Why ‘Dear Life’ is the TV hug we all need

In Short

• The Creators: From the brilliant minds behind Upper Middle Bogan, Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope deliver a perfect balance of humor and raw emotion.
• The Performance: Brooke Satchwell gives a career-defining performance as Lillian, a woman navigating grief by tracking down her late fiancé’s organ recipients.
• The Setting: Primarily set in the stunning Victorian city of Ballarat, the series offers a grounded, "warm hug" alternative to high-octane thrillers.

If you haven’t sat down with the drama series Dear Life yet, consider this your official excuse to hit the couch. You can catch all six episodes of Dear Life exclusively on Stan. It dropped on New Year’s Day, so the full season is ready for you to binge-watch right now.

In recent years Australia has produced TV that feels like a warm hug from an old friend, and this latest gem by the brilliant husband-and-wife duo Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope is no exception. 

Robyn Butler has said that the idea for the storyline came from imagining the scenario if her husband died, and that gives you a glimpse into the depth of emotion the pair have woven into Dear Life.

Their names may not be instantly familiar but the duo are behind the classic Upper Middle Class Bogan series, and they bring to this latest show a similar balance of humour and heart.

Dear Life is raw. It’s messy. Lead actress Brooke Satchwell delivers an incredibly believable performance as the damaged and grieving Lillian, struggling to get over the death of her fiance

You’ll know Satchwell from Black Snow or her iconic days on Neighbours. She’s the heart of the show as a woman tracking down her late fiancé’s organ recipients.

Throw in a terrible relationship with her own parents, and her mother-in-law’s own grief emerging as anger and you have just touched the surface of this wonderfully complex story.

The series is set in Ballarat and shows the Victorian city in all its glory, before ducking in and out of Melbourne to follow the characters.

It looks at the heartbreak of unexpected grief, fractured family relationships and the friendships that get us through. 

At the end of the six episodes the story comes to a pleasing conclusion, but with just enough story left to tell to keep us hopeful of series two.

Dear Life also stars Eleanor Matsuura of The Walking Dead fame, playing Lillian’s long-suffering pal Mary, who battles her own grief in ways she did not expect.

Everyone’s favourite TV husband from Firefly Lane Ben Lawson plays Andrew, and yes, he’s as charming as ever.

Keep an eye out for Aussie royalty Deborah Mailman (Total Control) and Kerry Armstrong (Lantana), who pop up to deliver strong performances in a couple of small but integral roles. You need to meet Kerry Armstrong's character as Lillian’s mother, to fully understand some of Lillian’s foibles.

In a world of high-octane thrillers and action films Dear Life is grounded, heart-centered and touching. It reminds us that while life is undeniably complicated, it’s also pretty beautiful.

If you like stories about complex, real-life characters, have a watch and let us know what you think.

Rating: 5/5 (Five stars for making us feel all the feelings!)

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