User Reviews

Having watched episodes, I thought it good enough to look forward to further episodes. I suspect most kiwi's aren't used to drama that isn't zipping along speedily and with an inane plot and in-your-face ham acting. I loved the scenery in our beautiful harbour. Sure, it isn't 'the Killing' , but there are not that many truly exceptional tv series. I think it is under-rated on iMDB. I liked it.

Best NZ thriller ever, well worth the watch. As good as anything the BBC makes.

The Gulf is a contemporary police drama set ostensibly in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. But in fact most of the action takes place on Waiheke, an idillic island about 50 minutes ferry ride in the Hauraki Gulf with about 10,000 inhabitants comprising artisans, hippies, wineries and wealthy folk who often commute to Auckland. The three main police officers are brooding middle aged Detective SS Jess Savage (Kate Elliot) and her handsome 30 something assistant DS Justin Harding (Ido Drent). Jess lives on the Island (as it is usually called), Justin in an inner city Auckland apartment and Senior Sergeant Denise Abernathy (Allison Bruce) holds down the fort at the Waiheke police station. Jess reports to her boss at Auckland Central Police Station and the show features many stunning shots from the frequent ferry rides Jess and Justin must take.

The Gulf cleverly weaves an ever more gripping developing plot line across all episodes and series but the bulk of episode time is taken up with excellent two-episode local crime story lines. In the ongoing story, Jess survives a near fatal accident that killed her husband and she now lives alone with her 18 year old daughter Ruby (Timmy Cameron) who gets pregnant to her older boyfriend AJ (Dahnu Graham). The exact circumstances of the accident unfold gradually as do the consequences for Jess and how she deals with them and it is a compelling and tense underlying storyline that augments the attractiveness of the ongoing policing work stories.

Now I'm a biased observer on the location being a kiwi expat but the setting is simply superb and the show beautifully captures many endearing and attractive aspects of kiwi culture and life: the stunning scenery of Auckland's Gulf region, the plethora of beautiful 100+ year old restored wooden villas on the Island, the casual laid back style of interpersonal relations in NZ, the slang, the way Maori culture and words are neatly interwoven into modern white NZ society and down to the little things like iconic fish and chips in the squad room and Marmite on toast for breakfast. All in all a fabulous and quite unique police drama. It is more dark and has a harder edge than the more genteel and slow pace of The Brokenwood Mysteries, another NZ police drama.

I like the format of this quite a bit. Tandem episodes that resolve a particular case, but a narrative through line runs through all of them with a mystery component with the lead. She's been in an accident of which she's the lone survivor, her husband dead. And this has given her some selective, short term memory loss that is being resolved as she goes back to work.

I think it actually works quite well. The writing is better than expected overall, with a couple rough patches. Probably because they go through a lot of murders. It's like watching a BBC crime show, but much tighter. Sometimes it's more contrived but it's also not meandering in the least. It's a trade off.

Performance wise, all 'round competent. I _think_ the lead is cast as at LEAST odd, but I think also neurodivergent-perhaps trying to evoke the popular detective from Bron/Broen. It's never explicit though, so it's hard to say. But she is a bit standoffish and takes a bit getting used to, but when you do I actually like her quite a bit. And everyone else is just as fine. No truly excellent people, though.

The through line really brings together the plot in a satisfying way. It has a plot arc and character arc in-built, plus it's way more interesting than it initially seems. Relationships are fairly complex and dynamic. Characters are well realized. Gorgeous NZ scenes and shot compositions. Definetly deserving of a solid rating, in my mind. And I have watched an unhealthy amount of procedurals, Scandinavian noir, and peripheral shows from all around the world, for what it's worth.

This series has everything going for it but blows it in the fourth episode which disintegrates into angst and soap opera theatrics. There's not much to the script from now on; it's mostly just treading water. It doesn't help that the lead character, played at times almost comically by a tiny woman with a 50's Elvis pompadour, is a pill-popping neurotic prone to self flagellation and fits of woe. To add to this toxic mix, the editing is wonky, jarring at times and causes confusion throughout.

I don't normally like kiwi tv, but this was very good and under rated on here. Would recommend.

