Celeste Barber
Liv Healy
Overview
Liv, a human tornado, is forced to rethink her live fast die young philosophy after a major health scare. She throws herself into a wellness journey, trying everything she can to reclaim her old life.
Seasons
- Status
- Canceled
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 8 episodes
- First aired
- Mar 29, 2023
Cast
Reviews
5 min readThe Wellness Trap: How Wellmania Turns Self-Help Into Self-Sabotage
I’ve never met a wellness trend I didn’t eye with suspicion. The juice cleanses, the silent retreats, the $200 leggings that promise to align my chakras—none of it ever quite delivers on the hype. So when Wellmania arrived on Netflix, I was primed to roll my eyes.
What I didn’t expect was to find myself laughing, cringing, and, by the end, unexpectedly moved. This is a show that understands the absurdity of the wellness industry not because it’s above it, but because it’s knee-deep in the muck alongside us.
Liv Healy, played by Celeste Barber, is a walking disaster. She’s the kind of person who treats her body like a rental car—no oil changes, plenty of speeding tickets. When a health scare strands her in Sydney, she’s forced to confront the fact that her "live fast, die young" philosophy might have an expiration date.
The problem? Liv doesn’t do moderation. If wellness is a spectrum, she doesn’t just dip a toe in—she cannonballs into the deep end, emerging with a green juice in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
The show’s greatest strength is its refusal to let Liv off the hook. This isn’t a story about a plucky underdog who learns to love kale and meditation. It’s messier than that.
Liv’s journey is less about transformation and more about survival—her attempts at self-improvement are as likely to backfire as they are to succeed. One minute she’s chugging bone broth like it’s the elixir of life; the next, she’s face-down in a plate of nachos, hungover and unrepentant. Barber’s physical comedy is a masterclass in controlled chaos.
She trips over her own feet, spills drinks, and contorts her face into expressions of sheer disbelief at her own bad decisions. It’s the kind of slapstick that feels earned, not forced, because Liv’s body is as much a part of the story as her emotions.
But Wellmania isn’t just a series of pratfalls. Beneath the humor lies a sharp critique of the wellness industry’s empty promises. The show’s satire is at its best when it zeroes in on the performative nature of self-care.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.5/10
"A quirky but uneven comedy-drama that struggles to balance humor with its wellness themes."
Viewers appreciate the show’s lighthearted take on self-improvement and Celeste Barber’s comedic performance, but many find the pacing inconsistent and the humor hit-or-miss. latestnetflix.com's take is that the series’ attempt to blend comedy with deeper wellness messages often feels disjointed, leaving some underwhelmed by its execution.
What viewers praise
- Celeste Barber’s performance Barber’s comedic timing and relatable energy anchor the series, making her character the standout.
- Unique premise The focus on wellness and self-improvement offers a fresh angle for a comedy-drama.
- Lighthearted tone The show’s upbeat approach to its themes provides an easy, breezy watch for some.
Common complaints
- Inconsistent humor Jokes often fall flat, leaving the comedy feeling forced or uneven.
- Pacing issues The story drags in places, making it hard to stay engaged throughout.
- Mixed tone The blend of comedy and wellness themes doesn’t always gel, creating a disjointed feel.
Recommended for
Fans of Celeste Barber Light comedy-drama seekers Wellness-themed show enthusiasts
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix Axes Wellmania After One Season—Celeste Barber Fires Back at Industry
Netflix’s 2023 comedy-drama Wellmania has been canceled after just one season, and star Celeste Barber isn’t holding back. latestnetflix.com's take is that The Australian series, which followed Liv Healy (Barber) on a chaotic wellness journey, debuted in March 2023 to mixed reviews—but its abrupt axing has sparked a fiery response from its lead.
The Cancellation Drama
Barber took to social media to vent her frustration, posting an emotional video on Instagram after Netflix confirmed Wellmania wouldn’t return for a second season. While the exact wording of her post isn’t detailed in available snippets, outlets describe her reaction as a mix of anger and disbelief. One report quotes her calling the entertainment industry “kind of bulls---” 
, while another notes she raged, “I don’t understand” . The cancellation appears to have blindsided the cast, with Barber’s public outburst suggesting deeper dissatisfaction with how the show was handled.
Netflix hasn’t released official viewership numbers or reasons for the cancellation, leaving fans to speculate. The series, based on Brigid Delaney’s memoir Wellmania: Misadventures in the Search for Wellness, followed Liv’s desperate attempts to reclaim her health through increasingly absurd wellness trends . Despite its premise—ripe for satire—the show’s reception may not have met Netflix’s renewal thresholds.
What Went Wrong?
The evidence doesn’t clarify whether Wellmania struggled with ratings, creative differences, or budget constraints. However, Barber’s criticism hints at broader industry frustrations. She’s not the first star to call out streaming platforms for abrupt cancellations, but her public takedown of the system stands out. The show’s co-creators, Brigid Delaney and Benjamin Law, haven’t commented on the cancellation, leaving Barber’s perspective as the dominant narrative .
The supporting cast—including J.J. Fong, Lachlan Buchanan, and Genevieve Mooy—has stayed silent, at least in the snippets provided. Whether they share Barber’s sentiments remains unconfirmed.
**What’s Next for Wellmania?**
With no second season, Wellmania joins the growing graveyard of Netflix one-and-done series. The platform’s cancellation culture has become notorious, but Barber’s vocal reaction could fuel fan campaigns for revival—though the odds are slim. For now, the show’s legacy is tied to its star’s defiance, turning a quiet axing into a minor industry talking point.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.