While the Men are Away is an Australian television drama series broadcast on SBS and follows Francesca (Michela De Rossi) who is left in charge of an apple farm after her husband enlists in World War 2.
"[1] The series was promoted as an "often (but not always) wildly historically inaccurate"[3] dramedy about the Australian Women's Land Army during World War II and premiered on 27 September 2023 with double episodes.
[8] Clare Rigen from The West Australian said "While so much of television about this era chooses to focus on our involvement in World War II, SBS' new eight-part dramedy instead takes a look at the stories of those left to hold down the fort at home — and it's great fun" Rigen said "[it] is about people who don't normally hold the reins of power suddenly having them shoved in their hands and told to giddy the hell up".
"[9] Wenlei Ma from The Guardian gave the series 3 out of 5 stars saying, "The first two episodes are a little wobbly as it tries to settle on a tone that is farcical without being slight.
"[2] Mel Campbell from Screenhub gave the series 3½ out of 5 stars saying, "I found an earnest period drama that champions today's progressive values – economic independence, sexual freedom, and allyship across race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation – in opposition to a straight, white, bourgeois, Christian monoculture.