The Gone (2023– ) User Reviews

Pleasant surprise

[sprotty-28981 · 8/10 · 30 May 2023]

I wasn't going to watch this as I often find NZ dramas can be poorly acted or with thin story lines but eventually gave an episode a go. I was drawn in after about 20 minutes and ended up watching the full series over 3 nights.

Acting was good by both the NZ and Irish contingent. Story line was also good and tense at times. I think the blend of Irish and NZ themes worked well together. As someone who watches a lot of UK crime dramas I think this stacks up pretty well with some of the better ones.

Scenery beautiful and score pretty good. Definitely recommend to anyone who likes well paced crime dramas.

Enjoyable Series - But I have questions

[owllassie · 8/10 · 11 December 2023]

Slow burn story but enjoyable watch ... albeit a tad full of moody looks on actors faces ... it's definitely more New Zealand than Irish and is beautifully shot ... but there are way too many loose ends for me

While we now know who killed Ronan ... I'm still not sure why? How did the mayor know what Ronan knew about the poisonous leaks?

Who is in that shack at the end? Buster? Wiki? I think it's Buster

What is the story with the match box that the Colins wife found after he left?

What's the story with Buster burning Ronans drivers licence at the shack ?

Series 2 is lined up and hopefully will address the above.

Wonderful, beautifully shot.

[antoniaallan123 · 8/10 · 9 May 2023]

I watched The Gone last night. My husband and I found the episode wonderful. It was beautifully shot. It utilised New Zealand's scenery in a way that added to the suspense and drama of the episode. It brought the whole episode to life. The script and plot were both very good; plot line was rich and involved, which my husband and I enjoyed. The Irish police officer in particular was cast well. We are looking forward to the next episode. The NZ / Irish angle added an interesting dimension and worked well. If only New Zealand could support more local productions of this quality. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Cop show not super-hero show

[GwydionMW · 7/10 · 15 April 2024]

I liked it when the detective hero loses a fight with a passing teenager right at the start. Refreshing not to have the lead character a super-hero who outfights everyone.

We then get a glimpse of New Zealand society. In particular the life of the Maori.

How they were ill-treated in the past, and are still far from equal.

And also real imperfect characters. Different from each other.

We start with one mystery, and then several more crop up.

The season ends with at least one mystery cleared up. More for Season two, I assume.

And some excellent scenery. Places where real people are living and having complex lives.

Far Too Long

[wraightshaun · 6/10 · 13 April 2024]

Started good and seemed as though it was going to be a decent thriller but.......there was just so much time wasted on people just staring at each other and scenes that did not move the plot on at all.

The sound was poor throughout with either the characters talking far too quietly or the music drowning everything out.

The relationships between the characters seemed forced and they were hard to relate to and empathise with.

We identified the culprit way before the end, which was really disappointing and the ending was extremely unsatisfying.

However, the setting and scenery was breathtaking and seeing the cultural scenes was really interesting. Its just a shame that the rest of the show was a let down.

Should have been condensed into a 2 hour movie.

Enjoyable slow burner...

[TeMahia · 9/10 · 9 May 2023]

Like most Kiwis I suffer from cultural cringe, and I was only watching because I know someone who knows someone on the show.

Therefore I was pleasantly surprised by a mostly well acted crime drama. Yes, there are some clichés like the cop with a troubled past, and someone returning home to their small town to confront some unresolved family dramas. Acushla-Tara Kupe is very good as Diana Huia. Richard Flood does a solid job. There's a nice blend of Maori culture and language.

The story is well-paced, and New Zealand's scenery makes an impression as always. I hope it finds an appreciative audience overseas, we're too harsh on our own.

Poor Sound, Looks Good, Cliched Storylines.

[crumpytv · 6/10 · 21 March 2024]

The sound was awful. A lot of the dialogue seemed mumbled and we just couldn't work out what was being said. Throw in the accents as well .... You need subtitles really.

New Zealand dramas tend to pick up points just by virtue of the scenery and the settings. This is no exception, but it is still a 6.

The last episode just fell apart and the ending was frustrating. Were they leaving the door firmly open for a second series? Who knows, anyway I think The Goat Man was Bruce.

The bone crosses that were discovered in Colin Friends house was not explained. When interviewed by police the girl didn't mention the scars on the wrists of her assailant.

Why did Aileen go deep into the bush when she had a plane to catch? Clichéd lone female walking into danger.

Many other clichéd storylines.

All the profanities are totally unnecessary. Just write a good script and not rely on the F word for emphasis!! It adds nothing. Detracts in fact.

This is a contemporary drama and contains language and/or attitudes that some viewers, particularly those of a more mature generation, the Silent Majority, will find offensive.

Riveting! Definitely worth a watch - showcases both New Zealand and Irish cultures and New Zealand's landscape beautifully...

[simonmitchellpersonal · 9/10 · 9 May 2023]

This six-part series featuring Acushla-Tara Kupe and Richard Flood in the lead roles is thoroughly enjoyable and will appeal to any fans of content in the Crime Drama genre...

