There is nothing new in this show. ALL of these scenarios have already happened, in our communities, around Australia.
Be warned, it is confronting. Within the early scenes. If you have experienced violence, be prepared. It is very spare in its depictions of physical violence, and is not gratuitous, but it does not need to be. The threat of violence is just as terrifying. And the trauma and psychological impacts are evident in many of the characters
I can't speak to whether the Community Legal Service is realistically represented. But for the different versions of family violence, this is, to my experience, authentic. The situations (plot) and character representations (acting) are entirely convincing.
The boiling frog metaphor, whilst only alluded to in this show, is an accurate one. It creeps up on you, whilst at the same time, you rationalise the situation, and the perpetrator's behaviour. I suspect, the more 'clever' you are, the more convincing your rationalisations, to yourself as much as others. The underlying plotline of the 'murder' alluded to in the 1st episode, attempts to depict to the viewer, how we can ALL be taken in. "It can be anyone". I think it is also a challenging thought project, to question yourself, about any assumptions you may have made, before the denouement in the final episode.
Yes this is a representation of, predominantly, women as victims. But that is factually accurate. Family violence towards women and consequently, children, is an epidemic in Australia. The institutions we have; Courts/Police/Services, have been identified as part of the problem - as is depicted in this show.
For those of you who question its veracity, who propose it 'needs more irony', who think it is 'biased against men', consider your own internalised biases and your capacity for compassion.
My hope is that at some point in my lifetime, we have moved on from; desperately needing to represent these stories. To; actually seeing solutions and change within our culture. A time when shows like this become painfully outdated.
