The Inbestigators
| Company type | Children's television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Children's mystery television series |
The Inbestigators (presented as The InBESTigators) is a children's mystery television series from Australia featuring Abby Bergman, Anna Cooke, Aston Droomer, and Jamil Smyth-Secka portraying fifth-grade students Ava Andrikides, Maudie Miller, Ezra Banks, and Kyle Klimson. These young detectives tackle mysteries occurring at their school and within their community. Developed by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope, the show blends the comedic style found in Little Lunch with intriguing mystery storylines. It originally aired two seasons on ABC Me between 21 June and 30 November 2019, with Netflix distributing the first season in mid-2019 and the second season in early 2020.
Critics praised the series for its witty humor and strong performances, although reactions to some characters varied. The program was nominated twice for the AACTA Award in the category of Best Children's Television Series. Additionally, a web-based spin-off titled The InBESTigators: Crime Crack premiered in July 2019, followed by a cast Q&A session later that year and an educational study guide released during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premise
The narrative centers on Ezra Banks, a boy skilled with technology; Maudie Miller, an intelligent detective-in-training; Ava Andrikides, a lively and theatrical girl; and Kyle Klimson, an athletic but absent-minded youngster. Together, they establish the Inbestigators detective agency to solve cases around their school and neighborhood, documenting their investigations through a vlog.
Main
- Abby Bergman as Ava Andrikides, a sociable and outgoing girl who enjoys attending parties and charity functions
- Anna Cooke as Maudie Miller, a clever girl with ambitions to become a private investigator
- Aston Droomer as Ezra Banks, a boy proficient in technology
- Jamil Smyth-Secka as Kyle Klimson, an athletic yet forgetful character
Recurring
- Maria Angelico as Miss Tan, an enthusiastic teacher of grade five
- Clarke Richards as Mr Barker, a relaxed grade-six educator
- James Saunders as Mr McGillick, the school's strict principal
- Eliza Ong as Poppy Banks, Ezra’s younger sister who helps with investigations
- Hannah Johnston as Amelia, one of Ava’s friends who is frequently left out
- Hana Leigh Struckett as Pixie, Ava’s best friend known for being forgetful
- Madeline Jevic as Mrs Parides, physical education teacher at the school
- Zac Mineo as James, an arrogant student
- Ayiana Ncube as Ruby, one of Ava’s friends who has a fear of heights
- Zakariah Rahalli as Mario, one of Kyle’s companions
- Ethan Pham as Diet, a mathematically talented fifth grader
- Matilda Hardwick as Caitlin, one of Ava’s friends who wears glasses
- Sienna Foggy as Esther, another member of Ava’s friend group
- Bailey McMillan-Power as Justin, a fifth grader whose parents often complete his homework
- Soraya Briggs as Max, one of Ava’s friends who experiences claustrophobia
- Marita Wilcox as Mrs. Maniaci, Ezra’s neighbor who is frequently impatient
- Jack Goodsell as Archie, one of Kyle’s friends
- Frank Woodley as Brian, Maudie’s father
- Monty Henderson as Toby, Diet's closest friend
- Kayleigh O'Dwyer as Dayani, a grade-six student aiming to become a professional basketball player
- Milla Bishop as Miranda, an arrogant girl convinced she is famous due to appearing in a childhood commercial
- Shayne Warren as Paul, an impolite grade-six student
Development
The Inbestigators was developed by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope, the creative duo behind Little Lunch. Building on that show's humorous style, they merged comedy with the detective genre to craft this fresh children’s series. Butler’s goal was to challenge the "toxic" influences shaping young viewers’ perspectives by introducing a cast of diverse characters that embody fairness, respect, and compassion. Screen Australia commended the program for its authentic portrayal of Australian narratives and culture.
In June 2018, ABC alongside Screen Australia officially approved the project. Funding for development was provided by the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) and ABC. Writing commenced in 2017, with Butler, Hope, and other contributors focusing on creating dialogue that was both clear and true to the voice of 10-year-olds, avoiding unnecessary simplification.
The casting process involved over 700 auditions to discover confident new performers. The main roles were awarded to Aston Droomer (Ezra), Anna Cooke (Maudie), Abby Bergman (Ava), and Jamil Smyth-Secka (Kyle). Many guest parts were filled by actors who auditioned but did not secure leading roles.
