It’s become a boxing day tradition. A backyard game of cricket, a thumping hangover, a revitalising BBQ and a brand new season of Aussie dramedy Bump. After four incredible seasons, the show is coming to a close with its fifth season, promising a fond and fitting farewell to the Chalmers-Davis family we have welcomed into our homes for the last five years.
This season we are still revelling in the fallout from the season 4 finale. Olly (Nathalle Morris) went all whistleblower on her employer Shanua (Steph Tisdell) while finding out she was pregnant with her second child to Santi (Carlos Sanson Jnr). Before even getting a chance to process this and Olly dealing with her unemployment, the family is rocked by the news of Angie’s (Claudia Karven) cancer returning, and this time the outlook does not look good. The family need to rally together to support both Olly and Angie as Angie deals with the potential end of her life and Olly deals with the beginning of another one for her impending birth.
It’s not all bad news though, Dom (Angus Samson) and best friend Tim (Ryan Johnson) finally get to open their record store with an unforgettable opening night party, thanks to the re-appearance of Jane (Nicole DeSilva). Santi and Vince (Ioane Sa’ula) find their friendship drifting apart as they dive into their careers. There is a lot to wrap up in 10 episodes, but enough drama and comedy here to help you hooked till the very last second.
This show has consistently delivered on the emotional moments that can go to some really dark places, while still being ok for the whole family to watch. Families are complicated, messy and sometimes very emotional places that made us fall in love with this family. The initial premise of the show, which is about the forming of a surprise family with two very different households, has come a long way. The cast has evolved, and the time jumps have allowed for more mature stories to be told at various points in their journey.
Another big part of the show is the showing of the latin community in Australian life, and this is something that we really haven’t seen in a mainstream TV show before. The way that their family unit, customs and quirks play against that of the typical Aussie family is a lot of what makes this show work. While this season does tend to focus a lot more on Angie and Olly as they are going through their journeys, the constant heralding back to the international nature of their extended family plays well when things get too tense.
Each season has a couple of standout performances, and while the entire cast is phenomenal, this season belongs to Claudia Karven, the way her character has evolved over the five seasons is clearly evident here. She is accepting of her fate and determined to make sure her children and family are all setup for success their lives before she goes. Similarly Carlos Sanson Jnr commands this season as the confident yet still unsure new dad. He gets to deliver some impactful moments with Angie in the hospital as he reflects on his own mother’s passing. There is a quiet scene between the two of them where he breaks down and it is one of the highlights of the entire season. Similarly Angie goes through the ringer this season. Her ups and downs along with her relationship with Edith (Anita Hegh) while trying to stay strong for her family brings out the best in Karven. While she does get the big moments and gasps of the season, like Santos, the joy is in the quiet moments. Picking out her own urn from a local artists display after being coaxed by Olly showcases her playful artist side. It’s a side of Angie that does get a little lost in the earlier episodes, so it is a welcome return.
It’s been an incredibly satisfying five seasons, and this last season is no exception. Bump successfully encapsulates the modern Australian family and is able to dive into some deep places while still being accessible for all ages. A lot of this can be put down to the father of Australian TV John Edwards, from shows like Offspring, The Secret Life of Us, Five Bedrooms, to successfully deliver not only the best Stan original show, but one of the best Australian television shows ever made.
Bump Season 5 is streaming on Stan on Boxing Day.
