The Survivors is an Australian drama miniseries created by Tony Ayres for Netflix. Based on Jane Harper's 2020 novel of the same name, the series was released on 6 June 2025. The series follows Kieran Elliott, a resident of the (fictional) coastal town of Evelyn Bay in 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. The series received positive reviews from critics.
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Synopsis
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.
Cast
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 Gabby's best friend until her disappearance on the day of the accident in the caves
Shannon Berry as Bronte, Liv's flatmate who investigates Gabby'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
Catherine McClements as Trish Birch, the mother of Liv and the missing Gabby
Don Hany as George Barlin, a writer friend of Bronte
Jessica De Gouw as Olivia "Liv" Birch, an old friend of Kieran and sister of the missing Gabby
George Mason as Ash Carter, Liv's boyfriend and Kieran's friend
Martin Sacks as Julian Gilroy, the father of Toby one of the deceased in the accident in the cave in 2009
Johnny Carr as Detective Alex Dan
Miriama Smith as Detective Senior Sergeant Sue Pendlebury
Benedict Hardie as Chris Renn
Julian Weeks as Liam Gilroy, Toby's grieving son.
Thom Green as Sean Gilroy, brother of the deceased Toby and friend of Kieran
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. The series is based on Harper's 2020 novel of the same name. 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.
On 31 January 2025, Netflix made an official cast announcement for the series. 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.
Release
On 31 January 2025, Netflix had announced the drama slate for its Australian releases with it including the series.
Reception
Viewership
The series debuted at #4 most watched series on Netflix globally, and was the #2 most watched series on Netflix worldwide during its first week of release from 9 to 15 June.
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on 15 critic reviews. 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."