The four-part Australian rural noir crime drama, Scrublands, premieres Thursday, May 2 on Sundance Now and AMC+, with additional episodes dropping weekly on both platforms. Based on Chris Hammer’s award-winning and bestselling crime novel by the same name, the captivating series follows a country town grappling with the aftermath of a horrible crime, still trying to come to terms with it a year on.
In an isolated and struggling country town, a charismatic and dedicated priest, Father Byron Swift (Jay Ryan, Beauty And The Beast), calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners. One year later investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold, Black Sails) arrives in Riversend to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy. But when Martin’s instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart, and he finds himself in a life and death race to uncover the truth.
Martin finds the people of Riversend deeply scarred and hostile to journalists, with local bookstore owner Mandy Bond (Bella Heathcote, Pieces of Her), Constable Robbie Haus-Jones (Adam Zwar, Top of the Lake), and widow of one of the massacre victims, Fran Landers (Victoria Thaine, Sonia & Cherry), giving him short shrift. But each have a past with Byron Swift they have kept hidden…
Scrublands, a Sundance Now Original Series, is directed by Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and written by Felicity Packard (Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries), who also serve as a producer, Kelsey Munro (Bump) and Jock Serong. Executive producers are Michael Healy and Andy Ryan for 9Network and Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan. Producers are Ian Collie and Rob Gibson for Easy Tiger and David Redman. Scrublands is an Easy Tiger production, presented by Stan in association with 9Network, Vicscreen and Abacus Media Rights, who handles the international distribution.
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 1 – Premieres Thursday, May 2 on Sundance Now and AMC+
One year after a horrific mass shooting, an investigative journalist arrives in a remote country town to write an anniversary piece, but soon realizes there is much more to the story than meets the eye.
Episode 2 – Premieres Thursday, May 9 on Sundance Now and AMC+
Martin’s investigation leads to a series of revelations that draw him deeper into the scrublands and the secrets of Riversend.
Episode 3 – Premieres Thursday, May 16 on Sundance Now and AMC+
The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together but Martin’s excitement is short lived when his search for the truth marks him as a target, and he very nearly pays the ultimate price.
Episode 4 – Premieres Thursday, May 23 on Sundance Now and AMC+
All the answers as to who Byron Swift really was and why he chose to kill five people are revealed as Martin comes face to face with the true mastermind.
