Deeply layered and gripping, “Untamed” is a brilliant detective tale anchored by some of our worst human impulses.

Having watched all six episodes, I would never have guessed the outcome or the guilty party. Ultimately, it is a series which transcends, with ease, its central cliché.

Bana is riveting as the lead, DeWitt gives the series the saga the pathos it begs for, Santiago measures up as more than a “Training Day” trainee and Bethel, Trujillo and Neill shine in support...They lift “Untamed” to the level of “a good beach read,” in miniseries form, a trip to Yosemite focused purely on everything that can go wrong there and the people who have to piece together what happened when it does.

It’s a show that begins with topical potential that goes unrealized and, instead, settles for spinning a solid yarn, albeit one propped up by entirely too many clichés.

The premise promises more than what ultimately gets delivered in this disjointed, semi-compelling six-part series.

It leans harder and harder on murder-mystery tropes that have all but exhausted their utility. By the end, “Untamed” can only offer more of the same, despite ample opportunity to provide something “different.”

It's surprising and disappointing in equal measure to announce that the show is such a muted and limp affair that none of the characters or performances really ultimately amount to much.