Year Of (2023– ) User Reviews

Didn't want it to end!

[itsdjego · 7/10 · 13 June 2023]

Show beautifully captures the essence of growing up in Australia. A world where the side-swiping complexities of coming of age unfold among a diverse group of students and adults. From tear-jerking lows into giddying highs.

Genuine and relatable. Great writing makes for wry chuckling amongst the darker moments, and a salty aftertaste amongst the brighter ones. Lovable cast bring depth and authenticity to their characters.

Year Of is a time capsule of modern Australian youth, well done Stan for comissioning some great local content. Looking forward to more of the same.

Didn't want it to end!

Ok enough

[GLW24 · 6/10 · 17 June 2023]

I can see what they are trying to do but it just doesn't quite get there IMHO. At points I've grappled with whether what's happening is a realistic depiction but then again who am I to judge.....overall I enjoyed watching it enough but it isn't groundbreaking. I do feel they capture the struggles and flightyness (sp?) of teens yet teen dramas have been done a lot so yeah the bar is high (and also it is a pastime of mine to critique fodder like this haha). First impressions: teens on drugs partying meh seen it before, I was almost not going to watch beyond ep 1.... Then it gets heavier and then I was like am I in the mood for this downer content? Alas I watched on.... Now I've watched the whole first series. Yeah I'll forget it but I'll probably still tune in to S02 if/when it comes around.

Nice to see some new faces

[emailtojbp · 7/10 · 27 June 2023]

It's nice to see some new faces getting the opportunity to share screen time with a mix of up-and-coming and seasoned Australian talent.

Year Of.. is a coming of age story based around a group of high school aged friends coming to terms with an unexpected tragedy. The show does have that undeniable Australian melodrama type feel but when the acting, writing and directing falls into place you're left with a good mix of heartfelt moments, emotional tension and unexpected laughs.

Year Of.. isn't my usual go-to type of show but it landed on Stan right in between series for me and the half hour episodes made it perfect for dinner time viewing. All in all, I'm glad I caught it.

If you're a fan of Australian TV, I think you'll like this offbeat little show.

I loved it so much I'm watching it again!

[shannon_lee-79368 · 10/10 · 13 June 2023]

I binged the whole season in one sitting and loved every minute of it!!

I couldn't stop thinking about the show and the story line and the characters, so I'm watching it again! It was really beautifully shot and I really enjoyed the soundtrack. I sat in front of the TV so many times shazaming the songs! I'm also trying to perfect the eyeliner look from Kate's character!

I'm very hopeful that the show will come back for a second season because I think there is still so much story to tell for so many of the characters. I'm fully hooked. The last episode in particular really stayed with me and I find myself thinking about it often.

Horrible

[lukekstanley · 1/10 · 11 June 2023]

Romper stomper is a blockbuster compared to this show.

In a world where Australian acting can really hit a global stage, this show falls so, so short.

An average episode of home and away shadows any episode of this under whelming series.

The mature acting is so cringeworthy you actually can't look away, yet be bewildered that this show can actually make prime time screen time.

Please, please for the Australian people stop making such rubbish, non relatable, nonsense that just isn't even anything to do with Australian youth or culture.

This show is an embarrassment. I struggle to think how the director for this has connection for Australian youths and young adults.

How a series like this gets the green light from Stan is beyond my belief.

The worst episode from Around the twist trumps any episode of this sad Australian rendition of Australian pop culture.

They are so heavily missing the point.

Do not waste even a moment of your time on this show - I wish I could get my life back from wasting it watching this disaster.

Good TV show and good character development

[ralphjonessd · 10/10 · 9 June 2023]

Think Skins in Oz it's a nice show easy to watch with a good mix of tears and joy.

Worth your time and bite size episodes.

The characters are not all likeable however that what makes it's great. I am sure there is something for everyone.

There as always in modern shows are a few eye roll moments and some diversity thrown in for good measure however it is also the modern world.

The games changed over the years and I need to keep up, that being said it's well worth giving this one a go. You won't regret it.

I have given 10 stars as the cast really played the roles well even though some of the characters had me internally grumbling.

Terrible waste of time

[tdeverell-49599 · 1/10 · 14 June 2023]

This is what happens when you graduate film school, someone hands you a bucket load of money to make a series and you decide to put everything you learned into one series. The photography is absolutely shocking, jerky cameras, heads and body parts cut off, low still cameras, it's all there but makes for a disjointed unwatchable experience. Some of the scenes felt so contived, the acting so poor that the scenes felt staged.

I am a big fan of Australian film but this is rock bottom, a waste of time and money. The 10/10 reviews here must be paid reviews as no one with any respect for the arts could call this good.

Loved this show!

[mailfromcandice · 9/10 · 11 June 2023]

I really liked this show! I found it such a great mix of heartwarming, sadness, drama and comedy all wrapped up in one. It's nice to see a realistic depiction of high school in Australia.

I found the characters really intriguing and was sucked into their world. While it's been a while since I was in high school it brought me right back to those days and all the feelings that come along with growing up. The excitement of new loves, the challenges thrown your way, heartbreak and figuring out who you are are all things we experience in high school and "Year Of" dives right into.

