The Clearing (TV series)

The Clearing is an Australian psychological thriller miniseries produced for Disney+ and inspired by the dark story of a real-life cult with a female leader. The series premiered on 24 May 2023 on Disney+ and Hulu. Directed by Jeffrey Walker and Gracie Otto, it is based on the book In the Clearing by J. P. Pomare, a fictionalised account of the Australian cult group The Family,[1] and stars Miranda Otto, Teresa Palmer, and Guy Pearce.

The Clearing
GenreDrama
Created byElise McCredie, Matt Cameron
Based onIn the Clearing by J. P. Pomare
Written by
Directed by
Starring Jeremy Blewitt
ComposerMark Bradshaw
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Richard Finlayson
  • Elizabeth Bradley
  • Jeffrey Walker
  • Jude Troy
  • Elise McCredie
  • Matt Cameron
ProducerJude Troy
Running time48–49 minutes
Production companyWooden Horse
Original release
NetworkDisney+
Release24 May 2023 (2023-05-24)

Synopsis

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A woman is forced to face the demons of her past in order to prevent a cult from kidnapping children.[2]

Cast

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [3]
1"The Season of Unfoldment"Jeffrey WalkerMatt CameronMay 24, 2023 (2023-05-24)
2"Kindred"Jeffrey WalkerElise McCredieMay 24, 2023 (2023-05-24)
3"Suffer the Little Children"Gracie OttoMatt CameronMay 31, 2023 (2023-05-31)
4"The Foundlings"Gracie OttoElise McCredieJune 7, 2023 (2023-06-07)
5"Maitreya"Gracie OttoElise McCredieJune 14, 2023 (2023-06-14)
6"The Pied Piper"Gracie OttoMatt Cameron & Osamah SamiJune 21, 2023 (2023-06-21)
7"This Too Shall Pass"Jeffrey WalkerMatt CameronJune 28, 2023 (2023-06-28)
8"Island"Jeffrey WalkerElise McCredie & Osamah SamiJuly 5, 2023 (2023-07-05)

Production

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The series is produced by Wooden Horse and based on the best selling crime-thriller In the Clearing by J. P. Pomare and the real-life group The Family and their charismatic leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. The series was adapted by Elise McCredie, Matt Cameron and Osamah Sami. Directed by Jeffrey Walker and Gracie Otto, the producer is Jude Troy and the executive producers are McCredie, Cameron and Walker with Richard Finlayson and Elizabeth Bradley.[4][5]

Casting

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Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto and Guy Pearce were confirmed as part of the cast in July 2022.[6]

Filming

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Principal photography began in Victoria, Australia in July 2022.[7]

Broadcast

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The series will be broadcast on Hulu in the United States and as a Star Original on Disney+ throughout the world from Wednesday, 24 May 2023 with new episodes being released weekly thereafter on Wednesdays.[8]

Reception

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The series has an 89% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Deriving extra flavor from its Australian setting and Miranda Otto's unsettling performance, The Clearing is an eerie thriller with plenty to recommend."[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[10]

Accolades

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The limited miniseries was nominated in the Best Miniseries category at the AACTA Awards, with Teresa Palmer receiving a nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Drama.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Quinn, Karl (17 May 222). "Disney gives family a whole new meaning with new TV series on famous Australian cult". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ "'The Clearing' Teaser Trailer: Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto & Guy Pearce Star In A Psychological Thriller Series For Hulu". The Playlist. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Shows A-Z – The Clearing on Hulu". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Disney+: The Clearing, Australian series, cast announcements". August 2022.
  5. ^ "All-star cast announced on Disney+ Australian Original 'The Clearing' as cameras roll in Victoria".
  6. ^ "A-listers galore in Disney's new local drama, the Clearing". 27 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Filming Begins on Australian Disney+ Original 'The Clearing' About Doomsday Cult". 27 July 2022.
  8. ^ ""The Clearing" coming soon to Disney+". what’s on Disney+. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  9. ^ "The Clearing". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  10. ^ "The Clearing - TV Show Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  11. ^ Cain, Sian (8 December 2023). "The Newsreader, Deadloch and Colin from Accounts lead TV nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
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