I could not help myself once I started and ended up binge watching this show on a streaming service over a period of three weeks. My Dad actually served on patrol boats and frigates when he was in the RAN before I was born. It was fun to compare his stories with the shows portrayal of what life was like aboard a patrol boat. Fortunately the directors didn't go for total realism here, otherwise we would have a 63 episode documentary about repetitive drills, cleaning, routine maintenance and administrative tasks. However, there was enough of the procedural to satisfy my curiosity and aid with the suspension of disbelief. There were only 12 crew aboard the old patrol boats that my Dad served on and the show does a good job of depicting how each member of the crew has to wear many hats to keep them a functional warship.
From the start of season two the show really lands on its feet having finally hit is stride. The characters have more than enough depth to hold my interest. There were a few characters in particular that debut with some quite unlikable qualities and it is a joy to watch them grow from episode to episode. Being set on a small boat, there is plenty of opportunities for interaction between the characters and I enjoyed watching them trip over each other in the tiny corridors and cabins, occasionally butting heads. As a result some strong friendships and intriguing romances develop whilst under the pressure.
The plot lines gradually get crazier as the show progresses and there are times the intrepid crew of the HMAS Hammersley feel like they are just bumbling around the ocean, steaming their way into trouble. This of course is all part of the fun and the show doesn't pretend to be something it isn't.
Sea Patrol was a lot of fun to watch and I would love to see a whole new series based on the same premise. Some of the crazier stuff I have heard about life in the navy from my Dad was about sneaking duty free items back aboard the ship and hiding them in the ovens used for baking rewound electric motors, trying to catch the biggest shark off the back of the boat for its teeth and good feed, and cheating at war games with the yanks by disguising the ship as a cruise using party lights. Something on the international exchange of crew would make for an interesting episode I think - imagine going from a patrol boat and doing your exchange aboard a floating city like an aircraft carrier.
All in all, I can recommend this beloved child of Australian TV.
From the start of season two the show really lands on its feet having finally hit is stride. The characters have more than enough depth to hold my interest. There were a few characters in particular that debut with some quite unlikable qualities and it is a joy to watch them grow from episode to episode. Being set on a small boat, there is plenty of opportunities for interaction between the characters and I enjoyed watching them trip over each other in the tiny corridors and cabins, occasionally butting heads. As a result some strong friendships and intriguing romances develop whilst under the pressure.
The plot lines gradually get crazier as the show progresses and there are times the intrepid crew of the HMAS Hammersley feel like they are just bumbling around the ocean, steaming their way into trouble. This of course is all part of the fun and the show doesn't pretend to be something it isn't.
Sea Patrol was a lot of fun to watch and I would love to see a whole new series based on the same premise. Some of the crazier stuff I have heard about life in the navy from my Dad was about sneaking duty free items back aboard the ship and hiding them in the ovens used for baking rewound electric motors, trying to catch the biggest shark off the back of the boat for its teeth and good feed, and cheating at war games with the yanks by disguising the ship as a cruise using party lights. Something on the international exchange of crew would make for an interesting episode I think - imagine going from a patrol boat and doing your exchange aboard a floating city like an aircraft carrier.
All in all, I can recommend this beloved child of Australian TV.
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