103 reviews
Offspring is such a good watch. Discovered by accident on Netflix I've watched all 7 seasons twice. The show manages to combine comedy, with romance and heavy tragedy so well. Absolutely none of the characters are miscast and do work plausibly as an extended family - which is what the majority of the main characters are. Asher Keddie as main character Nina is just brilliant, as is Kat Stewart who plays her sister Billie. My absolute favourite character I think is actually their mother, Geraldine who can quite often steal a scene with just a look or a cutting one liner.
Series 1-5 are probably Offspring at its best, with some incredibly moving scenes around a death of a major character later on. Series 6 is possibly where the show does start to feel a little tired. It's still good, but you do feel like you've begun to have seen all of this before. Series 7 is the final series and actually pulls the show back up to a satisfying conclusion. It wasn't an official series end as such, but no further series have been made and they could just leave it without a series 8 because everything kind of ties up. Everyone living their lives in scruffy/trendy inner suburban Melbourne.
Series 1-5 are probably Offspring at its best, with some incredibly moving scenes around a death of a major character later on. Series 6 is possibly where the show does start to feel a little tired. It's still good, but you do feel like you've begun to have seen all of this before. Series 7 is the final series and actually pulls the show back up to a satisfying conclusion. It wasn't an official series end as such, but no further series have been made and they could just leave it without a series 8 because everything kind of ties up. Everyone living their lives in scruffy/trendy inner suburban Melbourne.
- malpasc-391-915380
- Oct 10, 2020
- Permalink
So, one day my friend makes a comment about Offspring and how she loves it. I then say, I love them too-wish I could see them in concert. She says no, it's a t.v. show we have here (in Australia) and here's a link to "Six at best" on Youtube. And just like that I was hooked . . .I've had to download an i-tunes version to watch season one and was forced to watch season 2 segment by segment on Youtube.Why? Because is it freaking amazing. Imagine Allie McBeal meets Grays Anatomy. The show follows one woman specifically, but branches out to follow her family as well as co-workers as well (who have some how ended up kin of like her family as well). It is the perfect balance of hilarious, endearing, heart wrenching, and wonderful. I can't say enough about this TV show. PLEASE RELEASE THE DVDS IN THE U.S.A. AND PUT THIS ON A CABLE CHANNEL I CAN GET!!!
- dingbatdoodle
- Jul 19, 2011
- Permalink
This is a spectacular series - about relations in a core(?)family, whose members fill almost all existing niches of personalities and characters in human relationships. It is unique that the lead role, this time, is from the perspective of the person who is more introvert and introspective, less self-assured in her own place in the micro-macro-cosmos, concerned character, harassed and needy at the same time for the extrovert, bold, ego-centered, impulsive characters around her - who usually create endless drama. It makes cry, laugh, love, hate, feel empathy or frustrated - but mainly evokes introspect on human relations and our always unique role in them. Each season presents much sincerity, clear and sharp understanding of the writers and producers. Exquisite!
This show is Grey's Anatomy meets Brothers and Sisters so if you like these shows definitely start watching Offspring! It's really great - the cast are amazing and so diverse and it's really well written to the point where even the bitchy sister is endearing (at times). She's definitely lovable. The show has great potential, especially with there being so many different story lines working simultaneously and the fact that Nina's work allows for more story lines to be written in. On a whole I am finding Offspring so enjoyable to watch. The characters and funny, quirky and complex and each episode delves into the complexities of life. I'm extremely excited to watch this show flourish and hope that it makes the most of what it can be! Asher Keddie is absolutely amazing... the whole cast is, but she deserves extra credit!
- jacqui_rose
- Sep 19, 2010
- Permalink
While this show might not be everyone's cup of tea, I truly have loved watching it. I adore every character (at least until season 6 & 7) and spend every episode laughing out loud or tearing up a bit. Nina's neurotic inner voice is very much how a lot of women over think everything (of course, in the extreme) and the love and troubles of all of the characters draw you in. You really care about every up and down.
And ohhh... Patrick. Need I say more?
And ohhh... Patrick. Need I say more?
