Netflix’s Untamed arrives with all the trappings of prestige television – it’s a miniseries with Eric Bana, Sam Neil, Lily Santiago and Rosie DeWitte boasting striking natural backdrops, a cast giving their all, and the sort of atmospheric score that makes even the quietest scenes feel loaded with meaning.

It’s a visually rich production; the landscapes are practically characters themselves, captured in lingering wide shots that make you want to pause and take it all in – though some have a sneaking air of AI shine.

The cast commit fully, investing their roles with depth and emotion, even when the material doesn’t give them much room to breathe. Bana looks the part, gruff, surly and other things that a horse-riding doesn’t give an eff rebellious detective is supposed to be. Santiago too is excellent as the newest uniform on the mountain.

Unfortunately, that’s where the show’s problems begin. For all the beauty on display, Untamed never shakes its overly manufactured feel. The scripting is painfully obvious at times – you can practically see the beats being ticked off like boxes on a checklist.

Emotional revelations arrive right on cue, conflicts resolve exactly when expected, and the supposed “twists” feel telegraphed from miles away. Rather than letting moments develop organically, the series leans on dialogue that explains rather than reveals, robbing it of surprise and subtlety.

The cast, to their credit, fight hard against these limitations. There are flashes of real power in the performances – quiet glances loaded with subtext, tense silences that hint at unspoken histories. But just when the actors begin to pull you in, the script yanks you back with a heavy-handed line or an implausibly neat turn of events. It’s frustrating, because you can see the potential for something far more nuanced hiding beneath the surface.

In the end, Untamed feels like a beautifully wrapped package with very little mystery once opened. It’s watchable – even occasionally moving – thanks to its committed leads and postcard-perfect scenery.

But the lack of narrative subtlety keeps it from ever becoming truly gripping. For a show so clearly aiming for emotional resonance and epic sweep, it’s a shame that the storytelling plays it so safe.