Production utilized a single-camera approach. Netflix contributed additional financing for a total of 40 episodes. Filming began in July 2018 at Moorabbin Primary School in Melbourne and continued through December due to scheduling modifications. Child actors adhered to eight-hour workdays with on-set tutoring provided. Dan Maxwell led as director of photography while Simon McCutcheon managed production design. The detective agency's set was constructed onsite to streamline logistics. Scenes were filmed according to location rather than in story order. A one-week hiatus separated filming between the first two seasons to accommodate the rapid physical changes of the young cast, requiring overlapping production schedules.
Themes
The Inbestigators explores themes such as honesty, loyalty, kindness, friendship, collaboration, and accountability. As noted by TV Tonight, the motives behind the show's mysteries are grounded in relatable tween experiences—such as seeking acceptance or combating loneliness—rather than negative adult behaviors. Offenders in the stories express remorse and learn valuable lessons pertinent to preteens, enhancing the series' educational impact.
Release
Episodes of The Inbestigators have a runtime of approximately 15 minutes each. The series debuted on ABC Me across Australia and New Zealand on 21 June 2019, concluding its first season on 10 July 2019. Renewal for a second season was announced on 12 August 2019; this season aired from 11 to 30 November 2019. Both seasons were made available worldwide on Netflix, with the initial season released on 9 August 2019 and the follow-up on 10 January 2020; episodes were combined into half-hour segments for streaming platforms.
The show broadened its international presence by premiering on WildBrainTV in Canada on 10 March 2022.
Critical response
The Inbestigators has garnered widespread critical praise. It has been recognized among Netflix’s top Australian productions as well as leading detective, educational, and children’s series by outlets such as Screen Rant, The Cinemaholic, Variety, and Stuff respectively.
Critics lauded the series’ comedic aspects, describing it as "hilarious" and "genuinely funny." Joel Keller from Decider highlighted its "sharp wit" and "subtle sarcasm." Both Keller and Mandie Caroll from Common Sense Media observed that adults would find enjoyment in its humor as well. Reviewers also commended the authentic comedic performances delivered by the Australian cast; Caroll remarked that their portrayals often featured "kid-appropriate sarcasm coupled with warm humor." Keller suggested that replacing the cast with British or American actors might reduce the show’s charm. The program’s racial inclusivity also received positive attention.
Character reception was somewhat divided; some commentators viewed them as fitting common archetypes such as the nerd or athlete stereotype. Nonetheless, Mumtaj Begum of The Star pointed out that strong scripting and energetic performances mitigated these familiar tropes. Caroll described the characters as "engaging, relatable... and worthy role models," further noting how gender stereotypes were thoughtfully challenged.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA Awards | 2019 | Best Children's Program | Template:Sort | Template:Nom | |
| 2020 | Template:Nom | ||||
| ATOM Awards | 2020 | Best Children's Television Program | Template:Sort | Template:CFinalist | |
| Casting Guild of Australia Awards | 2020 | Achievement in Casting | Template:Sort | Template:Won |
Other media
The short web series The InBESTigators: Crime Crack, hosted on ABC Me’s YouTube channel, stars Abby Bergman and Anna Cooke. Each installment analyzes a case by examining red herrings, identifying culprits, reviewing clues and motives, and discussing moral lessons. Two episodes debuted on 18 July 2019, inspired by episodes two and five from the first season.
On 13 September 2019, the Australian Children's Television Foundation announced a live Q&A webinar featuring cast members aimed at primary schools; it premiered on 22 November 2019. Schools from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria participated with appearances from Anna Cooke, Abby Bergman, Aston Droomer, and Jamil Smyth-Secka. This session was subsequently uploaded to YouTube on 18 December 2019. Additionally, during May 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an educational resource titled the InBESTigators Teaching Toolkit was launched for teachers.
Notes
References
- Text adapted from the Episode Guide at The Inbestigators Wiki under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.
External links
- Australian comedy TV series of the 2010s
- Australian television series that premiered in 2019
- Australian television series that concluded in 2019
- Original programs by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Children's mystery series from Australia
- Australian mockumentary-style television shows
- English-language television programs from Australia
- Children's content available on Netflix
- Television series focused on children
- Crime-themed television shows
- Television productions set in Melbourne
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming