcher, the series also features Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Jessica Wren and Daniel Henshall. The Guardian praised the cast’s layered performances, particularly Brammall’s portrayal of a man reshaped by grief, guilt and desperation.
Filmed in Victoria, where the story is set, Last Seen carries the polished aesthetic of a prestige Apple TV production. Director Christian Schwochow and cinematographer Bonnie Elliott give the series a high-end visual finish, but the review argues that its lasting force comes from the characters and the emotional consequences of its twists.
