The Survivors is an Australian dramaminiseries created by Tony Ayres for Netflix. Based on Jane Harper's 2020 novel, the series was released on 6 June 2025.[1] The series follows Kieran Elliott, a resident of the (fictional) coastal town of Evelyn Bay, Tasmania, after a deadly storm hits, and his return 15 years later with his family, to find both the community and Kieran himself still haunted by memories of the past.[2]
Kieran Elliott's life changed forever in his coastal home town of Evelyn Bay, Tasmania, after a severe storm hit the bay causing the deaths of three people who were close to him. When he returns home 15 years later with his own family, the past comes back to haunt him and the tight-knit community when a young woman is murdered. The community is desperate for answers and they are forced to uncover the deadly mysteries from the past.[3]
Cast
On 31 January 2025, Netflix made an official cast announcement for the series.[4]
Charlie Vickers as Kieran Elliott, the only survivor of the accident in the sea caves in 2009.
Yerin Ha as Mia Chang, Kieran's girlfriend and Gabbie's best friend until her disappearance on the day of the accident in the caves.
Shannon Berry as Bronte, Liv's flatmate who investigates Gabbie's disappearance.
Robyn Malcolm as Verity Elliott, Kieran's mother who blames him for the death of her other son, Finn.
Damien Garvey as Brian Elliott, Kieran's father with Alzheimer's.
The series begins with a tragic accident in Evelyn Bay, where teenager Kieran is rescued from a sea cave during a storm, but his brother Finn and friend Toby die when their boat capsizes. Years later, Kieran returns to his hometown with his partner Mia and their baby, Audrey, for the 15th-anniversary memorial. The visit is tense—his mother, Verity, blames him for the past, and his father, Brian, suffers from dementia, sometimes mistaking Kieran for Finn.
At a local pub, Kieran faces hostility, including from Liam, Toby's grieving son. Later, Bronte, a visitor researching Gabby Birch's disappearance (another unsolved case linked to the same day), is found dead on the beach. The police investigate, questioning Kieran and others, while tensions rise. Suspicion falls on Liam after his car is spotted near Bronte's house, but Kieran also discovers his father may have been out that night with sand on his boots. Meanwhile, Mia learns Bronte was digging into Gabby's case—hinting her death may be connected to the town's dark secrets. As old wounds reopen, Kieran realizes Evelyn Bay's tragedies are far from buried.
After Bronte's pictures are download from the cloud, George Barlin is identified as Bronte's stalker, but he has an alibi for the time of the murder. Amongst Bronte's pictures is one of Gabby's name carved into the caves, suggesting that she had drowned there. Kieran returns to the caves with Sean in the hopes of finding proof. Sean reveals that he had taken Gabby to the caves where he had tried to kiss her, only to be rejected. Embarrassed, Sean ran out and Gabby got lost and drowned with Julian lying to protect his son. Before they left, Sean had stored Gabby's backpack on the boat. Bronte found Gabby's carving and while trying to delete the picture, Sean killed her and framed Brian. Sean attacks Kieran, but he escapes. Having linked Sean to Bronte's camera, the police arrest him for her murder, find Gabby's body and exonerate Toby, Finn, Liam and Brian. Kieran makes amends with Mia, and they decide to stay in Evelyn Bay. At a memorial for those who died in the storm, Trish is finally able to make peace with the loss of her daughter.
Production
On 21 August 2023, Netflix announced The Survivors with three other Australian television projects. The series would be produced by Tony Ayres and Matchbox Pictures, with Jane Harper serving as an executive producer.[5] On 19 December 2023, it was announced that the series had begun primary principal photography in Tasmania and secured funding and was supported by VicScreen and Screen Tasmania.[6]
On 15 February 2024, it was announced that the series had begun filming in Hobart with additional filming taking place in Melbourne's Docklands Studios.[7]
On 31 January 2025, Netflix had announced the drama slate for its Australian releases with it including the series.[8]
Reception
The series debuted at #4 most watched series on Netflix globally,[9] and was the #2 most watched series on Netflix worldwide during its first week of release from June 9 to 15.[10]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on 13 critic reviews.[11]
Reviewing the series for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan gave a rating of 4/5 and described it as "a study in how raw grief and festering resentment warp everything – and how surviving a tragedy rarely means getting away unscathed."[12]
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