I binged the whole season in a few days and ready for season 2!!

if you want a realistic refreshing show about teenagers

[danceacademy03 · 8/10 · 16 June 2023]

To me this is like an aussie heartstopper but maybe less wholesome haha (although it is still suprisingly wholesome for quite an edgy show)

you basically follow a group of teenager kids before and after an event (i won't say what because spoiler's!!) and see them grow and just basically being normal teens, which i think is so rare in tv shows these days when everything's always trying to be so dramatic. These are very unique character's and felt to me like they were real people. (My favorite was Gus haha iykyk)

As someone who know's what its like to sometimes not to know who you are or trying figure it out when it feels like the world is burning around you, this is a show that touches on those kinds of themes in a fresh and interesting way.

However i will say some of the parent story line's were maybe less interesting as i wanted to spend more time with the teens, but maybe that's just me.

Grounded and full of laughs

[simone-lamartina · 10/10 · 16 June 2023]

This show was AMAZING!! I've already recommended it to a few friends who loved it too.

Great characters. Exciting stories and a fresh take on the Australian high school experience. Ever since Skins, we've been craving a show that shows young Australians as they truly are, and this series pulls it off with grit.

The writing is fast and funny, the performances are really genuine and the aesthetic feels truly representative of my high school experience. It's also super funny.

All in all, quit your jobs, divorce your partners, put your kids up for adoption, do whatever you need to make time to watch this.

A Show with Heart

[magicfaradaytree · 8/10 · 12 June 2023]

Like Bump this show has so much heart. I found the characters were quite subtle and well drawn and all the young actors although inexperienced, really made it watchable. I teach kids and there were so many moments that rang true. I laughed out loud so many times.

Life can get so complicated for kids and the pressure on them to work, study and keep it all together, especially when they're living half of their lives online, can be immense. This show tackles all that pretty gracefully. It reminded me of some of the best moments of Heartbreak High which was a must watch for me in the 90s

Would highly recommended watching it with your older teenagers as there are some confronting issues, although these are sensitively handled.

Heart-warming

[tatianapetunova · 10/10 · 12 June 2023]

I was searching a show for this long weekend and decided to give a chance to Year Of. And surprisingly I couldn't stop to watch it. Even I am not a great fan of high school movies, this one is very special. I found it very touchy, funny and absolutely beautifully filmed. The cast is amazing, characters are so interesting, it all works so well together with all the dialogues, which can make you smile and cry little bit at the same time.

It also reminds me that all of us have some difficulties that we are going through and it doesn't matter how old you are. As long as you have right people around and something great and heart-warming to watch on the weekend. Absolutely love it.

Refreshing through a whirl wind of emotions

[erikajxox · 9/10 · 18 June 2023]

As an Aussie entering my 20's I found this show refreshing and addictive. The writers did so well in showing what it is really like to be a teen in this generation. My partner who isn't a fan of drama shows (I'll never understand that,) actually loved 'year of' to the point we binged it all in one night. In only the first 2 episodes he turned to me and said "my heart is actually hurting. I feel like these are my friends, like I've known them for years." I thought that was a perfect description of how the writers and directors are able to connect your emotions through the screen from the very beginning. Begging for a season 2!!!

I know it's fiction, but I care like it's fact

[fleureka · 10/10 · 13 June 2023]

I generally don't watch TV. Too much to do. But I chanced to watch a few episodes of Year Of... on the weekend due to friends being into it. I'm so glad I did. It took me back viscerally to my high school years - though it depicts current contemporary aesthetic/politic/world (my days were more Puberty Blues), it gripped me like it were my school years...the characters, my mates; their stories, my own. I put this down to the superb talent involved - in performance, writing and direction. Brilliant. I haven't had time to binge - thought I'd write a review first! But I'm hooked and now a couch potato.

About teens, but not just for teens

[jamesxeliot · 8/10 · 19 June 2023]

Based on the promos, I thought this show would be too teen-focused for me, but I gave it a go anyway since it'a Australian and, after four episodes, have been pleasantly surprised. Being a lot older than the teens in the show, at first I was a bit nonplussed by their relentless and sometimes destructive energy. But after a couple of episodes they start to grow on you as you get to know them.

I'm up to episode four and am not entirely sure where the story is headed but it's fun to follow along and see what happens, without being tied down by expectations of a specific plot style. It has some very touching moments interspersed with funny bits, as well as some quite confronting scenes.

Although it's set at the same fictional high school as Bump, it doesn't seem to be a spin-off, as I could only detect one common character - and that a minor one. I think it benefits from that, as spin-offs rarely succeed, being constrained by what has gone before, and the expectations of watchers of the previous show.

Overall, so far good entertainment and looking forward to finding out what happens next.

I find it best to space out the viewings on this one rather than binge them. It gives it time to sink in.

But the episodes are quite short (which I also like), so two at a time works for me.

Hits all the notes!

[marybay-66397 · 9/10 · 29 June 2023]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this show, it was definitely more muted in tone to Heartbreak High but somehow also it felt deeper and more real.

The portrayal of grief was beautiful and poignant - had me reaching for the tissues a lot.

I loved the performances by the young actors, they were so amazing & I'm sure will go on to brilliant things in the years ahead. Also loved the way the different age groups all got a look in, the young teachers and the parents, thought that was interesting and thoughtfully portrayed.

The look & feel, I guess camera work/photography, was also beautiful - it showed Sydney in a more urban and gritty way than other shows that seem to just focus on the harbour and beaches.

I ended up really caring about the characters, having a cry & a laugh. Hope they make a second season. Definitely worth a viewing.