This six-part event drama highlights the constantly shifting lines between killer and family man, hero and victim, and truth and imagination. 

Set in 2010 during the war in Afghanistan, Fighting Season follows four Aussie soldiers as they return home battered, bruised and tired.

The four soldiers arrive in Australia without one of their own, their Captain Ted Nordenfelt (Ewen Leslie), who died after the unit were ambushed on a mission to find a missing comrade. 

The soldiers are welcomed back as heroes, but they are dealing with grief, PTSD (though they might not like to admit it) and possibly keeping secrets about what really happened the day Ted died.

When Ted’s widow starts to ask questions about the mission, it is clear the whole story has not yet been revealed. 

Kiwi Jay Ryan stars in the drama as Sergeant Sean ‘Speedo’ Collins, the second in command to Ted who appears to be hiding something about that final mission.

One of his subordinates is Private Izzy Ulalei, played by Kiwi Marco Alosio. Izzy has returned from war wounded with little memory of the events that landed him in hospital.

Meanwhile, Private Jarrod ‘Toast’ Vogel (George Pullar) is dealing with his trauma with drugs, alcohol and partying and the easy going Corporal Peter ‘Pepsi’ Aboud (Julian Maroun) at first seems relatively untouched by the events.  

They are all struggling to adjust to a normal home life, with their families bearing the brunt of their grief and their PTSD.

“For me, it was a personal battle of backing myself to tell a story that is so real and so important,” George Pullar told WHO magazine.

“This is not just a piece of entertainment. We’re dealing with delicate, sensitive issues. War is a reality for a lot of people.”

Kiwi actor Marco Alosio, who played rugby before he followed his acting dream, says the series is a tribute to war veterans, including those who just competed at the Invictus Games in Sydney.

“Those are the guys who we’re doing this for,” he says.

New episodes of Fighting Season are available Tuesdays at 10am on TVNZ OnDemand.