Troppo – Two Misfits Fight Crocs and Snakes in a Swampy Australia

Not since Crocodile Dundee has the scaly prehistoric-like reptile made such an impact on the screen. Season one’s first episode of Troppo opens with a local tour boat guide impressing visitors with the vicious power of the crocodile. Dangling meat on a hook, there are gasps and screams when the river’s most notorious killer makes a leap and closes his powerful jaws around the juicy snack. True horror occurs, however, when Lars, a local pilot, is seen running to the dock dressed only in his underwear and jumping into the water. It doesn’t take long for the croc to finish the appetizer and feast on the main course. 

The small town where all this action occurs is fittingly named Crimson Lake, also the name of the mystery by Candice Fox that inspires the series. And like so many small towns, whether in the U.S., Britain or, in this case, Australia, there are often more murders  than statistically possible. But that makes for interesting viewing, particularly when the plots and performances are as good as they are in Troppo, now streaming on Amazon Prime.

The series is aptly named since “troppo” means “mentally affected by a tropical climate.” With air conditioning virtually non-existent, Crimson Lake’s residents do what they can to survive in the sweltering climate. But as most law enforcement officials will say, when the temperature rises, so does the environment for violence.

Thomas Jane stars as Ted Conkaffey, a former police detective in Sydney who was wrongly accused of assaulting a young girl, Claire. Although the case was dismissed for lack of evidence, his former colleagues continued to harass him and his family until he was forced to leave the city. He lives in a small house on the river, caring for a group of geese he has somehow adopted. (When Ted is asked whether he likes one of the local sports, he replies he’s more of a baseball fan, a wink-wink to one of Jane’s roles playing Yankee superstar Mickey Mantle in Billy Crystal’s film, *61.) 

Ted’s world is upended with a visit from Amanda Pharrell (Nicole Chamoun), who has her own criminal history. When she was a teen, Amanda was convicted of killing her friend, Lauren, by stabbing her a dozen times. She’s returned to town after spending 12 years in prison, setting up shop as a tattoo artist and private investigator. When she’s hired to find a missing Japanese tech executive, she approaches Ted for help. Despite his misgivings, Ted is intrigued by the case and decides to help.

Thomas Jane as Ted Conkaffey and Nicole Chamoun as Amanda Pharrell (Photo Credit: Jasin Boland)

Ted and Amanda make the perfect odd couple. Ted, as the more experienced investigator, tries to school Amanda in proper techniques, while Amanda, often operating on her gut and fearlessness, reminds Ted he’s no longer a bone fide police officer and it’s OK to color outside the lines. Local law enforcement, particularly Chief Inspector Lou Damford (David Lyons), does everything possible to thwart efforts by the Ted-Amanda team. The duo are often two steps ahead of the local cops, just intensifying Damford’s anger. He uses every opportunity to arrest Amanda for crimes she hasn’t committed, and to tell Ted he’s a disgrace to the badge. Ted returns home one day to find “PEDO” painted on his house. A few days later he’s brutally beaten, landing in the hospital.

The one person, besides Amanda, who believes in Ted’s innocence is the medical examiner, Val (Angela Punch McGregor), who accesses Claire’s medical records and tells Ted he would have been bloodied and scarred because the young girl fought her assailant. Val goes on to be a big supporter of both Ted and Amanda, often leaking them information before she tells the cops.

There’s a shocking twist when Ted and Amanda solve who killed the tech executive and why Lars jumped into the river. Along the way, Amanda jostles with Twist (Simon Lyndon), a local criminal who is illegally selling snake venom. And because of Ted’s persistence, Amanda finds out more about what actually happened the evening she killed Lauren.

In season two, Ted and Amanda work to solve another murder and unmask a local drug ring. Julian was running a center helping families deal with addiction when he was run over by a truck, set on fire, and tossed over a cliff. Twist, Julian’s brother, is once again front and center not only as a murder suspect, but as the drug dealer. 

Ted’s ability to stay focused on the case is complicated when his wife, Kelly (Radha Mitchell), and daughter, Lily (Chloe Delle-Vedove), come to visit. Meanwhile, Amanda finds an admirer, newly arrived Detective Sweeney (Zindzi Okenyo), who now leads the Crimson Lake police department. And when Ted’s family is put in the crosshairs, he will need help from both Amanda and the police. 

The constant presence of crocodiles and snakes keeps the atmosphere tense. There’s no telling what is hiding under the river’s surface or the behind the vegetation. But it’s the chemistry that develops between Jane and Chamoun that elevates this series to another level. Jane, with his scruffy surface disguising an empathetic center, creates a multi-faceted character, tough when confronting suspects, soft with the victims and his geese.

Thomas Jane as Ted Conkaffey and Nicole Chamoun as Amanda Pharrell (Photo Credit: Vince Valitutti)

Chamoun’s performance is mesmerizing, but it’s also brave. In season one, her head is shaved, something that, along with her tattoos, creates an intimidating, menacing presence. But that wasn’t a styling decision. At the time she was filming, she was recovering from chemotherapy after being diagnosed with stage four lymphoma. Whatever she was going through, didn’t slow her down. As Amanda, she gave the role her all, showing an energy that jumps off the screen. In season two, her hair has grown in and she’s grown into the role even more.  With many story lines still needing resolution, the chance for a third season seems good.

Troppo is now streaming on Amazon Prime
Photos courtesy of Amazon Prime