BBC Studios Australia Productions is bringing one of Australian literature’s most distinctive works to television, with Peter Carey’s acclaimed debut novel Bliss now in development as a drama series.
Created and written by Tony Ayres, the new adaptation will revisit Carey’s 1981 novel through a contemporary lens. The story follows advertising executive Harry Joy, whose life takes a disturbing turn after a heart attack leaves him convinced that he has returned to a world that is, in fact, Hell.
Rather than simply transferring the original story to the screen, the series will reimagine Bliss for a modern audience. The adaptation is set to unfold through multiple perspectives, examining family, marriage, faith and identity against a backdrop of rapid social change.
Bliss was Carey’s first published work of its kind and went on to win the Miles Franklin Literary Award, one of Australia’s most significant literary prizes. The book’s darkly comic approach combines satire, allegory and social commentary, particularly through its exploration of morality, consumer culture and the illusion of a conventional life.
Bliss has already had a notable screen history. Ray Lawrence directed a feature adaptation in 1985, with Carey co-writing the screenplay. The film was selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival and later received major recognition at the Australian Film Institute Awards.
The television version therefore marks a return to a story that has previously moved between literature and cinema, while giving its central questions a new setting. Ayres’ adaptation is expected to explore how Carey’s themes of morality, personal transformation and the search for meaning resonate in contemporary life.
Kylie Washington, Executive Vice-President and Creative Director of BBC Studios Australia Productions, said the company sees Carey’s work as a story that continues to speak to audiences decades after its original publication. The production team aims to retain the distinctive spirit of the novel while opening it up to viewers unfamiliar with the original work.