Set in a small rural New Zealand town called Te Aroha (Mt Affinity in the show) the writing is excellent and each episode flows neatly into the next one as the suspense begins to build.

One of the coolest aspects of the Series is the infusion of the cultures of both New Zealand and also Ireland into the story - in both the spoken word and also in song (there are subtitles - but the language is concise and easily understandable).

Nowhere is this more poignant than in the funeral (Tangi) scene where Native New Zealand Maori "Waiata" is followed by a beautiful Irish song performed by the father of one of the missing Irish visitors.

The acting is first class - especially the performances of the two lead actors, but they are also extremely well supported by a Cast of well-known New Zealand Actors and there are some fantastic performances by the Series' Irish contingent of actors.

Acushla-Tara and Richard slowly build a dynamic partnership throughout the episodes and despite the serious and suspenseful nature of the subject matter, the story is also punctuated by some light-hearted, humorous moments featuring some playful "Banter" and quintessential kiwi humour...

As a proud New Zealand viewer - I loved seeing even more of our beautiful Country on screen, and as far as suspense and twists go - this well told Crime Story does not disappoint!

Definitely worth a watch!

Was OK

[dcarroll74 · 5/10 · 27 November 2023]

It started good, continued good until the last episode.

Typical of modern series', get the good stuff in the series, then screw up the last episode, with so much unnecessary information, it ruins the plot.

There were two irritating thing regarding this series.

Sometimes subtitles appeared for the non speaking english speaking actors then, sometimes subtitles did NOT appear for the non speaking english speaking actors.

On top of that, the score overwhelmed some of the main acts of the series which drowned out the dialogue. Terrible mixing.

On the whole, the series was good, and unusual however, the last episode let it down.

I'm an Irishman, and I don't blame anyone per se. It worked well but, died at the last episode. I felt I was there until the end,, cudos to the indiginous actors and staff that brought this series together.

I detest using the term indigenous, am I indeginous to Ireland? I am Irish, Maori are New Zealanders. What is the name of their country, the country their ancestors inhabited?

Bingewatchable

[shelleytucker-10264 · 9/10 · 18 May 2023]

I really enjoyed this series, and it was perfect for bingewatching on a rainy weekend.

As a fan of Scandinavian-set noir crime series, I've been looking forward to The Gone, and to see how it would work. I wasn't disappointed.

The weaving of Kiwi and Irish themes, cast and cultures worked really well. Sometimes, this approach can feel forced but for The Gone it felt authentic and relatable.

Wonderful Kiwi cast and New Zealand scenery. Leads felt like a good match and were genuine and relatable.

The plot line wasn't overworked, but there were still enough twists and turns to keep me hitting 'Next episode'.

Poor quality

[cx-74662 · 5/10 · 16 March 2024]

I was SO looking forward to this drama however the sound quality is appalling. I had to increase sound volume levels to easily 3 times where they would normally be and STILL every bit of dialogue is a mumble! I just couldnt persevere with it. Please BBC4 sort this problem out & then make it available with decent sound quality. Due to this problem i really couldnt follow the opening scenes, however ive never seen someone take such a vicious beating & kicking as the lead male character did and just walk away like nothing had happened! I get the feeling that this drama is going to be full of dodgy cliches so I think i will give it a miss.

The Gone but hopefully not for long!

[k-kininmonth · 9/10 · 18 March 2024]

Really enjoyed this! Felt the characters were well rounded and enjoyed finding out all their back stories.

The plot was well thought out and a bit different to usual NZ dramas. The mix of Irish, New Zealand and Maori characters was excellent all the cultures creating diverse aspects to the plot.

There were some cliches like the moody detective with a secret but he wasn't a drunk and his secret was very different which kept him interesting.

Any negative reviews are just being picky this is definitely a higher standards than your typical terrestrial tv drama.

Loved the scenery the plot and the acting just have to wait patiently for season 2.

Great drama

[gaynarelle-94118 · 8/10 · 15 February 2024]

I really enjoyed this drama, it had suspense and beauty to add to this enjoyable story. It had left us with some questions that hopefully will be answered on season 2. But the acting was great and believable, the New Zealand countryside was amazing and added to the suspense of the storyline. I feel for the characters and how their lives are intertwined, and also the Maori culture is brought out in the storyline is interesting as well. It's an interesting twist of suspense and culture. The last couple of minutes of the last episode was rather scary and has me hanging on waiting for the next season.

Ok, BUT ..............

[geedez · 4/10 · 9 May 2023]

Was hoping for a good story line and detective work but was a bit disappointed.

A mixture of Irish culture and long standing grudges mixed with their wonderful accent. . There were long drawn out "staring at each other " sequences and slow going in parts. Sometime was spent waiting for something to actually happen on screen.

The characters seem to mix very awkwardly and doesn't seem to flow smoothly.

A Good performance from Acushla Kupe as always.

Definitely need subtitles to understand it all and to find out what is going on.

Good photography and scenic views and great to put Te Aroha on the map.

WOW ! Great Series !

