Fucking Adelaide

From award-winning filmmaker Sophie Hyde (52 Tuesdays, Frameline38) comes an engrossing new comedy series about three adult siblings summoned back to their South Australian hometown, Adelaide, by their mother, Maude, who intends to sell their childhood home. Over six surprising and laugh-out-loud-funny episodes—each focused on a different family member—we discover the rich personalities and troublesome secrets of this spectacularly idiosyncratic clan. Think Transparent: Down Under.

Queer, spandex-clad Eli has always found strength in his singing abilities, but his professional career in Sydney is something close to a catastrophe. The baby of the family, Kitty, still lives at home with her mother but leads a scandalous double life. Successful elder sister Emma has her own family in tow but finds it difficult to keep her career moving forward while she’s stuck reminiscing about her past in Adelaide. Cleo, Emma’s young daughter, is puzzled by being frequently mistaken for a boy, but her magic tricks are improving greatly with Grandma Maude’s coaching. And Maude just wants the family to be together, without drama, for once in their collective lives.

The characters and setups are quirky, but the story and performances are grounded in pathos and believability, making this oddball family completely relatable and easy to root for. Produced in partnership with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, this series will have you itching for a second season by the time episode six comes to its shocking—and heart-tugging—conclusion.

— LAURA HENNEMAN

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