As is now a yearly tradition, Bump delivered us all the gift of another brilliant season on Boxing Day. The wholesome Aussie dramedy picks back up with our beloved characters as their faced with even more new challenges such as managing a work-life balance, overcoming relationship struggles and many, many more.
The heart and soul of this series lies with its ensemble of loveable, grounded and realistic characters. It’s not one of those shows where you have your two leads and everyone else is just servicing their narrative, floating in the background. It presents a strong family dynamic where every character has an important, emotional, comedy-filled arc of their own. No matter who the story is following in any given moment, you’re always invested in what’s happening on screen and not thinking about getting back to the “main plot”. From Oly’s (Nathalie Morris) work dramas to Reema’s (Safia Arain) relationship concerns, every corner of this season’s narrative has something of value to grab a hold of. These characters, co-created by Claudia Karvan, all feel real and authentic, and the struggles they’re facing are grounded and relevant to everyday Aussie life. The tangible nature of these conflicts and struggles makes it very easy to connect and relate to these characters on a personal level. As they go through tough times and hit life milestones, you can see yourself or people you know in those shoes, which is not only a testament to the writing, but also the performances.
The plot of the season can’t be boiled down to a brief synopsis as it’s a mainly a look into the lives of these characters and how their experiences shape them. This season, like every season before it, has taken every character’s journey in a fresh direction that doesn’t see them retreading on familiar ground. My love for this season may in fact trump the seasons passed due to the strength of the character development this time around. Within every episode, it’s clear as day how much these characters have grown and how the things they’re experiencing through the season are still shaping who they are. Gone are the days of balancing school and raising a baby, in are the days of trying to find the perfect work-life balance.
Last season did have some gaps in the quality of its character arcs. There were a couple of characters, two I can think of, who didn’t have much to do, and so they had some random scenes here and there to keep them relevant. That’s not the case here – the writing is much more refined and everyone’s arc has a link to another character’s arc, keeping every moment relevant and not feeling like a side mission. There’s also a very natural flow to the season – it’s never rushed or lagging, always moving at a nice, comfortable pace that lets you take in and observe their lives. I can’t stress enough how these characters don’t feel like characters at all – they’re people. Each year it feels like we’re catching up with our family and hearing about all the things they’ve experienced in the last year – wholesome vibes from start to finish.
There’s a few emotional arcs in this season, with some characters going through some pretty tough times, but the comedy hasn’t been stripped away one bit. The same cheesy comedic bites that have graced us over the previous three seasons are back to bring the fun. The great thing about the comedy in this series is that it all feels very natural, much like the character arcs. Characters are cracking jokes and dropping silly lines just as families and friends do. Plus, being an Aussie show, there’s a lot of Aussie culture weaved into the comedy as well, which makes it all the more appealing. There’s definitely characters who bring the humour a lot more than others, but no one individual feels limited to being the “comedic relief character”. So many of the big laughs come from relatable character interactions that are naturally awkward and funny, adding to the humanity of the show.
The series is led by a charming, uplifting performance by Nathalie Morris. The way she executes her performance and carries herself to play a slightly older Oly is brilliant. Three years ago her character was a high school student and now she’s a working adult – a lot of time has passed in the show and Nathalie conveys that really well through her more mature performance. She does really well to showcase Oly’s inner struggles and how she works through big life moments with the people around her. As always, she shares some gripping emotional and heartwarming moments alongside Carlos Sanson Jr. as Santi. His performance is typically more reserved, but he showcases his range across a few key scenes. Claudia Karvan also delivers another fantastic performance as Angie, a strong voice for the series’ sociopolitical messages. Her character can be insufferable at times, but thats by design ad Karvan pulls it off very believably.
The rest of the ensemble is full of quality performances. Safia Arain (Reema) and Ioane Saula (Vince) once again contribute greatly to the heart, soul and emotional weight of the series. Of all the characters, these two would have to be my favourites. Time and time again their character arcs are the most layered and thrilling – I never know where their story is heading, and I’m always keen for their scenes together. Christian Byers is much better in this season as Bowie, though I feel that has more to do with the character having a more interesting and approachable arc this time around. I could go on and on about the great ensemble, but I want to highlight the new addition of Steph Tisdell as Shauna, Oly’s boss. The rising Aussie comedian is the perfect breath of fresh air the series needed. She brings a loud, boisterous personality to the series, one that no one else has really taken on. She’s hilarious from start to finish, putting her comedic skills to good use and delivering some big laughs.
In the end, there’s no better way to ring in the new year than with a little bit of Bump. The Christmas break will be slightly less great once the series ends, which looks to be after a (potential) fifth season. This fourth season is the best of the series so far – the quality of the writing has improved and the character arcs in this season are all full of heart, humour and drama. Every character has something fun and interesting going on in their lives that makes catching up with them all an absolute joy. It’s good, fast-paced, wholesome fun, so get bingeing.
8/10
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