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''Packed to the Rafters'' was an Australian family-oriented
comedy drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
television program which premiered on the
Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show continued on Tuesdays in this timeslot for its entire run. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and life issues, while also tackling serious social issues. The
Logie award The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...
winning series was the highest rating to screen on the
Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
in 2008, and the show was consistently among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run in Australia. ''
TV Week ''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news. Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...
'' announced 2013 that the sixth series of ''Packed to the Rafters'' would be the last, with
Hugh Sheridan Hugh Sheridan (born 30 June 1985) is an Australian actor, singer, television presenter who is known for their role as Ben Rafter in the television series '' Packed to the Rafters''. Sheridan is a four-time Logie Award winner, in the Logie Awar ...
stating, "It's emotional letting go of ''Rafters'' – for all of us. It was such an amazing chapter in Aussie TV. I'm really proud we all came back together to send it off." The two-hour finale of ''Rafters'' aired on 2 July 2013, and saw the return of
Hugh Sheridan Hugh Sheridan (born 30 June 1985) is an Australian actor, singer, television presenter who is known for their role as Ben Rafter in the television series '' Packed to the Rafters''. Sheridan is a four-time Logie Award winner, in the Logie Awar ...
, Jessica Marais,
Ryan Corr Ryan Corr (born 15 January 1989) is an Australian actor. Corr is known for his roles in the Australian drama series '' Packed to the Rafters'' and '' Love Child'' along with film roles in ''Wolf Creek 2'' (2013), '' The Water Diviner'' (2014) and ...
,
Jessica McNamee Jessica McNamee (born 16 June 1988) is an Australian actress. She rose to fame in Australia playing roles in the Seven Network television programs ''Home and Away'' and '' Packed to the Rafters''. From 2014 to 2015, she starred as patrol office ...
and
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...
.
Rebecca Gibney Rebecca Catherine Gibney (born 14 December 1964) is a New Zealand actress known for her roles on Australian television in '' The Flying Doctors'', ''Halifax f.p.'', '' Packed to the Rafters'', ''Winter'' and ''Wanted''. She is a Gold Logie win ...
said, "The cast, writers and producers have always said that we wanted to keep ''Rafters'' as one of the most-watched shows on TV. If we ever felt like we were losing too many cast members, we needed to end it on a high. We can say season six winds up an aspect of the Rafter family and there is a sense of finality to it." A sequel series ''
Back to the Rafters ''Back to the Rafters'' is an Australian family comedy-drama television program which premiered on the Amazon Prime Video on September 17, 2021. The series is a spin-off and sequel to '' Packed to the Rafters'', which aired on Seven Network fr ...
'' was released on
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pr ...
in 2021.


Overview


The first season (2008)

The first season premiered on 26 August 2008. The season finale aired 24 March 2009. Season one's storylines included: * Julie and Dave's 25th wedding anniversary * Rachel and Nathan & Sammy moving back home * Ben moving in with Carbo and getting a new flatmate, Mel * An amateur porn video of Rachel and Daniel released * Ben and Mel sleeping together and eventually dating * Rachel's pregnancy and subsequent abortion * Carbo and Chrissy's forbidden relationship * Ted moving on from late wife Louise * The discovery that Julie is pregnant


The second season (2009)

The second season premiered on 30 June 2009. The season finale aired 24 November 2009. Season two's storylines included: * Julie's pregnancy and the birth of baby Ruby * Ben's heart problems * Dave meeting his birth mother Chel * Rachel's romance with electrician (“sparky”) Jake Barton * Carbo's relationship with his mother's best friend's daughter, Artie * Chrissy's crush on Dave, the demise of her friendship with Julie, and her departure * Nathan's infidelity and gambling problems * Ben and Mel's engagement and marriage * Dave's vasectomy * Sammy leaving Nathan


The third season (2010)

The third season premiered on 29 June 2010. The season finale aired 16 November 2010. Season three's storylines included: * Dave meeting his biological father, Tom Jennings * Nathan and Sammy's separation and her subsequent departure * Rachel's jealousy of baby sister Ruby * Nathan donating a kidney to HIV-positive grandmother Chel * Rachel's new job * Ben and Mel's fertility troubles * Carbo meeting a girl, Retta * Julie making friends with Hamish, who develops a crush on her * The Rafters meeting Tom's grandson, Coby * Mel's death * Chel's departure * Ben and Nathan's holiday around Australia


