Your guide to new Aussie-made scripted shows screening over summer weeks.
A number of new locally scripted titles will screen over the summer weeks, on Free to Air and Subscription TV.
Return to Paradise
Final 7:30pm Saturday December 20 on ABC
Mackenzie Clarke has one goal for Glenn and Daisy’s wedding day – to fly under the radar. So of course, the ceremony is interrupted by the murder of an uninvited guest. And their final word just so happens to be Mack’s name. So much for not drawing attention to herself. Mackenzie is forced to put a halt to Glenn and Daisy’s nuptials and figure out who this mystery guest is, who murdered them, and how?
The ImposterÂ
8pm Sunday December 21 / 8:30pm December 28 on 10
Set in a coastal Victorian town, The Imposter centres around a bitter family feud as matriarch Helen refuses to sell her sprawling seaside hotel, despite pressure from her three adult children. Little do they know, Helen is hiding a secret, a daughter she gave up for adoption decades ago. When Amanda suddenly appears, Helen welcomes her with open arms— but is Amanda who she says she is? The lucrative hotel is the ultimate prize, and a twisted scheme soon spirals into betrayal and ultimately, murder.
Sunny Nights
Friday December 26 on Stan
An American brother and sister travel to Australia hoping to build a successful spray tan business, but a momentary lapse in judgment draws the siblings into the Sydney underworld. When the duo tries to escape by committing a tiny bit of murder, they must figure out how to stay alive, out of prison, and in the black.
Dear Life
Thursday January 1 on Stan
Love lives on in unexpected ways. Filmed across Victoria, Dear Life is an unfiltered exploration into losing the love of your life. Struggling to come to terms with the death of her fiancé, Lillian finds comfort in seeking out the recipients of his organs, triggering a tangled chain of connection. After Ash, a doctor, is attacked by an ice addict, his fiancée Lillian turns off his life support. Months later, Lillian is still reeling in the aftermath of her fiancée’s death when she receives a letter from a man crushed by a motorbike, thanking her for his new heart. Suddenly, Lillian feels better. And she wants more of that feeling. She wants to know more about the people that were able to live.
Language
Run
Thursday January 1 on Binge / 8:30pm Showcase
Brenden Abbott was never meant to live an ordinary life. Using his razor-sharp mind, the notorious West Australian bank robber pulls off the perfect heist, and for a fleeting moment, his dream of a future with his first love, Jackie, feels within reach. When a betrayal lands him in the brutal Fremantle Prison and Abbott’s sentence is further increased due to his involvement in the infamous 1989 riot, Abbott sets into motion one of the most brazen and daring prison escapes in Australian history and sparks a nationwide manhunt. On the run for five electrifying years, Abbott becomes both folk hero and fugitive – a man chasing freedom while running from himself. This series charts the rise and fall of a criminal mastermind who outsmarted everyone but fate.
Goolagong
8:20pm Sunday, January 4 on ABC (all episodes on iview)
Goolagong is based on the inspiring true-life story of world champion tennis player Evonne Goolagong, one of Australia’s most revered sporting heroes. From her Wimbledon debut in 1970, to becoming the first mother to win Wimbledon in the modern era in 1980, Evonne’s story is one of family, love, loss, and an unwavering spirit. In the time of burgeoning black rights and women’s lib, Evonne proved to herself, her people, and the world that she was a true champion.
Home & Away
7.00pm Monday, 19 January on Seven.
A catastrophic derailment of a party train en route to a music festival in Broken Hill proved perilous for Justin (James Stewart), Mackenzie (Emily Weir), Remi (Adam Rowland), Abigail (Hailey Pinto), Dana (Ally Harris), Sonny (Ryan Bown), Lacey (Sophea Pennington), Jo (Maddison Brown) and Eddie (Stephen Madsen). Who will make it home to the Bay? When Home & Away returns, rescue operations are in full swing to save those trapped in the wreckage. With the structure of the train threatening to collapse, every second is critical. David (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor), Cash (Nicholas Cartwright), Levi (Tristan Gorey) and Tane (Ethan Browne) are all at the crash site, navigating the chaos and carnage in a frantic bid to save lives – with their own loved ones still trapped on board the derailed train. Realising time is running out, Tane takes matters into his own hands, defying police orders to enter the tunnel and rush to the aid of those still trapped. Will his heroic actions come at a tragic cost?
Dog Park
8:30pm Sunday February 1 on ABC (all episodes on iview)
When Roland’s wife Emma leaves him with their teenage daughter Mia who barely notices him and Beattie, the dog he never wanted in the first place, he’s determined to cope brilliantly. But when Beattie disappears and turns up at the local dog park, Roland meets the unbearably optimistic Samantha and her mismatched, life-loving group of dog-parkers. As Roland begrudgingly keeps returning to the park, he comes to realise he might actually need a community to belong to. Dog Park is a heartwarming tale of belonging, resilience, and the transformative power of connection – both human and canine.
The Artful Dodger S2
Tuesday February 10 on Disney+.
Jack’s back! The Artful Dodger returns, and he’s in deep trouble. He’s got an appointment with the noose, he’s being hunted by Inspector Boxer, Port Victory’s new lawman, and if he sees the woman he loves, Lady Belle, he’ll be hanged. Meanwhile, Lady Belle is determined to forge her future in medicine, defying expectation and stepping into danger, driven by ambition and a love already hanging in the balance. With Boxer competing with Jack for Belle’s affection, the crafty Fagin drags Dodger into their most dangerous heist yet, and a killer is on the loose. Get ready for an explosive season of new characters and locations with more thrills, humour, heart, invention and deception than ever.