More Than This

Television Streaming
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More Than This

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Ground-Breaking Teen Drama More Than This Is Coming Soon To Paramount+.

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The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) and Paramount+ are excited to bring audiences the ground-breaking six-part series More Than This .

Written and co-created by teen actor Olivia Deeble, More Than This is the real, authentic and often raw story of five 17-year-old students and their teacher whose diverse worlds collide when they are thrown together into a Year 12 English class.

The series explores the unique challenges facing Australian teenagers as they come of age: social, family and school pressures, bullying, body image, relationships and sexuality.

More Than This was created by Olivia and co-created by Luka Gracie, an 18-year-old trans non-binary actor and filmmaker. They both star in the series alongside a talented cast including Kamil Ellis ( Nowhere Boys ), Ellmir Asipi ( Neighbours ), model/actor Josh Heuston ( Dive Club ), Oisin O’Leary ( Little Lunch ), Celine Ajobong ( Mustangs FC ), Tharanya Tharan ( Mustangs FC ) and newcomer Selena Brincat, along with theatre and television regular Bert Labonte as their teacher.

Olivia, who is best known for her roles on Little Lunch, Home and Away, and Disney feature film The Secret Society of Second Born Royals, is an exciting new writing talent. She began writing the series when she was just 17 and completing Year 12 during Melbourne’s lockdown.

Olivia said: “I had auditioned for and watched hundreds of high school shows and they were all the same. None of them were telling anything near my truth or experience, so I wanted to make something authentic. I asked my friends what they would want to see on screen and the answer was ourselves: real teens and not shiny, airbrushed versions of teenagers played by 25-year-olds with adult bodies and adult confidence.

“I am really proud of More Than This . I feel like the characters, words and story are our own, and it is a realistic depiction of how Australian teenagers feel while still being a great series with a whole lot of haracters you can fall in love with.”

The series is produced by television veteran Kate Gorman and directed by Kate and John Sheedy (H is for Happiness).

Kate Gorman said: “More Than This has found the perfect home at Paramount+. This show is breaking new ground, having been created by teens and telling stories from their point of view. It has been such a pleasure to work with the very talented cast and see their individuality, uniqueness and passions brought together in this amazing series. I can’t wait for the world to meet this young cast and fall in love with the diverse characters they have created.”

Executive Producer Bernadette O’Mahony said: “Olivia is an exciting new creative force. We loved her in Little Lunch at 12, and now at 18 to have written a drama series of this quality with such complexity we knew we had to support it. It is a unique, world-class drama series for a young adult audience, written by those living it. The authentic voice of Olivia and Luka’s stories and their characters hook you in, along with the fabulous cast who all had their own input and own experiences to bring to these roles. We know it’s a series that teens and young adults will relate to and are thrilled that Paramount+ love it as much as we do.”

Daniel Monaghan, SVP Content & Programming, 10 ViacomCBS, said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with ACTF to bring the incredible drama More Than This for Paramount+. It is a sensational series with an extremely talented, creative, and young cast that are a force to be reckoned with. We are so pleased we can showcase these unique Australian stories, by such a talented Australian team.”

ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland said: “The ACTF received additional Commonwealth funding this year and it’s enabled us to do so much more. Australian teens have missed out on having their own stories on screen, so we’re thrilled that Paramount+ and 10 have helped us move into a new area. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for us, and audiences can expect to see more teen content supported by the ACTF.

More Than This will premiere on Paramount+ in early 2022.

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I was like wow a teenager writing and creating a show that gets commissioned she must be really good. Then I saw her mum (an actress) is a producer. Must be nice living in that sort of world.

I hope at least its different and unique

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She’s also been on Home and Away herself and shows in the US, but go off I guess…

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I’m not sayng she’s not talented and doesn’t deserve it but a little bit of transparency in the real going ons in this industry would be nice.

I know of a production company that has ties with a TV network who has a 3 show blanket canvas deal. So they can come up with anything and be pickled up.

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There’s all sorts of deals like this in the industry. ‘First-looks’ etc etc.

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Let’s hope there’s more stuff like this in future because the Australian networks have given up on drama and comedy.

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Stan already have two dramas in the next few weeks (Bump S2 and The Tourist) and P+ have Five Bedrooms and this show.

I’d say a new era of Aussie drama, on streaming, has begun.

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Australian Original Drama More Than This

Streaming Exclusively On Paramount+ From Friday, 4 March.

Paramount+ is delighted to announce the ground-breaking, six-part Australian original drama series, More Than This will stream exclusively from Friday, 4 March.

Written by teens for teens, More Than This is the real, authentic and often raw story of five 17-year-old students and their teacher, whose diverse worlds collide when they are thrown together into a Year 12 English class.

Creator, writer and lead actor, Olivia Deeble (The Secret Society of Second Born Royals, Home and Away) stars as the series explores the unique challenges facing Australian teenagers as they come of age: social, family and school pressures, bullying, body image, relationships and sexuality.

The diverse cast of characters on More Than This were co-created by Luka Gracie, an 18-year-old trans non-binary actor and filmmaker who also stars, alongside Kamil Ellis ( Nowhere Boys ), Ellmir Asipi ( Neighbours ), model/actor Josh Heuston ( Dive Club ), Oisin O’Leary ( Little Lunch ), Celine Ajobong ( Mustangs FC ), Tharanya Tharan ( Mustangs FC ) and newcomer Selena Brincat, along with theatre and television regular Bert Labonte as their teacher.

More Than This is a Baby Banksia production, produced in association with Big Finish Creative, Shapeshifter Studios and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

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Actually looks pretty good, will try it out.

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Great review, 4 1/2 stars.

Would be nice to see some more promos and advertising for the series.

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Just finished watching this series, it’s very good :ok_hand:t3: Highly recommend, think I like it better than Bump. Should sell well overseas and reckon P+ should put a bit more marketing behind it.

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The drama will have its FTA premiere on 10 Shake tonight at 7.30pm, in a three-hour marathon.

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FFS. What a waste of local content!

How would any viewers have any idea it’s on? And who is going to sit there for 3 hours to watch all six episodes? Especially on a Friday night at this time of year.

Ten Programmers really have rocks in their heads as far as Australian content is concerned.

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Seems like it’s probably just points-scoring for the yearly quota?

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It’s like they woke up this morning and realised they didn’t have enough Aussie content this past year and have to chuck something on by tomorrow or be fined.

Maybe if they weren’t filling every timeslot with low rating Bull repeats this year, they could have screened something new.

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This is Ten, so wouldn’t put it past them.

Or maybe there was something in the contract around the show that suggested it had to be run on broadcast before the end of 2022.

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Wouldn’t be surprised. They can’t seem to find enough first run content for 10 but at the last minute shove it on 10 Shake. Programmers don’t know what programs they have available?

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So when you try to find More Than This on 10play, this is what you get. An empty title card, no photo and no title anywhere. If you click on the 10 logo it actually works.

And what’s the point of listing all these past shows and podcasts which have 0 episodes available?

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Yeah I’ve mentioned this before, their library on 10play needs a big clear and clean out with so many empty shoe pages for past series.

When you open the shows tab on the app, and select drama these are the first shows you’re greeted with - none of these are current or are streaming now.

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It’s like nobody from 10 quality control checks this or uses their own app!? Wild.

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