Apple TV Last Seen series X review: Fans praise its moody Australian setting and Patrick Brammall’s performance

Apple TV’s new thriller Last Seen has made a strong early impression with viewers, but reactions suggest the six-part series may require patience from audiences expecting a fast-moving mystery.

Last Seen X Reviews

The Australian drama, which premiered on 9 September, follows Ian Ridley, a former police detective whose life was shattered when his young daughter Maggie disappeared 11 years ago. Now working as an emergency dispatcher, Ian receives a distress call from a teenage girl he believes could be his missing daughter. That possibility is enough to pull him back into a search he never truly abandoned.

Early viewer reactions have been largely positive, although the show's pacing has emerged as one of the main points of debate.

One viewer described Last Seen simply as a “solid TV show”, while another gave it 6/10 and warned that it is a “very slow burning show”.

Another person wrote, “Last Seen is Apple TV’s first show both made and entirely shot in Australia (Victoria), and I’m really liking the feel of it. There’s something about the setting that gives the mystery a grounded, moody feel, and the Australian backdrop looks gorgeous (sic)”.

A fourth user commented, “This new show is interesting so far. Like their missing daughter 11yrs ago is actually alive & not dead?! WTF #LastSeen (sic),” while another one said, “A solid premiere. It's laying breadcrumbs rather than dumping exposition. The writers actually trust the story & characters to generate tension. No gimmicks. Patrick Brammall is amazing as a tormented father who refuses to give up. He does the heavy lifting! (sic).”

The first two episodes, they noted, demand patience from viewers who want to understand what happened to Ian’s daughter and why the mystery is resurfacing now.

That measured approach is intentional. Rather than immediately explaining the disappearance or flooding the audience with revelations, the series gradually places pieces of the mystery into position.

More about the show

Created by Kris Mrksa and adapted from Ryan David Jahn’s novel The Dispatcher, Last Seen stars Patrick Brammall as Ian alongside Brendan Cowell, Maxine Peake and Daniel Henshall. The series is directed by Christian Schwochow and consists of six episodes, with the first two released together before weekly episodes continue through 7 October.

The approach has also been noticed by critics. The Guardian praised the series as a gripping thriller, highlighting Brammall's performance and the way the story combines its mystery with emotional weight.

RogerEbert.com similarly noted that the series places greater emphasis on its characters and their trauma than on a constant stream of shocking twists.

Last Seen is set and filmed entirely in Victoria, making it the first Apple TV series to be both made and completely shot in Australia. The fictional coastal setting of Port McKenna gives the story a distinctly Australian atmosphere, with viewers praising the scenery and the moody quality it brings to the mystery.

Several viewers have singled out the Australian backdrop, describing the locations as beautiful while saying they add a grounded quality to the story.

The first two episodes also leave audiences with questions rather than straightforward answers. One reaction speculated about whether Maggie could actually still be alive after disappearing 11 years earlier, while others were already theorising about evidence that could emerge in the investigation.

That uncertainty is central to Last Seen. The series is less interested in rushing towards an answer than in examining what years of grief, guilt and obsession have done to Ian.

The early critical response has been encouraging overall. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the series at 87% from critics, while reviews have particularly highlighted its performances, atmosphere and emotional depth.

For viewers looking for a thriller driven by constant twists, the slow pace could be a drawback. But for those willing to let the mystery unfold, Last Seen is already showing signs of becoming one of Apple TV’s more distinctive crime dramas of the year.

The third episode, titled “The Lie”, is scheduled to arrive on 16 September, with the remaining episodes following weekly.