A Preview of ‘Mystery Road: Origin’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say that prequels of any kind, have to be a difficult venture. After all, what comes after the primary and established story is known and beloved, and that makes going back to the very start of the story a precarious decision. Since one wrong move or one wrong decision regarding genesis, the kind that could contradict what comes after or sets up a critical moment that never comes to fruition, can and will alienate fans and turn them off to what the story is attempting. Which is why only a handful of creatives are willing to even attempt such a feat. But the ones that do, tend to deliver on their mission to create a true prequel that fits in perfectly with the original story. 

For those are the folks that take the time to really pay attention to every last detail and pour over where the past would best serve the present, all while telling a compelling story that makes sense and engages us and it just so happens that Acorn TV is soon going to be host to such a show. For Monday will see the debut of Mystery Road: Origin. A series that takes us back to 1999, wherein we come to see the bare beginnings of iconic investigator Jay Swan and well… how that is handled and what that brings forth, makes for a wonderful prequel series. One that holds its own with the finest ones out there and we here at NTG were lucky enough to have the opportunity to see season one of this series in advance and thought it would be worthwhile to discuss what makes this series so worthwhile, in a spoiler-free manner of course.

Because to spill the beans here would be careless and mean, largely because… this is a series that digs deep into what makes Jay Swan, Jay Swan in the original series. Which brings forth some fascinating storytelling, since we so rarely see formative moments that create iconic heroes such as Jay. But all of that is here, and all of it is handled in a compelling and organic manner. For nothing is forced here, everything feels like the natural genesis as to what awaits Jay down the line or what created a particular world view for him, and that makes for some satisfying moments to say the least. The kind that give us everything we could possibly want in a prequel and get us excited for the future, since we are going to watch everything come together in a fascinating and engaging manner.

But of course, in order to sell all that and of course, sell a younger Jay Swan, casting and acting is a huge part of that and thankfully… the series knocked that out of the park as well. For Mark Coles Smith not only looks perfect as younger Jay, but he plays him in a manner where he perfectly embodies Jay, but with just enough youth and naivety that we are compelled to continue his journey and see how he grows into the man we first met. And he is balanced out nicely by his castmates, who also bring honesty to their roles and of course… fit the bill nicely if by chance they are going to be part of his future and truly, what makes this entire series worthwhile… is that it really does do a fine job of giving us fresh moments to work with. The kind of stuff that makes Jay’s growth compelling as opposed to just leaning on the future.

All of which makes this a wonderful prequel, the kind that excites and engages and of course… plunges us back into this beloved universe in a smooth and comfortable fashion. For it really does feel as though we are in 1999 and just living alongside Jay, and kudos to the cast and crew for creating this chapter in Jay’s life in such a smooth manner and the best news of all, is that we don’t have to wait that much longer to enjoy it. For Mystery Road: Origin makes its debut on Acorn TV on Monday, September 26, 2022, with a two-episode premiere and we here at NTG hope you give it a look and join us for more coverage of this series. Such as our weekly recaps of each magnificent episode and to check out our interview with series star Mark Coles Smith as we celebrate the return of Jay Swan to the small screen.

---