Pine Gap (2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pine Gap is a television series which premiered on ABC and Netflix in 2018.

 

It is a miniseries with six episodes.

 

Pine Gap is the name of a top-secret installation located in the middle of Australia, ca. 20 km from Alice Springs. It is a joint operation run by the governments of the US and Australia. The US has a similar base in the UK and a similar base in the US itself.

 

The purpose of this base is to collect intelligence. 

 

The staff of Pine Gap are listening to what is being said; reading what is being written; and watching what is happening in Australia, New Zealand and Asia (especially in the emerging superpower China).

 

This is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. Some scenes show us what life can be like when you are on the base, while other scenes show us what life can be like when you are off base.

 

Here is some basic information about the series:

 

** Director: Mat King

** Writers and creators: Greg Haddrick and Felicity Packard

** Run time: 6 x 55 minutes = 330 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

The first group

** Parker Sawyers as Gus Thompson – team US

** Tess Haubrich as Jasmina Delic – team Australia

** Jacqueline McKenzie as Kath Sinclair – chief of team Australia

** Steve Toussaint as Ethan James – team US - chief of Pine Gap

** Stephen Curry as Jacob Kitto – team Australia

** Sachin Joab as Simon Penny – team Australia

** Mark Leonard Winter as Moses Dreyfus – team Australia

 

The second group

** Lewis Fitz-Gerald as Rudi Fox – team US – chief of intelligence

** Edwina Wren as Eloise Chambers – team Australia

** Kelton Pell as Dr Paul Dupain

** Madeleine Madden as Immy Dupain – an activist and a law student – Paul’s daughter

** Jason Chong as Zhou Lin – an executive of a Chinese mining company that has a branch in the area

** Simone Kessell as Belle James – Ethan’s wife

** Michael-Anthony Taylor as Will Thompson – father of Gus

 

Pine Gap is located in the desert, in the middle of nowhere. Many people do not know anything about it. What it is and what it does.

 

The people who work there and who know what is going on are not allowed to talk about it. They are allowed to say that they work at the base, but they cannot say what they are actually doing there.

 

When asked about their job, they can say something like:

 

** “I am a gardener”

** “I am a janitor”

** “I work in administration”

 

David Rosenberg worked at Pine Gap for 18 years (1990-2008). 

 

When he left the base, he wrote a book about it. His account Inside Pine Gap: The Spy Who came in from the Desert was published in 2011.

 

According to many reviewers, it is a boring book.

Why?

What is wrong?

All the interesting details he might have told us were deleted from his manuscript before publication by his former employer (NSA).

 

David Rosenberg is a consultant on the television series. While he cannot reveal any classified information, he can make sure that the general atmosphere and the general setting of the series is realistic.

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 72 per cent.

 

Some reviewers hate it – they say it is only American propaganda – while other reviewers like it. They say it gives us a good idea about what life is like, or can be like, if you work at a top-secret base such as Pine Gap.

 

I cannot agree with those who hate it. I do not think this is only American propaganda. I think it gives us some insight into the modern world of secret intelligence.

 

What the spies can do and what can be done with the information that is collected by the spies.

 

Several aspects of life in and around the base are covered in this drama. I am not going to mention them here. I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone.

 

In my opinion, the rating on IMDb is too low. 

 

Why do I say this?

 

I have four reasons:

 

# 1. The script is well-written

# 2. The actors play their roles well

# 3. The story is captivating and often highly emotional

# 4. While fictional, the story is placed in a contemporary context which seems to be realistic

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

 

PS. The following item is available online:

 

Karl Quinn,

“Is anyone watching? Conundrum at the heart of

Netflix-ABC drama Pine Gap,”

Sydney Morning Herald,

18 October 2018

 

*****

Pine Gap

A miniseries in six parts

which premiered in 2018

 

*****

 If you are driving in the Australian desert

on the road towards Pine Gap,

you will see this sign

which has a message and a warning:

No through road

Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap

Prohibited area

Turn around now

*****