Wakefield (2021) User Reviews

Hard to watch....because it's so good.

[grantdoran · 9/10 · 19 August 2021]

Wakefield is a difficult show to watch at time, partly because of the subject matter, and partly because it's so real.

But the pay-off is a beautifully scripted story, superb direction, spectacular scenery and a set of flawless performances from an incredible Australian ensemble cast. Oh, and an Englishman as the star, although his Australian accent is so surprisingly good, I think we will make him an honorary Aussie.

The final episode left me sitting quietly for a while contemplating what I'd just watched.

If you want something that is seriously cerebral but still capable of making you burst out laughing, Wakefield is for you.

One of the best I've seen in a long time

[gallagherkellie · 9/10 · 21 April 2021]

I only just read that the main actor is English and it's blown my mind. What a great job at the Australian accent!

I am so pleasantly surprised with this show. I absolutely loved every minute of it. It shows the realness in regards to mental illness. It shows that everyone has some sort of deep seeded issues they need to resolve. But it does it in a comedic way a lot of the time.

The acting was amazing, especially from the main actor. The backdrop of the Blue Mountains was a nice bonus I really hope they make a season 2!

Doesn't get better than this

[rosebx-60362 · 9/10 · 6 June 2021]

This mini series has everything, quality drama doesn't get any better than this! To Rudi Dharmalingam, what an amazing achievement, not just brilliant acting but to nail the Aussie accent better than any non-Australian. Geraldine Hakewell, Mandy McIllheny and every actor in the series, take a bow, you were all superb, and made your character believable. To the writers, producers, directors and the ABC..... thank you.

Australian drama at its best

[jadeleak · 10/10 · 26 July 2021]

Wakefield tackles different extremes of poor mental health with regular doses of black comedy. The heavy story lines are lifted by tenderness of humanity and set against the stunning backdrop of the blue mountains.

All characters are genuine and well developed ,not just the main ones. The mystery is compelling and will keep you guessing until the end. Spectacular acting from all players. Really hoping for a second season as this was a spectacular production and completely original.

Amazing

[philhayes80 · 10/10 · 14 May 2021]

Re-watched this show at least four times already. Heart-breaking, brilliant and how a TV series around mental health should be. A wonderful look in. Kudos to the cast and crew for this masterpiece.

Wow!

[biancahatfieldmusician · 10/10 · 15 May 2021]

Only 2 eps in and I am already convinced this will go down in history as one of the best Aussie shows ever made. Uniquely moving and important.

Could've been AMAZING!

[GMFreeek · 6/10 · 9 April 2021]

I feel at odds leaving this review as it currently has 9/10 stars & I just didn't get that from this production.

I'm an avid Aussie TV/film supporter & will always back local projects first, because generally we produce some great TV. But this left me annoyed a lot of the time.

The story was FANTASTIC, but the timeline jumped all over the place & repeated itself CONSTANTLY. At times I just wanted it to get on with it. I really wanted to immerse myself in the story & the acting, which was stellar! But I found myself getting frustrated, which is a shame.

I think it was just trying to be a little too clever, & for me, it just didn't need to be, it had everything already.

No doubt people won't agree with me but just my two cents worth! Still worth the watch :)

I agree with all the 10 star reviews

[whatithinkis · 8/10 · 18 May 2021]

I support this very excellent work . . . By EVERYone. All aspects . . . Stunningly creative, intelligent. I would not even write a review if I wasn't unable to find my two misgivings anywhere here addressed, so I'll add: the musicality.

Difficult for me since I don't, in the main, enjoy musicals. One, maybe two exceptions. This is not one of them. HowEVER. I do see, once the 'mystery' is solved, why. Literally.

Additionally I appreciate that the full spectrum of feeling is explored as an intrinsic aspect of the nature of the entire work and music may be the only way to achieve a certain aspect of joy.

Then there's the pace. This was just too long by one or two episodes. Too slow in some spots especially given the complexities and discomforts. Asking your audience to sit and simmer in the soup is, I think, too much.

But a difficult conclusion at which to arrive given the amazing work overall.

My solution: to click on ALL the tens in the reviews and rate an 8/10.

Jumbled mess and a good story wasted

[Xavier_Stone · 4/10 · 22 April 2021]

This would be a fairly good series if it didn't jump the timelines all around. It really doesn't need it as the story is good enough. Lots of pointless redone scenes that create nothing and don't advance the show.

Exquisite, stunning, a triumph of Australian television!

[ivargasmalby · 10/10 · 8 April 2021]

Hypnotically riveting, this groundbreaking Australian drama is flawless from start to finish. The entire cast are magnificent, with strong, award worthy performances throughout the series. Whether or not there is another season, this series has forever changed me and will be included in my favourite Aussie productions of all time!

