Treasure & Dirt review: a gloriously strange detective mystery, unlike any you’ve seen before
A beheading in the outback kicks off this terrific six-part series, in which the greatest pleasure is not solving the crime but learning about the peculiar locals
The Guardian has published a review of Treasure & Dirt, a six-part detective mystery series co-produced by the BBC and ABC TV. Directed by Madeleine Gottlieb and adapted from Chris Hammer’s novel, the drama is set in the fictional opal-mining town of Nulla. The narrative centres on Detective Ivan Lucic and rookie detective Nell Buchanan following a gruesome beheading. The review praises the series for its surreal atmosphere, vivid characterisation of locals, and emphasis on setting over pure crime mechanics.
The series opens with a beheading in the outback, where the victim’s head is found in his lap. This event triggers a labyrinthine case with no easy answers. Detective Ivan Lucic, played by Michael Dorman, arrives in Nulla and is greeted by the local airport manager with the question: “Are you here for the decapitation?” Lucic is paired with rookie detective Nell Buchanan, played by Liv Hewson, as they pursue the anonymous person who reported the body.
Buchanan explains that the reporter is a “ratter,” one of the thieves who scurry down mines at night to steal opals. This description is likened to a hideously Australian reinvention of the tooth fairy. Local senior sergeant Pat Richter, played by Sarah Peirse, advocates a form of self-policing in Nulla, which has its own peculiar customs and unwritten laws.
The review notes that Nulla joins a rich vein of off-the-map Australian locations that effectively function as their own realities. These include recent TV shows Deadloch and Population 11, and classic films The Cars That Ate Paris, Welcome to Woop Woop, and Wake in Fright. The mood in Treasure & Dirt is described as dreamlike, with a faded, weather-beaten look and a subtle sense that something is fundamentally wrong with this world.
The review highlights the show’s cinematographer, Edward Goldner, and editor, Tyson Williams, for their atmospheric and disciplined work. The cast includes opal dealer The Irishman, played by Dean O’Gorman; the physically imposing “Man Mountain,” played by Nathan Jones; tech billionaire Robby Inglis, played by Eamon Farren; and cult leader David “The Seer,” played by Thomas M Wright. The self-proclaimed “Mayor” is played by Mark Mitchinson, who is described as gloriously strange.
The review concludes that the greatest pleasure of Treasure & Dirt lies not in the crime but in learning about the town. The intense thought and care brought to unpacking this location and its weird dynamics results in a setting so vividly rendered that it feels less like something being watched than explored. The series airs on ABC TV on Sundays at 8.30pm and is available on ABC iView, with a UK airdate to follow.