I want to like the lead actress but she is just not what I would hope for in a lead role. Her facial expressions don't veer much from a scowl. The other actors do a fine job though. I'm on Season 2 because I'm determined to see it through. I agree that the scenes of the car crash are too repetitive and unnecessary. Not sure why the writers thought this was important. Hoping that the lead becomes more believable. She is better in Season 2 than she was last season. The show is not anywhere near some of my favorite series-Shetland and Hidden. The cast in these series fit and have exceptional actors. Wish I could find other great shows.

Not sure about the other review here. We can't of been watching the same show. Very impressed. Great twists and highly suspenseful. Acting was not over the top. Can't wait for a second season.

PLEASE can we have a detective with no baggage, just good at the job?

Loved it, loved it, especially the Waiheke scenery and great depth and drama of the plot unraveling slowly.

The stories are quite good. BUT the main protagonist couldn't possibly keep her job, considering her disrespect for virtually EVERYONE.

Hoping The Gulf allows her character arc to at least become slightly less toxic to anyone who crosses her path by series end.

Why would anyone making a series in one of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in world chose to make everything so blah and grey?? Even the beach scenes are drab, no bright sunshine, sparkling water or lush vegetation. Why do so many directors feel the need to make the scene look like it is shot through an old yellow curtain? Besides the crappy photography the stories aren't well crafted and the characters are unlikeable. Why do our lead characters always have to be so damaged and barely a hair above the law when law enforcement is their job? Lots of missed opportunities here, in the use of scenery, and the indigenous people of New Zealand. Just another lightweight cop show with your typical cliche crimes and characters.

But Kate Elliott has the grossest hair cut I have ever seen. Please give her a better hair cut. Tis no longer the 80's and I know the hair dresser can do better.

Really enjoyed this series, well acted and relationships very believable. Only issue for me, a Canadian, was understanding Ruby. I probably understood 1/4 of her dialogue! Hoping there might be another season.

Whoever thinks this is "average at best", I am just curious what makes above average? And, in my opinion, whomever wants a "detective with no baggage" please let me know where to find one. I loved this right from the beginning and cannot wait for the third season.

Strong story lines, great actors and beautiful coastal scenery. Can't wait for Season 2!

I really looked forward to this series but having watched the first 2 episodes I think I'll give it a miss. I like crime dramas where there is a competent investigator to solve the crime. The lead character has so much baggage in her private life that completely detracts from the story and quite frankly is tedious to watch as well as annoying with the flashbacks etc. Overall a very poor drama.

Powerful and spare storytelling with excellent acting and beautiful photography. An exceptional crime drama series featuring a detective struggling with a case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as she works on a number of murders. Stylish, lean, decisive in a distinctively New Zealand way. Some of that is the rare glimpse of humour: listen out for the police officer ordering "Drop the chip" (or is it chup?). More, please. Real policing rather than the heightened reality of Scandi Noir drives this series.

Everything positive reviews are saying rings very true. Despite all island living being a slower pace in general, once you adjust to it & the opening characters trauma, this is a mystery series on par with the best of the BBC & in particular the original "Prime Suspect". Where this series is especially unique is in dealing more with the real life comparisons that its more often people who know & claim to love us who betray us so fatally, and rarely is it a stranger. Without going overboard on weighty backstory, this begins in the middle of an intense mystery & simply never lets up. Somehow " The Gulf" solves the pressing mystery so you never just feel that the writers are toying with your emotions. For a change, our perceived red herrings make actual sense because we see through the detectives eyes so clearly that we understand the job makes you suspicious in every direction. Especially original is the way the writing eliminates bias while drawing attention to our own tendencies to assume. She sees only the facts - seeing details with fairness, in an award-winning performance by the always outstanding Kate Elliott. This show reminds us of the truth, facts are impartial tools - & assumptions too easily ruin lives. Here both sides of the crime are seen with crystalline understanding, rather than jumping to rathfull conclusions. That means the story arc makes you grow rather than just forcing bystanding. Very, very unique indeed! This attention to exceptional writing detail means it's easy to believe the character was born to do this one thing better than most. Please bring us SERIES 3 soon. Thank you!

Very good series. Kate Elliot is exceptional. Excellent writing. No cringe in this show (except for the flashbacks, there are soooo many!!!!). Well done to the creators, really enjoying it.

The storyline is pretty good but the series is weighed down by the lead detective who appears to be straight out of a mental institution to be put in charge of nz police operations.