Australian TV mini-series is neither comedy nor drama

[paul-allaer · 5/10 · 21 October 2021]

As Episode 1 of Wakefield (2021 release from Australia; 8 episodes of about 55 min each) opens, the opening chapter "JAMES" is announced and we are introduced to a guy who seems to be in the middle of a video meeting with two guys in London for a high-finance deal of some sort. But we understand quickly that James is in fact in a psychiatric wing at a facility in Australia called Wakefield. In the next chapter "IVY", we are introduced to a young mother who seems incapable to take care of her small baby girl... At this point we are 10 min. Into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from longtime Australian TV producer and creator Kristen Dunphy, as directed by Australian director Jocelyn Moorhouse. I found Episode 1 to be a curious affaire. We are introduced to various characters and learn how they end up at this psychiatric ward. The series seems to be centered around Nik, one of the nurses at the ward. But it's not clear at all to me what this series is really all about. Based strictly om Episode 1, it's not a comedy, but neither is it a drama. It's somewhere in between, or outside of both if you want. What I do know is that as of right now, I'm not emotionally invested in any of these characters and that is not a good sign. I'll probably give it one more episode before I decide whether I pull the plug on this series, or whether I'll stick with it.

Episode 1 of "Wakefield" premiered on Showtime a few days ago, and is now available on SHO On Demand, Amazon Instant Video, and other streaming platforms. New episodes air on Monday evenings at 9 pm Eastern. Neither fish nor flesh, I'm not sure what to make of this TV mini-series as of now, but of course I'd suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.

A masterpiece

[pazcur · 10/10 · 22 November 2021]

So beautifully shot. So well conceived. So well acted. So well written. So earnest about the complexity of human emotions and interactions. And Nik is so inspiring, such an embodiment of kindness, a master of how we should communicate with one another, an incredible listener.

You come out a better person after watching this masterpiece.

DRAMA AT ITS BEST!!

[CerridwenHawk · 10/10 · 17 June 2021]

A brilliant & visceral examination of unhealed trauma, CPTSD. With a stellar ensemble cast and the breathtaking and award-winning performance by Rudi Dharmalingam, who delivered a character that exhibited such a range of Emotions, I was left spellbound... This is rich, nuanced, astute Storytelling!!

Splendid, Fantastic!!

[mandarinpill · 10/10 · 17 May 2021]

From start to finish, complex, edgy, Australian drama.

The depth and delivery of characters is top notch.

Must watch, do yourself a favour!!

One of the best TV series in a long time

[dwalkeryau · 10/10 · 2 May 2021]

This is an extraordinarily wonderful series that had me deeply involved from the first few minutes. Wonderful acting by the entire cast, great story line that is finely crafted with great nuance, and the humanity shines through as things unravel for our main character.

The metaphor of the jigsaw puzzle: people trying to put their lives back together, and the final piece that is needed to make you whole; is a strong and moving idea. The contest between the two leaders: the main character Nik, who leads through his humanity, versus Mandy who leads by control and manipulation, is a great side story and feeds into the overarching story of people's fragmented lives.

Some people seem to have found the jumping in timeline confusing. It took me an episode to get used to it, but once I understood that they were replaying the same scene from different points of view, it all made sense and I really liked the way the scene was so different for each of the characters. Just like real life.

I can't think of any criticism of this show. I hope there are more seasons, and we see more great shows like this in the future.

Absolute rubbish

[ajazzhour · 1/10 · 7 May 2021]

Unbelievable!!! The director should be ashamed and why would you write such rubbish- take a look at what is coming out of the UK and the USA at the moment great TV. I feel so sorry for some of the actors.

What's going on this is 2021.

Best Aussie series since "Wildside" in the 1990s ...

[rven3 · 10/10 · 18 April 2021]

... apart from "Rake", which belongs in its own category altogether.

The subject matter - mental illness in patients in a mental home in the Blue Mountains, NSW - may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is in part the realism which makes this series so watchable. Then there is the cast. I could go on and on about the wonderful cast, and the writing and directing, but I'll mention two of the main characters only. British actor, Rudi Dharmalingam (who played James in the UK series, "The Split") wins my award for the most authentic Australian accent by a non-Australian actor .. ever. He is also in nearly every scene, and is charismatic as the troubled Nik, searching for answers to his own mental 'issues'. Alongside Dharmalingam is Mandy McElhinney, the head nurse who plays games with both patients and staff. There is a touch of Nurse Ratched from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" about her character, and Mandy McElhinney is perfect in the role. All performances were outstanding, but the two I mention here were in a class all of their own.

Lastly, there is that other main character, the Blue Mountains, which forms a backdrop of breathtaking beauty throughout all 8 episodes. The final episode of the series reveals all, and a few surprises as well.

If I could give this more than 10 stars, I would.

