When talking about political series, one of the clear references is Borgen, the drama by Adam Price, which allowed us to understand both the Danish political system and the erosion of the principles of a decent individual in order to obtain a consensus in the coalition government. or, more progressively, to maintain power. But, of course, there are four seasons of Borgen, all of them have been broadcast and, as far as is known, there is no other one on the way. So, for those looking for an intelligent fiction that hits the same buttons, an essential recommendation: Total control, which can be seen on Filmin, and which takes the action to Australia.
Rachel Anderson (Rachel Griffiths) is a prime minister in trouble. She knows that she is facing opposition from her own conservative party and that her government is hanging by a thread. So, when there is a loss in the Senate, he opts for an unexpected maneuver: offering the position to Alex Irving (Deborah Mailman), an Aboriginal social worker who has gained national notoriety after a viral video in which she confronts an armed man. .
It can be a good tool to gain popularity and, incidentally, have a loyal vote in the chamber, since you owe the position. What she doesn't know is that Alex, after growing up in the middle of the desert and belonging to such an abused community, has ruthless principles and character that not even the most powerful woman in the country will be able to shape to her will.
The series created by Darren Dale, Miranda Dear and Rachel Griffiths herself and written by Stuart Page, Angela Betzien and Pip Karmel has its main virtue in the character arcs of the prime minister and the unexpected senator: it is a work created from a feminist perspective that, instead of imbuing the script with exemplary behaviors, approaches the characters from a complexity that is not complacent. Mailman transmits resilience but above all the rage and exhaustion of someone who leads a life rowing against the current, while Griffiths reserves a Machiavellian role that she justifies when it is convenient on feminist grounds.
Total Control has a very conventional B plot: that of a young woman who escapes from prison after seeing a reckless homicide, that of her cellmate, and who wants to contact the senator, believing that she will support her. Her appearance in the final cut is interpreted as a formality, both because at all times it is presented as a plot that must collide with the protagonist's journey and because of the script's lack of interest in providing the young Jess (Shantae Barnes Cowan) with his own dramatic arc.
Luckily, there is also an effective presentation of Canberra's political universe, enough distance is maintained from the Prime Minister to doubt each and every one of her political maneuvers, and Alex gains strength when she is forced to negotiate with the native community of her area, with whom he has grown up but where he has never felt like he belonged.
It is an even unexpected series: its very traditional casing, with a visual invoice of past television, hides some guts in the writers' room, especially in the final stretch of the first season, which turn viewing into a most enjoyable experience. accessible.
