Strangers

The "kids stumble on crims" premise of this kidult thriller series might not be new, but the execution is peerless, with a script by acclaimed children’s author Margaret Mahy and the accomplished director/producer team of Peter Sharp and Chris Bailey (contending with a schedule disrupted by Cyclone Bola). Mahy creates a world of masks, disguises and intrigue for a fine young cast including Martin Henderson (his screen debut), Hamish McFarlane (fresh from Vincent Ward’s The Navigator), Joel Tobeck (an early role) and deaf seven-year-old Sonia Pivac.