I enjoyed the first season of Brokenwood. No, it does not have big name actors, a big budget, heavy sex and swearing but it keeps your interest and is entertaining.
If you want all the hype, hoopla and jabberwocky of US based shows this is not for you.
I agree that some of the acting in the first episode was below par but it picked up in future episodes.
Some of it is hokey and there is also quite a bit of subtle humour from DI Mike Shepherd which can easily pass by the viewer. No, he is not suave, sophisticated and debonair but I like the character.
The episodes are up and down so you must be a patient viewer. In season 1 I enjoyed 2 of the 4 episodes. The first and last episodes in my opinion were below par.
I also liked the quirky country music in the background. It is a bit different from the norm.
I watched it on DVD so I could use the captions to help understand some of the kiwi accent (eg the "chicks" in the mail).
Try it out and see if you like the show. Don't try to compare it to some of the pommie shows just take it on its own merits.
POSTSCRIPT I am now into the third season of this series and each season is better than its predecessor. I have now upped my rating of the show to a 8.25 from a 7. The only real criticism I have about season 3 is the new background music they used. It is not as good as the music in the first two seasons.
