The Secret Life of Us - Overview
Twentysomething Drama Starring Claudia Karvan and Joel Edgerton
Jun 10, 2009
A prime-time ratings success in Australia, The Secret Life of Us also won a cult following in the UK where it aired in a late-night slot on Channel 4. It sought to portray relationships in as realistic a way as possible on network television. Each episode revolved around a particular dilemma or theme and was narrated by would-be writer Evan (Samuel Johnson), although sometimes his flatmate Kelly (Deborah Mailman) did the honours.
The Secret Life of Us – Season 1 Regulars
Evan spends most of his time writing his novel or cadging free drinks of his mates. As promiscuous as he is pretentious, Evan is a bit of a jerk, but gets away with it by being relatively charming. Alex (Claudia Karvan) is a promising young doctor. New flatmate Kelly is still trying to find her way in life and tries her hand at a variety of things.
Gab (Sybilla Budd) and Jason (Damien de Montemas) find their marriage falling apart after he has an impromptu shag on the couch with her best pal Alex. Although Jason holds right-on views and works as a lawyer defending kids in trouble, he is a complete bastard. Gab is unhinged, at least until Season 3 when Jason is no longer around to torment her and she finally lightens up.
Will (Joel Edgerton) is a country boy adapting to café culture life and working as a labourer. His flatmates Miranda (Abi Tucker) and Richie (Spencer McLaren) are both struggling actors searching for their big break. The local watering hole is the Fu Bar, run by Simon (David Tredinnick) whose homosexuality helps Richie find out a bit more about his own tastes than he realised.
The Secret Life of Us set in the St Kilda Area of Melbourne
There are certainly comparisons between The Secret Life of Us and the BBC’s 90’s hit This Life, especiallyin its honest depictions of sexuality and casual drug use. For British viewers much of the show’s appeal came from its strong sense of location; St Kilda looks like paradise to a Brit watching Channel 4 in the early hours. Although Evan’s voice-over often stated the bleeding obvious and any scene between Gab and Jason had to be watched with a hand across the eyes until the pair of them went away, The Secret Life of Us was often insightful about that time in you life when you are just finding out who you are.
High Turnover of Cast Ended The Secret Life of Us
The charismatic Edgerton was the first to leave, although Will returned for a couple of episodes towards the end of season 2. An equally blonde replacement was found in Christian (Michael Dorman), who like Will was from a small town and drove around in a Ute. However the third season saw the beginnings of the exodus that would eventually sink the show. Simon and Kelly were to be the only characters from the original line-up who would make it to the final episode.
Miserable lawyer Jason thankfully never returned for season 3. Alex got married and Miranda went to the States. Their replacements, Tidy (Dan Spielman), Chloe (Nina Lui) and George (Gigi Edgely) never made it into season 4 either, a cull that also saw Richie and Gab departing. Viewers tuned in to the opening episode to find a completely different line-up (including future Fringe star Anna Torv) with no explanation given about where the others had gone. Viewing figures plummeted and cancellation beckoned.
Samuel Johnson only appeared in a few episodes of the fourth season before Evan got wise and committed to his super-hot girlfriend Jemima (Diana Glenn) and left town. Even Christian, by this time very much part of the show, moved on. Although the final season of The Secret Life of Us is considered a failure it is still highly watchable if you give it a chance. It’s just a little bit different, like going back to a place you used to hang out and finding everybody you knew has moved away.
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