BBC viewers 'switch off' as new detective series fails to impress with first episode

BBC's latest offering High Country has viewers split, with a faction slamming the opening chapter of the Oz-based drama as a "boring" snoozefest.

Scores of telly fans eagerly gathered around their screens to catch the premiere of High Country on BBC One this Saturday evening (July 13), right after the regular excitement of Casualty.

The series, featuring high-calibre talents Leah Purcell and Aaron Pedersen in a riveting cop narrative, promised thrills but left many changing channels.

For some armchair critics, the pilot episode crawled at a snail's pace; quick to voice their verdicts, they took straight to the digital soapbox formerly known as Twitter to express their letdown.

Comments flew rampant on X, as one disenchanted viewer declared: "It's that bad I've decided to watch my recording of tonight's #casualty now instead of waiting til the end of #highcountry." (sic)

Others didn't mince words either, with one stating: "Ok stuck with it in hope ... sadly #Highcountry is tripe! ! ! ! Boring , slow and woeful acting! ! !" (sic)

And another inflamed licence fee-payer thundered: "@BBC stop wasting my TV Licence money on c**p ! ! ! #Highcountry is tripe, boring, insipid, woeful acting, s**t story so far, so slow it's pathetic! ! !" (sic)

An especially emphatic critic even compared it to the outset of Breaking Bad, suggesting: "Pretty slow so far! Even slower than the start of Breaking Bad and that's saying something." (sic)

Despite the outcry, not everyone was ready to abandon ship there were those who admitted to being utterly engrossed, confessing to bingeing scenes back-to-back on BBC iPlayer.

One such enthusiast raved: "Binged watched #highcountry on episode 6 but had to stop due to nanny duties cannot wait to see the rest tomorrow brilliant by all." (sic)

Ahead of the 9pm showing, one viewer exclaimed on Twitter: "That's 6 eps of #HighCountry binged. Will watch the last 2 tomorrow. (Actually starts on BBC1 tonight for those interested)." (sic)

Whilst the drama unfolded, eagle-eyed fans were quick to recognise a familiar face amongst the cast. Ian McElhinney, famed for his role in the hit series Derry Girls, was seen portraying Sam Dryson in High Country.

Excited viewers didn't waste time dashing to X to discuss their discovery of the actor. A thrilled fan posted: "Ian McElhinney gets some work." (sic)

Another keen viewer noted: "Is that Granda Joe from Derry Girls in Aussie drama #highcountry on BBC 1 just now? ! ?" (sic)

You can stream all episodes of High Country now on BBC iPlayer.