Really

[Headturner1 · 4/10 · 21 May 2021]

I guess they're paying ABC to write glowing reviews now. I've been wanting to watch this for a while and it finally streamed a few nights ago. I watched all but the last episode and fell asleep. Up until then I thought it was decent. I read all the reviews except the spoilers. What twist ending??? Am I missing something???Maybe SPOILERS

I knew he was the reason for the brothers death just not how. Was that the big twist reveal?!? I thught perhaps he was a patient the whole time? Omar? I first thought his brother drowned but lived and was Omar? I don't remember him ever wearing staff clothes? It would have been better if all the staff were patients and the patients staff for crying out loud and no the musical scenes weren't necessary to tell the story. Only character I really like was the guitar player( forget his name) . Any ways disappointed in the end.

I didn't mean to watch this but....

[thejdrage · 8/10 · 5 January 2022]

I finished watching one thing and this was the next in the queue of the platform I had on. I didn't bother to stop it and once it started, I couldn't stop watching it until the end of Episode 8 - at 3 AM. It is a mesmerizing look into being human on this planet. It shows scale and scope subtly. You watch people morph and change. The methods it uses is unusual, but that's what makes this film so remarkable and memorable, along with the cinematography, the story line and acting. It is about 2 episodes too long. There are some characters we don't need to know THAT well. Absolutely keep Tessa and James - Wow! Don't forget Linda. And actually fell madly in love with Zelco (we think alike), but there are some others that are fluff who could have remained in the background and the story would have not been as diluted, thus the 8 stars. As one reviewer said, Read all the 9 and 10 star reviews - they are worth it!!!

absolutely phenomenal - shame US audience may not see

[bheydam · 10/10 · 25 June 2021]

This is an absolutely phenomenal series. Lesser known in North America but easily better than most US programming. Cast is outstanding, story in so engaging and eye opening. On par with Sex Education. Really great series - hope it gets some exposure to North American / European audiences.

Come on Eileen oh I swear what he means. At this moment, you mean everything!!!!

[brenzbrenz · 8/10 · 11 April 2021]

Now this song is stuck in my head ha ha. I really enjoyed this series. I hope they come out with a season 2 to see what happened to Nik and all the other characters.

Awesome, wow, I loved it!!

[alfrescocafe · 10/10 · 2 June 2021]

Binge watched this Awsome Aussie Drama over 2 nights!! Covered quite a spectrum of emotions with lots of giggles, tears and and a couple of belly laughs.

The characters were beautifully played and the main character Nikhil who was played by English actor Rudi Dharmalingam blew me away with his spot on Australian accent.

I never write reviews but I enjoyed this show so much that I felt compelled to write one and am hoping that there will be a season 2!!!!!!

Outstanding unique Aussie drama

[feebeeother · 9/10 · 10 April 2021]

Set in a Psych hospital in the stunning Blue Mountains of NSW, this unique Australian drama series boasts absolutely stellar actors, some familiar faces, some new.

First of all the series is beautifully shot amongst one of the most glorious outdoor settings Australia has to offer and this fact is fully taken advantage of thank goodness.

The series is very character driven with most of the "crazies" in the psych ward managing to be likeable. The various subject matters can be quite intense but it's the main character, member of staff Nik, who you are drawn to. His story has a lot of flashbacks but I found it fairly easy to follow and that it all was building to a satisfying heartbreaking climax by ep8.

The pacing of this show is a slow burner which I quite enjoyed however the reason I dropped a point to 9/10 was because I felt the introduction of Colin Friels and Mat Nable's characters as new ward inductees in ep6&7 was unnecessary and irrelevant to the story building. Of course their acting is on point and it would be criminal for their scenes to end up on the cutting room floor, however their characters do not progress the story any, especially when being introduced randomly at the pointy end of the series. Was too much of a distraction when you're just dying to know what's going on with Nik!! I think 6eps would therefore have suited this series much better.

Other than that I highly recommend this truly Aussie series. Definitely binge-worthy. The roller coaster of emotions you will feel from sadness to joy, from intrigue to anger, from shock to laughter make it a must see.

PS: Special mention must be given to Rudi Dharmalingam who plays Nik, not only for his superb portrayal of the main character but his flawless Aussie accent. I would never have guessed he was a Brit!? Never heard better :)

Another superb Australian drama

[jadeleak · 10/10 · 11 May 2021]

Impeccable acting, and an enthralling story around a unique plot which explores mental health, relationships and deep character analysis. I enjoyed this series so much I watched it twice.

Superb and transcendent.

[paulashton001 · 10/10 · 30 October 2021]

If not for the excellent camera work, stunning cinematography and engaging editing it would be difficult to know any acting was happening at all! This show so we'll written and acted! It's all the bits that matter and non of the bits that don't. The small talk is levity plus context. The drama feels like the flesh pulled back on the human experience. This and I've only seen the two episodes! Kudos!