Ep 1. The Road

Mystery Road is back, and the much-anticipated second season opens with a tense episode titled The Road. Set in the outback of Western Australia, the series follows Detective Jay Swan (played by Aaron Pedersen) as he investigates a string of brutal and mystifying crimes that are tearing a small community apart.

The episode begins with a car crash on a deserted stretch of road. A truck has collided with a car, and the driver of the car, a young woman named Reese (played by Jada Alberts), is badly injured and trapped in the wreckage. Detective Swan is called to the scene, and he quickly realizes that something is very wrong. The accident appears to have been caused by someone deliberately laying a trap on the road, and the driver of the truck is nowhere to be found.

As Swan investigates further, he discovers that Reese was on her way to a job interview at a local mine, and that the truck that hit her was carrying a cargo of explosives. It becomes clear that this was no ordinary car crash, but rather the latest in a series of incidents that are threatening to destabilize the entire region.

Meanwhile, tensions are high in the community as a group of Indigenous elders are preparing to lodge a claim for native title over a vast tract of land that includes both the mine and the crash site. This has put them in conflict with the mine's owners, as well as with some of the local farmers who fear that their land will be taken from them.

As the investigation unfolds, Swan must navigate a labyrinthine web of mistrust, lies, and hidden agendas, all while dealing with personal demons of his own. He is haunted by his troubled relationship with his daughter, who is estranged from him, and by the fact that his ex-wife is now engaged to the local police sergeant.

The episode sets the stage for what promises to be another riveting season of Mystery Road, with its stunning cinematography, richly drawn characters, and dark and brooding atmosphere. The writing is sharp and nuanced, exploring complex themes of identity, colonialism, and the uneasy intersection of different cultures in the Australian outback.

Amidst all this, Aaron Pedersen delivers another powerful performance as Detective Swan, a man caught between two worlds, struggling to make sense of the violence and injustice he encounters on a daily basis. Whether he is questioning suspects, comforting survivors, or facing down his own demons, Pedersen brings a quiet intensity and raw vulnerability to the role that is utterly compelling.

The supporting cast is equally impressive, with standout performances from Jada Alberts as the feisty and determined Reese, Tasma Walton as Swan's ex-wife, and Callan Mulvey as the mine owner whose shady dealings may hold the key to the mystery at the heart of the series.

Overall, The Road is a gripping and atmospheric opening to the second season of Mystery Road, one that sets the tone for what is sure to be another thrilling ride into the heart of a troubled and hauntingly beautiful landscape.