Critical Incident Review: Cop Drama’s Worst Crime is Being Boring

The first episode of Stan’s new Sydney-set crime drama introduces us to various title drops – almost enough to warrant a drinking game. The term “critical incident” is frequently used, albeit by members of the jargon-heavy police force. However, the show’s insistence on telling us about this incident, rather than showing it, creates an inconsistent stop-start energy that persists throughout its six-episode run.

The incident’s significance is constantly emphasized through dialogue and strategic cuts, as the narrative always seems to circle around it but never quite lands. Created and co-written by Sarah Bassiuoni, the show examines how the effects of one event ripple through people’s lives, reminiscent of the ABC’s adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’s novel The Slap, though that series was significantly more effective.

Critical Incident opens in a Blacktown police station where officer Zilficar “Zil” Ahem (Akshaye Khanna) is detained, visibly shaken with a tear rolling down his cheek and heartbeat sound effects underlining his distress. Alongside him is a worried teenager named Dalia (Zoë Boe). It’s an atmospheric beginning but asks the audience to invest emotionally in an event we haven’t yet seen.

The story then rewinds to before the critical incident, following Zil as he starts his shift and Dalia as she goes to school and later attends a large house party with a small-time drug dealer (Jai Waetford) she likes. Just when the pace begins to pick up, the narrative shifts again, skipping past the titular event to Zil being questioned by a “critical incident investigator” (Simone Kessell), a character that pales in comparison to the anti-corruption investigators from Line of Duty.

The plotting of Critical Incident often feels more frustrating than suspenseful; it’s hard not to want to scream, “just show us the damn incident!” Eventually, we learn it involves a tragedy that takes place after Zil chases Dalia into a train station, thinking she matches a suspect’s description. Dalia’s decision to flee – a puzzling reaction for an innocent person – is highlighted as a significant question, with the episode ending with someone literally asking, “Why’d you run?”

The dialogue tends to be quite obvious. As the plot thickens, Zil’s conversations turn more hushed and dramatic, leading to statements like, “You were supposed to be the one that I could trust.” Meanwhile, Dalia’s story veers towards a conventional “crime doesn’t pay” narrative as she starts selling drugs for a dealer (Hunter Page-Lochard) who also operates a bakery.

Some scenes stretch believability, such as an attempted drug deal in broad daylight in a busy area. The script is peppered with moments like these that, while never entirely implausible, certainly test the boundaries of realism.

The show wrestles with pacing issues throughout. Dalia’s character development feels both protracted and hurried; her descent into crime is gradual, but her circumstances escalate swiftly, culminating in a predictable and violent ending. Boe portrays Dalia well, balancing headstrong qualities with a touching vulnerability. Akshay Khanna delivers a strong performance as Zil, his portrayal marked by an excellent Australian accent and a heightened emotional tone.

Watching Critical Incident invoked a sense of nostalgia for older Australian cop shows that were faster, edgier, and grittier – such as Wildside and East West 101. The latter remains a stellar example of a multicultural Australian police drama that confronts racism head on, centering around a Muslim protagonist who navigates the complexities of his job, religion, and community obligations.

That show had an undeniable fire in its belly. Critical Incident, by contrast, lacks that necessary oomph.

Source: The Guardian