By many standards, Australians are a bit quirky, and among Australians, Tasmanians are even more quirky. This assessment is from someone who lived there for 5 years and loved the place and the people. Nowhere have I seen this quirkiness captured better than in this series. The characterizations are so good that they are sometimes painful, but you get pain when you get so close to the truth. If you like the first episode, then stay with it because it gets better.

I was never even going to bother with Rosehaven. My immediate thoughts were that it would be another poor Australian comedy, so why bother. I could not have been more wrong. It is easily on par with another ABC comedy yardstick, Utopia, but it is much more. Set in a fictional Tasmanian town with glorious scenery and a charming cast of quirky characters, it is difficult not to love this show. Emma and Daniel, the purely platonic couple that are the main characters, absolutely shine. Dan's mother, Barbara, is easily my new favourite TV mum. Apart from the pilot, the plot is a little thin at times, but the show is character driven and exceeds all expectations. I was fortunate to the watch the first series of eight episodes over two nights but I have watched the second series every week since it started and it's nearly over. Therein lies my only disappointment - not enough episodes. So I encourage you to sit back and watch possibly the most heart-warming little gem of a comedy that I have seen for quite some time.

Hard not to make comparisons to Utopia, but the important thing is that the lead performances in Rosehaven add more direct/obvious humour. Even the delivery from the supporting cast make for great foils for the jokes (mainly wordplay and puns.) There is more deliberate humour (than Utopia) so this is where the comparisons break down. It is what it is. It is not a vehicle for characters from another show, and in being that it reaches -different- heights. It puts a different spin on what has become an almost formulaic approach to 'cringe-worthy' humour. The low episode count enhances the mood and themes of the show, rather from detracting from it. I ended up longing for a second season, but guiltily hoping they never do one... I hope they prove me wrong... or not...

I love to support Australian productions especially our local comedy. When Rosehaven started I watched the first couple of episodes because the two main characters had been so entertaining in Utopia. I thought that their natural talent might have pulled it off regardless of any script and production deficiencies. There is no doubt that Celia and Luke are funny and talented but this show just doesn't cut it for me. There is only one real star in this presentation and that is the beautifully photographed Tasmanian locations. I still catch parts of the show as it is left on while waiting for the next program to begin. Sorry Celia and Luke, I love your work but not this time.