The acclaimed Stan Original Series Scrublands, a crime thriller based on Chris Hammer’s award-winning novel, is making its free-to-air debut on Channel 9. The series follows a journalist’s investigation into a shocking mass shooting in a remote Australian town.
Here’s the Lowdown: Scrublands centers on the aftermath of a tragedy in the isolated town of Riversend, where a young priest, Byron Swift (played by Jay Ryan), guns down five members of his congregation. A year later, journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives to write an anniversary feature, but his investigation quickly reveals that the accepted story is full of holes. The series also stars Bella Heathcote and Robert Taylor.
What This Means Now: Viewers who don’t have a Stan subscription will now have the chance to watch this popular Australian crime drama. The first episode airs on Tuesday, March 18 at 9:00 pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The Bigger Picture: This free-to-air premiere highlights the growing trend of streaming originals finding a wider audience through broadcast television. It allows Channel 9 to present high quality, prestigious drama and opens Scrublands up to a much larger potential audience. All episodes are already available on Stan, but this broadcast premiere offers a new way to experience the series.
