Binge‘s record-setting drama series Strife has begun shooting its second season.
The Asher Keddie-starring show became Australian streamer Binge’s biggest original series premiere last year, prompting execs to set up a writers’ room for Season 2, as we revealed in January. Production is now underway in Sydney.
The comedic drama follows Evelyn Jones (Keddie), a modern, imperfect woman and publisher, on her journey from lounge room blogger to becoming a force in women’s media. It was inspired by Australian media personality and journalist Mia Freedman’s memoir Work, Strife, Balance, and is written by Australian screenwriter Sarah Scheller (The Letdown).
In Season 2, Evelyn’s empire is threatened by the arrival of a new women’s website and a troll who calls out her hypocrisy and privilege, making her double guess her instincts when she needs to be on her A game. Her company moves to new offices and ventures into podcasting, but Evelyn needs to find a new investor, while she resets her home life and returns to the dating market.
Returning for Season 2 are Matt Day (Rake), Tina Bursill (Doctor Doctor), Emma Lung (Stranded), Maria Angelico (Sisters), Rhys Mitchell (Upper Middle Bogan), Olivia Junkeer (Neighbours), BeBe Bettencourt (The Dry), Bryony Skillington (The Power of the Dog), Darcy Tadich (Neighbours), Willow Speers (Wolf Like Me), Jonathan LaPaglia (Seven Days), Alex Dimitriades (The Tourist), Lucy Ansell (Force of Nature: The Dry 2) and Lincoln Younes (Last King of the Cross). Further casting announcements are set to follow.
Scheller returns as both writer and executive producer, leading a group of writers also comprising Clare Stephens, Jessie Stephens, Andy Healy, Lexi Freiman, Amy Stewart and Mary Coustas. Neil Sharma (Heartbreak High, Mother and Son) will direct all eight episodes. Executive producers for producer Made Up Stories are Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Katie Amos, alongside Freedman, Scheller, Alison Hurbert-Burns, Lana Greenhalgh and Keddie, who starred in Offspring and acted in Nine Perfect Strangers. Lorelle Adamson will serve as producer.
Hurbert-Burns, who commissions the show for Binge, said: “We are thrilled to be back in Sydney filming the next chapter of Strife with our exceptional cast and creative team. Season one was a record- breaking hit for BINGE, captivating viewers with its flawed, hilarious, and deeply human characters. We can’t wait to continue Evelyn’s story and deliver world-class, premium storytelling once again to our viewers.”
Strife comes from from Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers maker Made Up Stories in partnership with Fifth Season, which has international sales rights, for Binge. Screen Australia and Binge parent Foxtel Group provide significant production investment. Further finance comes from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund, with the same body providing supporting post, digital and visual effects funding.
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