The Doctor Blake Mysteries

When Dr Lucien Blake comes back to his hometown after many years away, he steps into the job his late father left behind, running a small medical practice and serving as the town's police surgeon. Old routines have shifted while new faces and tensions have taken hold. Blake's blend of medical skill and skeptical intellect puts him at the center of local mysteries, from suspicious deaths to buried grudges. He moves through a community where respectability masks conflict, and his investigations pull out facts that unsettle powerful residents. The show keeps the focus on cases and character, letting procedural work and personal history intersect without revealing major twists or final outcomes.

The series premiered in 2013, created by Tony Wright and George Adams, and stars Craig McLachlan as Dr Blake with Nadine Garner, Joel Tobeck, Belinda McClory and Timothy Quabba rounding out the principal cast.

Across its run the program earned attention from Australian television bodies, picking up several industry nominations that highlighted performances and production craft, and attracting recognition within national awards circuits without claiming major international trophies.

Locally the show became a notable example of Australian period mystery drama, remembered for its lead figure and its portrayal of small town life under strain. It helped reinforce interest in character-driven crime series on public television and developed a steady fan base through broadcasts and home media.

Critics and viewers generally rated the series positively, reflected in a vote average of 7.755/10 from viewers. Reviews often singled out the strong central performances and the blend of medical procedure with police investigation, and the writing repeatedly returned to themes of moral complexity, social change, community secrets and the limits of justice.