Dalliance on Paramount+: Is Hugo Weaving's Drama Worth Watching?
In short: Yes, especially if you want a grown-up drama that takes people in their sixties seriously. Dalliance is a six-episode Australian series, all released on Paramount+ Australia on August 27, 2026. Hugo Weaving plays Billy, married to Rose (Georgie Parker) for nearly 40 years, whose chance meeting with restaurateur Dani (Heather Mitchell) on Sydney Harbour shakes up his marriage and his friends. Reviews have been warm, including four stars from The Guardian.
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- Released: August 27, 2026, all six episodes, on Paramount+ Australia.
- Directed by: Matthew Saville and Emma Jackson.
- Produced by: Roadshow Rough Diamond, the company of John Edwards, producer of The Secret Life of Us and Offspring.
- Reception: four stars from Lucy Mangan in The Guardian; warm reviews from The Week and ScreenHub.
What it's about
Billy Brennan (Hugo Weaving), a semi-retired cameraman, meets restaurateur Dani (Heather Mitchell) on a Sydney ferry. When she asks him to be her plus-one at an event, he says yes, with the blessing of Rose (Georgie Parker), his wife of nearly 40 years. What starts as harmless turns more complicated, and it ripples through a circle of old friends who thought their sixties would be settled. A loss partway through the series changes things for all of them.
Cast
- Hugo Weaving as Billy Brennan.
- Georgie Parker as Rose Brennan.
- Heather Mitchell as Dani.
- David Wenham as Gary, Catherine McClements as Sarah and Wayne Blair as Luke.
- Russell Dykstra, Carolyn Bock and John Doyle in supporting roles.
What critics said
Lucy Mangan called it "a rare drama so beautifully written you will be instantly devoted." ScreenHub described it as The Secret Life of Us for the over-fifties. The Week's roundup called it charming and thoughtful. Reviewers praised the way it treats desire, jealousy and grief in older characters with the same nuance TV usually saves for people half their age, and singled out Weaving, Mitchell and Parker. The main criticism was that some of the supporting friends get less to do than the central four.
Who it suits
If you liked Grace and Frankie, Last Tango in Halifax or The Secret Life of Us, this is an easy recommendation. It's quiet, talky and adult, so if you want plot twists and pace, look elsewhere. Outside Australia, availability varies, so check your local Paramount+ library.
Our verdict
Worth watching. Six episodes, a superb cast and a rare focus on people in their sixties who still want things make it one of the better Australian dramas of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Who stars in Dalliance? Hugo Weaving as Billy, Georgie Parker as his wife Rose, Heather Mitchell as Dani, and David Wenham, Catherine McClements, Wayne Blair and Russell Dykstra as their friends.
Will there be a Dalliance Season 2? No second season had been announced as of early October 2026.
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