- ashlouiseash
- Oct 25, 2018
- Permalink
- leos_monkey
- Jun 5, 2014
- Permalink
I have just finished watching the first season on DVD, and am glad I resisted it on TV, broken up by adverts, this would not shine the way it does uninterrupted. The characters are brilliantly played, each a caricature, and thoroughly enjoyable. The background music is terrific, and I don't usually enjoy back ground music, if I even notice it. The parts of Melbourne shown to us in this series, are tempting and alluring. i don't see the problem with babies being born (although some are a little on the large size) as it's an obstetric ward in a hospital, so that makes sense. Maybe the story-line is a little over the top, but this is entertainment as the Australians do so well. As a previous reviewer has said, I've laughed and cried at this first series, and I see there are five more. Can't wait.
- selffamily
- Nov 16, 2016
- Permalink
Almost all of the problems on this show would be solved if people would learn to turn off or silence their freaking cell phones!!!
- ellydraper
- Feb 9, 2020
- Permalink
- ida-oien-12194
- Sep 14, 2020
- Permalink
I love this Ally McBeal meets General Hospital series out of Australia. The family is loving, caring, confused, conflicted and above all "together".
This is a train I'm compelled to take every night.
Nina is hilarious as the imaginative 30'ish ingenue, who has a special way of dealing with conflict (thats an understatement ) But what a delightful trip.
Each cast member injects their own special personality. Deborah Mailman is a delight and her writers are spot on with their delivery and her magical way of inspiring a vibrant spirit without taking away from anyone else. She is true to herself and has that rare quality of helping others shine.
I'm addicted
This is a train I'm compelled to take every night.
Nina is hilarious as the imaginative 30'ish ingenue, who has a special way of dealing with conflict (thats an understatement ) But what a delightful trip.
Each cast member injects their own special personality. Deborah Mailman is a delight and her writers are spot on with their delivery and her magical way of inspiring a vibrant spirit without taking away from anyone else. She is true to herself and has that rare quality of helping others shine.
I'm addicted
By the time you get to S4 it's almost unwatchable. These are people who are fundamentally children, emotionally. Not a single character is a fully functioning adult. It's hard to envisage any of them being able to manage their own lives without minders. They're not 'messy' or 'quirky' they're damaged self involved children. Everything is a catastrophe and every problem can be fixed by screaming, talking really fast, running up and down the sidewalk and sex. What started as a comedy-dramedy is an Australian Grey's Anatomy that dials up the unfunny ditzy on a scale of 1 to 10, to about a 154.
I love this show! My husband started watching it because of me and now we can't get enough! 🤗💞 I hope and pray there will be another season!
- ladybugsam66
- Apr 18, 2019
- Permalink
Seven full seasons of this awesome, addictive Aussie series couldn't have come at a better time. Our protagonist, hardworking OB Nina Proudman, lives within shouting distance of her extended "nut bar" family members in a scruffy/trendy Melbourne suburb. She may remind you a bit of Elliot on "Scrubs"--gorgeous but socially challenged, "neurotic, often obsessive" (says her admiring boss, quite the nut bar himself) and frequently trapped inside her own head. The workplace comedy stuff is entertaining, the tale of Nina's search for love with a series of "moody, damaged" colleagues is quite relatable, and the show has lots of insightful things to say about the difficulties and rewards of family life.
Plot lines are suspenseful and involving, sometimes melodramatic (casual sex often results in the titular offspring; season 5 is a lot more like "Parenthood" than "Scrubs" ), and the writers do resort to some shameless romcom shtick to keep things moving, esp. In the earlier episodes---panting lovers kept apart by doofy misunderstandings and cell phone glitches and whatnot---but I'm guessing you're not going to mind any of that very much. Btw, who- or whatever (Beta-release voice-rec software?) transcribed the CC doesn't have much of an ear for the elusive Aussie accent: "my way" (pron. "my why") comes out as "my wife" in the captions, "Tongan chick" as "tongue in cheek" and "feeling wretched" as "feeling rat sh*t."
