Another Australian literary classic is being reimagined for television, with Peter Carey’s novel BLISS now in development as a new drama series.
Announced by BBC Studios Australia Productions on Tuesday morning, the production company behind dramas including Return to Paradise, Ghosts Australia and Reckless, the series will be created and written by Tony Ayres.
First published in 1981, BLISS was Carey’s debut novel, which won the Miles Franklin Literary Award before being adapted into a 1985 feature film directed by Ray Lawrence and starring Barry Otto, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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According to BBC Studios, the new series will be told from multiple perspectives and reimagined in a contemporary setting, exploring the complexities of family, marriage, faith and identity in an era of rapid change.
BLISS follows advertising executive Harry Joy, who suffers a heart attack and subsequently becomes convinced he is living in hell. As he rejects the corruption of his former life, Harry begins searching for redemption and meaning while seeing the world around him with a new clarity.
Ayres said revisiting BLISS more than four decades after first reading the novel had given its central idea of waking up convinced you are living in hell a new relevance.
“Peter’s central concept, that you could wake up one day convinced that you are living in hell, is more relevant now than at any time in living history.”
“A contemporary version of BLISS will explore the highs and lows of the human condition, and the full range of acts between nobility and venality which we are capable of.”
BBC Studios Australia Productions EVP and Creative Director Kylie Washington said the adaptation would bring a fresh perspective to Carey’s work while exploring themes of identity, morality and transformation.
“BLISS is a bold and distinctive story, rich in its exploration of identity, morality and transformation, and one that feels just as relevant today as ever.”
“Through this adaptation, we aim to honour its legacy while reimagining it for contemporary audiences, connecting both long-time fans and new viewers.”
Carey said he was delighted to see Ayres and BBC Studios take on the adaptation, and was looking forward to seeing how the story evolves while retaining the original spirit of the novel.
“I’m delighted that Tony Ayres and BBC Studios are adapting BLISS. I look forward to seeing how the story evolves for contemporary audiences while retaining its original spirit.”
Ayres’ recent credits include Netflix’s The Survivors, ABC’s Fires and Stateless, which he created and executive produced, as well as The Slap, the television adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’ novel, which he produced and directed.
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The announcement comes several months after Universal International Studios announced the closure of Matchbox Pictures, co-founded by Ayres in 2008, and Tony Ayres Productions, the label he established with Matchbox and NBCUniversal in 2018.
No broadcaster, streaming platform or cast has been announced for BLISS, with BBC Studios Australia confirming the project is currently in development.
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