IslandGuru Who payed the critics

Organnall Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

thesensinglife What a Greek classic this is. As with others here I'm so glad to catch this series currently on ABC iView after dodging it previously. Maybe I was ready for it now because it's relevant and revelatory of what happens to young men finding their feet in a tough world. In this case, the world of elite sports. Admit I rushed to find out who this Matt Nable is and what else he's done. Totally surprised to find he's an Aussie and not Hungarian! How convincing he is, along with all the others in the cast. Barracuda's an attentive study in clashes and polarities, how you can make choices: to be aggressive, hungry, angry vs entitled, confident, moneyed and weak, and any combination of those. The structure is very much classical Greek theatre with Emma (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) in the role of commentator (Greek chorus) to Danny (and us) of her family.Good treatment of the press mediating life into trash (especially if you watched Frontline TV series). Everything counted for something - even Torma's house. Great script and characterisations. Loved Theo and loved the motor bike guy ("I'm not a spastic!!"). Thought Rachel Griffiths good in the part of not being able to say much while her life spins away from her dreams. And Helen Morse the tiny, aged controller watching all of them vying for power and favour. In support of the focus on beautiful masculinity, an article somewhere described Elias Anton's dedication to building his physique for the role, so I hope people don't assume it's about beauty for voyeurism. Athletes are the gods of Olympus basically, physically and in the dramas they play out among themselves, beyond the rest of us. My heart goes out to reviewer Jacob James Stapleton from London who knows what it's like to live this life like a comet – a gift with a sting in its tail.Some reviews here seem to miss the biggest thing in the frame – it's easy when it's so big we can't see it. The Pool, the arena. It's a beast, and as one said, what's going on above it, in it and below it. Frank Torma the water whisperer, kindly shares with us his wisdom and knowledge of this beast. And, much like Cassandra really, the key figures seem deaf to his warnings.

Jacob James Stapleton Being a swimmer myself (in the good ol' days) I was immediately attracted to this series' narrative. Swimming is one of the most competitive sports you can compete in, and one of the most gruelling to dedicate your life to. And all I can say is, I loved it!I simply devoured this series. It is story telling genius in how it moves and what is beneath it but at the same time it is brutal and honest and. It just is. This follow up to The Slap, which could easily be called The Splash, in that it is about swimming, is an epic journey of a kid called Danny Kelly who gets inserted into a fancy college due to his incredible talents in the pond. But despite his excellent coach and natural talent for winning, Danny rubs up against his more entitled peers which soon awakens a raw anger in him that may or may not lead to a sort of destruction, at the height of his reign. This story is about winning, about class, about anger, and about Australia. An Australia that hinges it's identity on glory above all, but who has no real connection to life beneath its surface.I am left sat on this sofa, remembering my old swimming days, what it felt like to dive into that blue, chlorinated volume. What it felt like to race. What it felt like to win. It's new year's eve right now and I might have had a few beers, but so what. This series has prescribed me 'hope'.See you at the Olympics guys!

Deep Impact It was a great television show. kept me glued to the edge of my seat for all 4 episodes. I haven't watched many Australian shows before but I am glad i stumbled upon this one. family dynamic was great between Danny and his family and director didn't hold back when it came to expressing despair for Dannys character. I wish in the end if Martin had forgiven Danny or been by his side as Martin knew that he was partly responsible for Dannys defeat at the championships. I didn't know any of the actors from before but after watching this show I must say I am a big fan, all of them did a great job.I just wish it was a longer show with more episodes to watch i was so attached to the characters that i wished it never ended. I will be looking out for more Australian shows like this one.

ngrace-1 I am not a fan of this writer, every time I start to read his books, I only get a third through. However it was a great production by the ABC and full credit to cast crew and writers. Loved the shots in the pool, and in particular Danny's mother who gave a wonderful and truly authentic portrayal of the European mum committed to family and life of her children. I'm not sure how much the miniseries deviates from book, but if end meaning is the same, then it was great. Not everyone is into sport, or can be a winner, and when a desire, passion, or dream ceases, it's not hopeless, but an opportunity to look at something else in life. I only hope more people will see that message. There's already too much loss of hope in the hearts of many in this world.