Deadloch Season 2: Where Crocodiles and Comedy Collide

The Emmy-nominated crime comedy Deadloch has traded the chilly landscapes of Tasmania for the sweltering heat and unique challenges of Australia’s Top End – and with that change comes a whole new set of croc-related misadventures. This season delivers the same darkly comedic brilliance, wigged-out scenarios, and genre-bending storytelling that made the first season a hit.

The Heart of Deadloch: Eddie Redcliffe

While the show boasts a compelling ensemble, it’s Madeleine Sami’s Eddie Redcliffe who truly embodies the heart, soul, and delightfully warped humour of Deadloch. Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) provides a grounded counterpoint, a calm and considered detective, but it’s Eddie’s thunderous presence – a force of nature who communicates more through screeches and blusters than actual words – that drives much of the show’s energy. She doesn’t just speak; she attempts to strangle the air itself, particle by particle.

A Season of Subversion and Verve

Directors Beck Cole and Gracie Otto infuse the season with verve, irreverence, and a touch of grotesquerie, reflected in the show’s damp and slightly unsettling colour grading. It feels as though the show itself is slowly sprouting mould, adding to the overall atmosphere. The narrative cleverly meets and subverts genre expectations, sometimes with subtle winks and nods, and other times with the chaotic energy of an elephant cannonballing into a swimming pool.

From Swedish Backpackers to Croc Tourism

The story kicks off in the Australian outback, where a local tour operator casually references the infamous horror film Wolf Creek: “So those missing Swedish backpackers did our boat tour and they left and they got Wolf Creeked.” The discovery of a dead crocodile with a human body part in its jaw initially points to the remains of those backpackers. However, Dulcie quickly dismisses this theory, setting her and Eddie on a path to uncover the identities of both the human and the croc.

A Cast of Quirky Characters

The investigation leads them through a trail of familiar clues – anonymous tips, knowing dialogue, and revealing photographs. They’re joined by Abby (Nina Oyama), a sweetly naive young cop, and Leo (Jean Tong), a perpetually bored journalist stuck writing the same croc attack article week after week. Steve Bisley adds another layer of chaos as Eddie’s father, Frank, a loud, belligerent, and generally unkempt character who looks like he’s permanently recovering from a breakfast beer.

More Than Just a Whodunnit

At times, the mystery itself takes a backseat to the sheer enjoyment of spending time in this bizarre and wonderfully gluggy world. The show’s dialogue, thick with Australian slang and accents, is a character in itself. The sandpaper burr and sunburnt vowels of the Australian accent are a veritable assault on the ears, and Eddie Redcliffe is the queen of this linguistic landscape, peppering her speech with colourful phrases like “listen up cunts” and “cut the shit”.

A Gloriously Bedevilled Spirit

Eddie is a truly unique character, teetering on the edge of caricature but remaining firmly rooted in satirical brilliance. After two seasons, it’s still debatable whether the show would be better without her, but it’s undeniable that she contributes significantly to its gloriously bedevilled and wonky spirit. Here’s hoping for a third season to continue the madness!

Deadloch season two is streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video from March 20th.