HBO Max today announced the premiere of Happiness, a dazzling new musical comedy series that hits all the high notes of humour, heart and harmony.
Happiness is a vibrant celebration of community, identity and the glorious mess of coming home.
The six-part series stars Rebecca Gibney (Packed to the Rafters), Harry McNaughton (Summer Love), Peter Hambleton (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies), Jessie Lawrence (Shortland Street) Marshayla Christie (Whina), Maaka Pohatu (Wellington Paranormal), Bronwyn Bradley (The Pact), Henry Auva’a, Joel Granger and Melody Lui-Webster.
Set in the picturesque coastal town of Tauranga, Aotearoa New Zealand, Happiness follows Charlie Summers (McNaughton), a rising-star Broadway director whose scandalous secret sends him packing back to his roots. But Charlie’s return is anything but quiet. He is quickly roped into directing his mother Gaye’s (Gibney) amateur musical theatre production, where he turns the sleepy stage into a riotous rehearsal of redemption, reinvention and showbiz sparkle.
With toe-tapping numbers, razor-sharp wit, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Happiness is a joyful ode to the families we’re born into — and the ones we build along the way.
And the encore is already booked: HBO Max will welcome back Happiness for season two when it premieres in 2026.
Happiness (season 1) arrives Tuesday 4 November, only on HBO Max.