[itriatay995 · 8/10 · 19 January 2024]

I did not have any expectations from this serie. I just wanted to give a try and check whether it is an interesting one or not. Believe me it worths watching for real. The first season has a crazy ending and I was not even close to guess the ending. For that reason, I can assure you that this serie does not have a simple or boring storyline. Richard Flood and. Acushla-Tara Kupe are performing great. I must say that it was an interesting mix of cultures (Irish and Maori) to watch and you learn things from these cultures in this serie. For that reason, I voted 8 points out of 10 for this series. I cannot wait to see the next season and I am pretty sure that it is going to be a shocking story again.

If there is nothing to watch give it a go

[mjcoyle-1 · 4/10 · 19 March 2024]

How this series gets so many high ratings is beyond me. I love detective, mystery thrillers. This was none of those. Plodding trying to introduce culture. So patronising.

The acting was as wooden as the hurling stick. Two leads seemingly wandering around doing very little. Detectives?

I honestly wanted to like this series but it failed to ignite. Banal script. No action. The only saving grace were the beautiful New Zealand Landscapes.

The Irish characters were pretty irrelevant really. No Jason Statham here.

I plodded through to at least get some kind of closure. It could have been done as a 90 minute film.

About As Gripping As A Handshake With An Arthritic Frog.

[wadegustafson · 2/10 · 27 March 2024]

This is an awful attempt at a serious crime thriller that never elevates itself above ponderous, and badly acted ponderous at that. With every episode the creator's/writer's gears grind clunkily, desperate to shift out of the opening episode's snail-sluggish first gear.

To be fair, the premise is decent enough, and certainly not terrible and plausible enough. Sadly, the creators threw endless, plodding plot devices and misdirects at the thing, and the acting rarely convinces beyond amateur level and is often excrutiating, particularly the insufferable Irish cop and an investigative journalist who grates like fingernails down a blackboard.

And boy is it slooooooow. Plot devices normally move the story forward. In The Gone they act like speed bumps and traffic lights.

As the whole thing chugs and splutters to its final, final finale, we're left with the tropiest of tropiest conclusions (set in, wait for it, a cabin in the woods) and the depressing inevitability that the only point of this six part exercise in a new genre of no thrills thrillers was to squeeze out another six parts.

Don't Bother...

[Boyo2023 · 1/10 · 25 March 2024]

Watched first episode and that's enough. Shockingly bad audio. Ditto acting and mumbling dialogue and a plodding storyline. Took one hour to establish two people go missing. Two people went missing there a number of years ago and the town lost tourism. Only saving grace some nice scenery in the hills around the town. I'm only typing this to add characters to bring it up to the ridiculous 600 needed to post a review on this website. Don't bother watching this programme you'll just be wasting time out of your life that you won't get back. Don't know how some are giving it reviews of 8 or 9 out of 10.

Disappointing

[kiwipenoir · 3/10 · 3 June 2023]

Why do New Zealand actors so often talk in an aggressive tone. All acting is the same! I have watched a few N Z series now and it's always the same. A good storyline spoilt by inadequate delivery. Found the sound quality not always great, and cast appeared to be muttering at times regardless of the volume. It was easier to understand the Irish actors. Countryside was very pretty and saved it slightly. Am still in the first episode so am hoping it improves as time goes on. I will continue watching at least one more episode to see if any improvement. Maybe as the years go on, they will get better!

Long, boring and underwhelming

[ceri-73261 · 2/10 · 20 March 2024]

Honestly, it was the review in the Guardian - If you like The Kin youll enjoy this......what?????

Seeing it was showing on BBC4. Expecting something cultural and different but this was not. Very run of the mill BBC1 type of series.

The story line was below par the chemistry no and the random scenes. I felt this def wasmt a hooker, just random and silly.

The blend of NZ and Irish with subtitles just annoyed me. The script was a little basic. Comical at times.

Dont waste your time. Not really tense.. Perhaps a sunday afternoon watch if your really bored.

I fell asleep towards the end and turned it off. I didnt really care about the ending.

Oh not again.

[robdrummond · 1/10 · 27 April 2024]

Started off ok - but then it soon descended into The English being blamed for everything (yes really) As the first episode progressed I just knew it was coming and then "there is was" - how predictably boring.

"The Irish" who feature second only to Maori people in this boring production also complain about the English but where would they be if they didn't use someone else's language?

The very language of the very people they seem to despise. Not forgetting the Irish were also part and parcel of the original "discovery" of New Zealand - but are now in total denial.

The storyline is a bit lame and the acting more so.

Because of the subliminal lectures being dished out on this - I am out. The first episode was enough.

Bad acting - slow - boring just about fell asleep watching it. Turned off after halfway through second episode enough thanks.

[suesheard-82167 · 1/10 · 2 April 2024]

This series is not the best, bad acting no exciting parts Very boring had to turn this off halfway through the second episode. Great scenery that was the only good thing about it.

A lot better things to watch on tv, definitely not gripping or exciting barely even interesting.

A shame because a few if the actors have been in good series previously but this is definitely second rate.

Kept thinking its got to get going and get better than this soon, but afraid not.

This could have been really good but sadly wasn't, can't understand the people leaving good reviews.

Maybe should have watched all episodes but really couldn't.