Sisters

The Australian drama series Sisters was originally aired by Network Ten in October 2017. A year later and it was widely available on Netflix and it is a gem. Created by Jonathan Gavin and Imogen Banks, the story goes like this…

Julia Bechly, played by Maria Angelico, is the only daughter of Nobel Prize-winning Julius Bechly (Barry Otto). His pioneering work in the field of fertility has made him a superstar but now he is dying. As a last act of rebellion he decides, on his deathbed, to write an open letter to a newspaper and tell the world that over the course of 30 years at The Bechly Clinic, he used his own sperm to fertilise women without their knowledge.

Potentially he has hundreds of children which comes as a huge shock to everyone, most of all to Julia. With no records to determine who the women or potential children are, she attempts to turn lemons into lemonade. She decides to host a family gathering and invites all of the potential children to lunch.

There they can get their DNA checked for confirmation as well as get to know each other. What results are two things. Firstly Julia now has hundreds of brothers. Secondly, she only has two sisters! And so begins her attempts at a sibling relationship and a new family with Edie Flanagan and Roxy Karibas.

Edie, played by Antonia Prebble, is a lawyer and family friend of the Bechly's. It transpires her mother actually knew Julius Bechly was her father but just never told her. To make things worse, she grew up around the Bechly's and is left feeling devastated and betrayed. Torn between having a family with loving siblings and filing a class-action lawsuit, Edie's life just gets more and more complicated as the show progresses.

Roxy (Lucy Durack) is a children's tv star and presenter and has a bit of a painkiller problem. The idea that Julius could be her father gives her a renewed sense of self and purpose. But the glossy display of positivity and optimism is only masking a terribly sad lack of self-esteem and worth that is beautifully played out by Durack.

The three characters in question couldn't be more different and each brings something unique to the show. Julia is the eternal giver who has spent most of her life caring for other people at the expense of following her own dreams. Edie is a tougher nut to crack. She is stoic and resolute in the pursuit of justice all the while knowing the terrible consequences her actions will have. Roxy comes across as the more fun-loving of the three but between them, they light up the screen.

The script is superb and amidst all the drama Sisters has some real laugh out loud moments as well as parts that will have you sobbing your heart out. The cast, characters, and writing are all top-notch in this unmissable show on Netflix. I loved it and was reminded of The Letdown, another superb Australian drama. Both are so relatable, honest and refreshing and thankfully without the usual Hollywood sheen!

Is There A Season 2 Of Sisters?

Sisters has been a huge hit on Netflix. And more than the ratings, fans simply love it. So that begs the question – will there be a Sisters season 2? The answer isn't simple. Originally it was a Network Ten show in Australia. It aired in October 2017 and did well so it was a surprise when they omitted it from their 2018 line-up.

No more was said until it was announced that the show was being remade for Fox in the US under executive producer Jason Katims and co-executive producer Annie Weisman. Starring Brittany Snow (Someone Great) in the lead role of Julia Bechly, it is called Almost Family.

So while it looks like there will be no more Sisters from Australia, we do have the remake. Whether or not it will get to Netflix is another question entirely.

Plus there's the true documentary, Our Father, which chronicles a real life version of this story.

How Many Episodes Are There In Sisters?

There are seven episodes in season 1 and as it was never renewed, that is all we are getting.

Episode one is the longest and runs at around 75 minutes but after that, each episode is 45 minutes long.

Where Else Can I Watch The Cast Of Sisters?

There is no doubting that the three leads in Sisters were perfect for their roles. Maria Angelico, who played Julia Bechly, can also be seen in Stateless – also on Netflix. She also stars in The Newsreader and is currently filming the tv mini-series, New Gold Mountain.

Lucy Durack played Roxy Karibas and also took the lead in Love in Lockdown, and is currently starring in Australian soap Neighbours.

Antonia Prebble was fantastic as Edie Flanagan and plays Rita West in the long-running hit show Westside for which she was awarded “Best Actress” for her portrayal of Rita at the New Zealand TV Awards in 2018.

Dan Spielman who plays Tim Flanagan, Edie's husband is also in Stateless and filming New Gold Mountain so clearly with at least three acting credits together Angelico and Spielman get on really well!