Summer Streamin' 24 - Plum - Season One

Plum is another Aussie series that has just streamed all six episodes on ABC iView. Landing on iView last month, the six part series created & written by Brendan Cowell. Plum follows Peter Lum, a retired former rugby league player who is diagnosed with a brain disorder following years of concussions he suffered on the field. All while being filmed in the Shire, in Sydney.

The story is inspired by Cowell's novel of the same name. After a career in rugby league career, Peter Lum is diagnosed with a brain disorder, but does not reveal it to family and friends. 

However when his wife becomes very concerned with erratic behaviour and his son Gavin, who loves the game being head hunted by rugby league teams, he starts to realise his father is not the same person he used to be, and the game might be to blame.

It kicks off its short run with Peter ‘Plum’ Lum (Brendan Cowell) a living legend in Australian sporting terms. Now retired and reeling towards 50 with all the back pain and ailments a footy player can expect, he lives a humble life in Cronulla. 

The simplicity of this life is exactly what he wants - kicking the ball with his teenage son Gavin (Vincent Miller), dinner on the deck with girlfriend Charmayne (María Dupláa), followed by a few too many beers at the local pub with his mates Brick (John Tui), Squeaky (Josh McConville) and Magic Matt (Wayne McDaniel). 

It looks like Plum is living the dream until an accident at work reveals he has a brain disorder as a result of the hundreds of head injuries and concussions he’s suffered on the field. The new diagnosis doesn’t have its intended effect, as Plum would sooner hide, run and head to the pub for drinks with the boys and pretend everything is peachy than confront things. 

But hiding from the truth isn’t easy when your ex-wife (Asher Keddie) cares too much and your son comes to realise the father he worships is falling off his mantle and the game they love might be to blame.

And just as you'd expect Asher Keddie slays as Plums next of kin.

Keddie has had a top notch run of Aussie shows. Strife and Fake were outstanding. Her reconnection with Cowell, following their run in the excellent Love My Way. Keddie is a smaller player in this series, however with every scene she is in, she steals it.

Susie Porter also has a small role as Plum's sister.

This was A grade ABC drama. Let's hope in their up fronts later this month they have a healthy serve of new drama in 2025. SBS failed to deliver much in the way of drama at their recent presentation. Not surprisingly the three free to air commercial networks also opted for reality over drama in 2025 too.

Channel Nine actually canned one of their few ideas, Blood on the Tracks.

Last of the ABC's programming to conclude, Fisk. Which concludes it's week-to-week run on Sundays. Sadly for fans of the show, its popular appeal means it gets dragged out to weekly. Plum was a little more niche, but very important viewing. With a similar theme to the recent, American Sports Story.

Next up, Tulsa King and we head to the movies for the film version of Wicked!