The Act
This true crime drama really shows that fact is stranger than fiction. You may have noticed in crime series lately characters having a condition called Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy; if you google it, the story this series is based on is top of the search list. Based on a shocking 2015 crime, it enacts what happens when daughter Gypsy (Joey King) attempts to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Gypsy’s quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, which ultimately leads to murder. Patricia Arquette won the Primetime Emmy for her performance as Dee Dee Blanchard.
The Pact
This thoughtful NZ drama considers the ramifications of a terminally ill woman's desire to end her life, upon her family members. When their fundamentally different beliefs threaten to blow the family apart, the series contemplates whether they they will be be able to come together before it’s too late.
Season 1 of The Pact is now streaming
The Runaway
This engaging French series is the story of a teenage girl who stumbles into a living hell, and the loving parents who never give up on her. 16-year-old Lea lives a comfortable life in Paris with her parents and younger siblings. She's a self-assured teen who does well in school and loves to dance. But when her overly strict parents try to curb her social life, Lea runs away from home. She winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting tangled up with a shady rap duo. Lea falls hard for the rapper Nico, the way only a young girl can. An unstoppable downward spiral is set in motion, turning Lea's life into a living hell. Her parents are initially blindsided, but quickly realise their lovestruck daughter has fallen under Nico's thumb and is being manipulated and abused. How can they pry her away from him?
The Runaway S1 is now streaming
Inked
On a wet, cold night in Auckland, Jiayue has hit rock bottom. Thanks to her ex-boyfriend, she's broke and homeless, and secretly seeking refuge in the sleep-out at her father's house. And that's only part of her troubles: He thinks she's studying medicine, but her dream is to become a professional tattooist. This vibrant and multilingual NZ drama tackles generational tension with authenticity and heart.
TAKE A DEEPER DIVE
The deep detail involved in making Chinese-Kiwi drama 'Inked'
The Family
The Family provides an intimate lens upon the three days leading up to the arrest of Slobodan Milosevic, and the pivotal role he played in the most devastating conflict in Europe since WW2. This carefully considered family drama examines the Bosnian war and the breakup of the former Yugoslavia from a unique perspective: Milosevic’s family and friends, trapped in their villa and with no control over the situation, start their struggle to overcome the crisis and grapple with their past.
The Family is now streaming
The A Word
Paste has described The A Word as ‘exceptionally authentic in everything it does’. We agree, and proudly deliver season 3, which begins two years from where we left the Hughes family: Paul and Alison, and children Joe and Rebecca. Paul and Alison, now divorced, face fresh challenges as Paul’s house is damaged by fire and Alison loses her job, leaving autistic Joe struggling anew. Patriarch Maurice is volunteering as a firefighter and, as well as helping his family with their dramas, is also looking into what his girlfriend’s son Ralph has been hiding. And Rebecca uncovers a secret of her own. This British series manages to be touching and poignant, and funny, too.
Penoza
Touted as one of the best drama series to come out of The Netherlands, you won’t want to miss an episode. Penoza takes us to the Amsterdam underworld where we meet drug lord Frans and wife Carmen. After their son, at 10, threatens a child with a gun, Carmen presents Frans with an ultimatum: get out of the criminal life or lose your family. But they end up losing Frans, who’s shot dead, leaving Carmen to deal with the debts he leaves behind, not to mention other unfinished business. With a mobster father, Carmen isn’t inexperienced in this life, and proves rather adept at coping with the clean-up. Will she be able to walk away?
Penoza S1-5 is now streaming
The Family Law
Based on Benjamin Law’s best-selling memoir, this dramey following everyone’s favourite almost-functional Asian–Australian family has been warming audiences’ hearts since it first aired in 2016 – and this year we brought back all 3 seasons to SBS On Demand. 14-year-old Benjamin is slightly self-obsessed, with aspirations to be famous despite his severe lack of talent. For the Law family, all communication can lead to misunderstanding and unlikely comedy stems from tragedy. This is a show about sabotaged expectations, growing pains, finding your place in the world, and the strange embarrassment we feel towards the people we’re supposed to love the most: our family. The Family Law delves into divorce, romance, coming of age and coming out, all while making you laugh and cry.
The Family Law seasons 1–3 are now streaming at (also available with subtitles).
All these great series and a whole lot more are now streaming in the Family Ties Collection at .
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