Hot Picks: Strife

Strife is the latest in a string of female-centric scripted series from Bruna Papandrea’s indie Made Up Stories, following on from Nine Perfect Strangers, Wolf Like Me and The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart.

Inspired by Mia Freedman’s memoir Work Strife Balance, the comedic drama tells the story of publisher Evelyn Jones (Asher Keddie), who becomes a force in women’s media while navigating relationship issues at home.

“We love shows about complex and intelligent women and this has a top-notch, powerful female ensemble behind and in front of the camera,” says senior vice-president of sales, Asia Pacific, at Fifth Season Alistair Jennings.

While it is strongly rooted in a frenetic workplace, the series is also a family show, touching on issues such as divorce and co-parenting.

“It is very relatable in the way it navigates the different spaces of managing a private and a public self, with some really raw, emotional moments,” Jennings adds.

He also credits screenwriter Sarah Scheller – who is behind ABC/Netflix smash The Letdown – for “expertly” balancing the elements of comedy and drama.

“Not many writers and performers can navigate that mix,” he notes.

“Phoebe Waller-Bridge does it in Fleabag and in her writing to support Killing Eve – you’re laughing one minute, and the next something catches in your throat. It is not a conventional comedy or drama experience – it’s a relationship dramedy with a lot of nuance.”

“There are lots of close-ups of the cast in key emotional moments, and there is a palette of light to dark throughout, so there is not a moment you feel it is lacking in texture”

The series marks a change of tack for lead actor Keddie, who is perhaps best-known for her role in long-running Australian comedy-drama Offspring.

“People will come to the show to see Asher and they will love her stepping back into the comedic roots she is more known for in Australia, after some quite heavy and sombre roles in Nine Perfect Strangers and The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart,” says Jennings.

“She is joined by a very eclectic, funny, vibrant group of women including Tina Bursill (Ten Pound Poms) playing her mother.”

Jennings says that while it is a “big, funny half hour”, the show has an “elevated” and “thoughtful” look.

“Series director Stuart Bowen is a very strong visual director,” he explains. “There are lots of close-ups of the cast in key emotional moments, and there is a palette of light to dark throughout, so there is not a moment you feel it is lacking in texture.”

He believes the series will work equally well for linear or streaming platforms, and while he anticipates a primarily female audience, he says the show has “very broad” appeal, with strong roots in the universal themes of work, ambition and family.

“Made Up Stories’ recent shows like Nine Perfect Strangers and The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart are incredible, but they have an almost fantasy-like dimension,” Jennings says.

“This very grounded show about real ambition, real work and real problems with husbands, kids and co-workers is deliberately meant to ignite feelings of familiarity. When you watch it, you think, ‘I know how that feels.’ That is the reason people will fall in love with Evelyn Jones.”