Plot lines are suspenseful and involving, sometimes melodramatic (casual sex often results in the titular offspring; season 5 is a lot more like "Parenthood" than "Scrubs" ), and the writers do resort to some shameless romcom shtick to keep things moving, esp. In the earlier episodes---panting lovers kept apart by doofy misunderstandings and cell phone glitches and whatnot---but I'm guessing you're not going to mind any of that very much. Btw, who- or whatever (Beta-release voice-rec software?) transcribed the CC doesn't have much of an ear for the elusive Aussie accent: "my way" (pron. "my why") comes out as "my wife" in the captions, "Tongan chick" as "tongue in cheek" and "feeling wretched" as "feeling rat sh*t."
- The_late_Buddy_Ryan
- Jan 25, 2017
- Permalink
I can't believe I've only just found this 🙈I'm on the last series,great characters,it's sad at times and funny lots of mixed emotions watching it...I only come across this because I started watching 5 bedrooms.Loving it and I don't want it to end 😭😭
My daughter and I just finished the entire series!! There has to be more!!! The story line, the cast, the actors, the whole ensemble was probably one of the very best we have seen!! Why did it have to end?? I am going to start to watch it over again.....crazy, but I felt like I wanted to be part of the Proudman family!! Will there ever be more??? And why not???? There can be so much more in the lives of Nina and Billie and Jimmie and Geraldine! PLEASE, PLEASE BRING THEM BACK!!!
- newtexanbabe
- Dec 30, 2019
- Permalink
I've spent most of the week between Christmas and New Year's Day binge watching Offspring. I love the crazy overly involved family because it reminds me of my family in a way. They all close in when someone is hurting and they can laugh together and at themselves. I rarely cry about something on television, but I laugh along with the Proudmans and cry along with them, too. I am so glad I discovered this program on Netflix!
Peyton Place lives on down under. Plenty of romantic missteps as the characters seem to still be living in the era of free love towards everyone. Frequent daydream sequences of what the character thinks is going to happen, but doesn't. Sort of entertaining, but I got tired of it after a few episodes. Came back six months later to watch a few more. So I guess the show is decent, just get tiired of the frequent horndog behavior. Life is not all about sex.
- nitestar95
- Aug 1, 2019
- Permalink
This is absolutely one of my all time favorite shows. The cast of characters and the talent of the actors that embody them are really, really fantastic! So happy to be able to watch this in the U.S.
There's nothing funnier than people expecting normal rational behaviour from people in a fictional tv series. Just so you know... all non reality tv shows are.. wait for it... fictional.
- wyattmr-27900
- May 14, 2021
- Permalink
I watched every episode. I kept waiting for Nina to get well and behave like an adult with a responsible job.
Another thing..... who was responsible for dressing these characters? Especially Nina, who, in Melbourne, in summer, which is very hot, wore layers of mismatched clothes, two long sleeve tees, a great thin top over these, ( which in itself, would have been enough), and long, mismatched, thick skirts, with long boots!!!!
Melbourne has great shops, the type that an Obstetrician could easily afford, and yet she dresses like a seventies student with poor taste!
She does her job well, while slipping in and out of a character with a clear case of mental illness. What????
I loved the family, but as someone who grew up in the seventies, they are clearly a family who behave, dress, and have all the neurosis of that era. I don't know how Nina got through Medical School with all her problems.
However, you get attached to this family, ( in my case because they reminded of me of people I grew up with), and you want to see them through their problems to the end.
How I got through it while detesting the main character may say something about my own mental health, :) but I did.
However, you get attached to this family, ( in my case because they reminded of me of people I grew up with), and you want to see them through their problems to the end.
How I got through it while detesting the main character may say something about my own mental health, :) but I did.
- reviewwhatIsee
- Mar 23, 2021
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- tinyfeet69
- Jan 21, 2017
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What a brilliant, sensitive, funny series. Of course, no one can help themselves from falling in love with Nina and all her quirkiness. I was right there with her, laughing, crying and could relate to her predicaments. The whole cast of actors were so great that I felt I was looking in on a real family with their daily problems.
When a show moves you emotionally to be happy one minute or sad the next, it is a true work of art. I only wish it would go on forever.
Bravo John Edwards and Imogen Banks, what a wonderful series.
- chickadee-66430
- Nov 12, 2020
- Permalink