There's always something extra-unsettling about horrific crimes in idyllic locations and any thoughts Detective Andie Whitford (Leah Purcell) had about taking it easy after her relocation from the big city to Broken Ridge in the Victorian mountains with partner Helen (Sara Wiseman) and teenage daughter Kirra (Pez Warner) soon disappear.
Here's how to watch "High Country" online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
U.K. date and time: "High Country" premieres with a double bill on Saturday, July 13 on BBC One at 9.10 p.m. BST (4.10 p.m. ET/ 1:10 p.m. PT) and 10.20 p.m. and will be available shortly after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• AUS — Binge
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
A classic fish-out-of-water tale and crime drama wrapped into one with a few predictable plot developments (is teenage daughter Kirra there to do anything other than pose Det. Whitford problems when her personal and professional lives collide?), some curveballs (Damien is a psychic brought in as a consultant and also a suspect) and a few genuinely intriguing twists (no spoilers here).
Drawing attention to the fact that three people have disappeared from within a 40km radius in the previous 12 months, Whitford tells the sergeant she’s replacing, "In the city we call that a pattern." He tells her, "Up here, it’s a fact of life." And that's the show in a nutshell. Gritty city cop with a point to prove and up against the odds.
The landscape is beautiful and will be unfamiliar to most non-Antipodeans but the real headline-stealer is Leah Purcell as Whitford who holds the mini-series together with a storming performance that keeps the viewer invested right until the end as she uncovers a complex web involving murder, deceit and revenge.
Below, we'll show you how to watch "High Country" from anywhere...
Watch "High Country" for free online
Watch 'High Country' from abroad
How to watch 'High Country' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "High Country" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to stream "High Country".
Can I watch 'High Country' in the U.S.?
There are currently no plans to air "High Country" in the U.S. although that is almost certain to change. However, if you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation you can catch the show from anywhere by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
How to watch 'High Country' in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can catch "High Country" on BBC One with a double bill on Saturday, July 13 at 9.10 p.m. BST (4.10 p.m. ET/ 1:10 p.m. PT) and 10.20 p.m.. It will also be available shortly after broadcast on BBC iPlayer. You'll need a valid TV licence, naturally.
If you're traveling away from the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'High Country' in Canada?
As with the U.S. there are currently no plans to air "High Country" in Canada but if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
How to watch 'High Country' live streams in Australia
Given that this is an Australian drama it is perhaps unsurprising that "High Country" is available to binge, right now, on... er... Binge. New users get a 7-day free trial.
If you are a Brit working Down Under or on vacation there without access to Binge you can always catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN and watch on BBC iPlayer.
How to watch 'High Country' in New Zealand?
"High Country" is already available to stream on ThreeNow in New Zealand but if you are a Brit currently there for work or vacation you can catch the show on BBC iPlayer by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
'High Country' cast list
· Leah Purcell as Andrea 'Andie' Whitford
· Ian McElhinney as Sam Dryson
· Sara Wiseman as Helen Hartley
· Pez Warner as Kirra
· Aaron Pedersen as Owen Cooper
· Shannon Berry as Sophie
· Linda Cropper as Rose
· Geoff Morrell as Brian Harris
· Henry Nixon as Damien
· Nathaniel Dean as Nash Mason
· Nicholas Bell as Snr Sgt Cripps
· Leah Vandenberg as Tammy Samson
· Luke McKenzie as Brett Sweet
'High Country' full episode guide
S1 E1: Back in uniform for a fresh start in a remote community, city detective Andie Whitford is troubled by disappearances in the area. Her partner Helen’s teen daughter is more concerned with being stuck there.
S1 E2: When a local goes missing, Andie alienates people by involving ostracised ‘psychic’ suspect Damien. Helen’s accountancy leads to a creative arrangement with Rose.
S1 E3: Andie has a strange encounter in the woods, while Kirra makes a confession, and Helen angers Rose. Forensics identify the type of knife that killed the female hiker.
S1 E4: An arrest risks losing Andie an ally in the area, while Sam’s crusade against Damien continues, and Helen confides a past tragedy to Rose.
S1 E5: Testing a tip from Damien, Andie rides into danger. Helen finds her muse at the Farm, leaving daughter Kirra to seek her own amusement.
S1 E6: An unexpected threat from Andie’s past connects the hidden car and an illicit marijuana crop, implying murderous motivations. Sam rashly baits a trap.
S1 E7: An old foe’s new information leads to a breakthrough, while an indiscreet picture causes a break-up, and Andie learns how she got her remote posting.
S1 E8: Andie’s unravelling of the criminal enterprise results in deadly confrontations, and the ramifications hit home.
'High Country' FAQ
Is "High Country" based on a true story?
After a fashion, yes.
Producer Marcia Gardner, who co-created the show with writer John Ridley (who has family living in the area) told the Sydney Morning Herald, “I read a feature article about people who had gone missing in the high country over a period of about a year in a very small geographic area, about 60 kilometres... It was all very mysterious, it had the police and the locals baffled." Ridley added: “There were four or five other cases going back 10 or 15 years, but then there was a clump of three in a year who had just vanished and never been found."
Where was "High Country" filmed?
In the Victorian Alps, a large mountain system in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Jamiesson is the tiny town that doubles as Broken Ridge.
What has Leah Purcell said about her character Det. Andie Whitford?
“Andie's a fearless woman, but also there's a vulnerability to her, which is nice and what I liked is that she's quieter, she's an observer. And I guess that's what makes her a great cop. She observes things, takes things in — and a deep, a deep thinker. I think a cop show is a great drama. You've got everything in it. Then when you've got a mystery-thriller, it's an opportunity to get audiences together, sitting on the sofa at home with their family — and actually, it brings about discussion. That's when you know that you've got a good show.”
What else can I watch on BBC iPlayer?
Lots – including "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder", "I Kissed a Girl", "The Assembly", "This Town", "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth", "The Reckoning", "Navalny" and "The Stones and Brian Jones"
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