The fourth season (2011-2012)

The fourth season premiered on 8 February 2011. The season finale aired 20 March 2012. Season four's storylines included: * The return of Ben and Nathan * Coby's artistic flare and his outing as an artist by Rachel * The finalisation of Nathan and Sammy's divorce * Rachel's departure to New York * Carbo and Retta's secret marriage * The development of a friendship between Julie and Donna * Bree's arrival & her romance with Jake and departure * Ben's relationship with Donna's daughter Emma * Tom's departure * The introduction of Matt, the half-brother of Dave * Ruby's disappearance * Ted's new lease on life and becoming a mentor to Cooper * Nathan's departure


The fifth season (2012-2013)

The fifth season premiered on 17 April 2012. The season finale aired 16 April 2013. Season five's storylines included: * The introductions of new electrician Frankie Calasso and Julie's boss Adam Goodman * Coby and Frankie's tumultuous relationship * The reappearance of Jake's father Jim and his subsequent death * The end of Ben and Emma's relationship * Dave's drunken kiss with Frankie and his subsequent marriage troubles * Retta's pregnancy and miscarriage * Ben's departure * Ted's dementia diagnosis * The fire in the Rafter household and its aftermath * Emma moving in with Carbo and Retta * The arrest of Coby after his assault on Donna's boyfriend (and Dave’s client) Duncan, leading to Coby’s imprisonment and subsequent departure * Nathan's marriage to Saskia and the birth of their son Edward * The brief return of Nathan and Ben * Jake's departure * Julie and Dave's 30th wedding anniversary


The sixth season (2013)

The sixth and final season premiered on 23 April 2013. The series finale aired 2 July 2013. Season six's storylines included: * The arrival of new sparky and Frankie's old friend Buzz Graham * Ted's reunion with ex-lover Eleanor McCormack * Matt moving in with Frankie * Carbo, Retta and Emma struggling with their florist store * Buzz taking a liking to Emma * Emma dating Logan/Craig who has been juggling between Donna and her * Buzz's son Jackson visiting his dad when he is working and get to know the others * The sudden death of a customer of Dave Rafter Electrical who was fond of Frankie and Frankie taking care of his greenhouse * Dave coaching the cricket team * Nathan calling Sammy for help in his visit to London to look for Saskia * Saskia cheating on Nathan and her sleep deprivation * Retta pregnant * Jake and Rachel getting engaged * Dave and Julie's holiday around Australia


Cast


Main


Recurring


Guest

Recurring and minor guest stars have included
Melanie Vallejo Melanie Vallejo (born 27 October 1979) is an Australian actress who is best known for portraying Madison Rocca, the Blue Mystic Ranger in ''Power Rangers Mystic Force'', and Sophie Wong in the Australian television series ''Winners & Losers' ...
, Lieschen Pogue,
Denise Roberts Denise Roberts (born in Glasgow, Scotland), is an Australian actress and director who has worked in theatre, film and television since 1980. She gained initial fame when she played Julie Winters in the ABC-TV medical drama '' G.P.'' from 1989 to 1 ...
,
Phoebe Tonkin Phoebe Jane Elizabeth Tonkin (born 12 July 1989) is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Cleo Sertori in '' H2O: Just Add Water'', Fiona Maxwell in '' Tomorrow, When the War Began'', Faye Chamberlain in '' The Secret Circle'', and ...
, Andy Whitfield, Iain PF McDonald and
Bernard Curry Bernard Curry (born 27 March 1974) is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Jake Stewart in Wentworth, Luke Handley in Neighbours and Hugo Austin in Home and Away. Career Curry first appeared in ''Neighbours'' in 1995 as Luke Handley ...
.
Kate Ceberano Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song "Pash" received a gold sa ...
and David Campbell have appeared as themselves.


Production

The producer is
Jo Porter Jo Porter is an Australian TV producer and executive. She is best known for her association with the Seven Network drama department for whom she produced '' All Saints'', ''Always Greener ''Always Greener'' was an Australian television drama/ ...
, who alongside series creator
Bevan Lee Bevan John Lee (born 7 November 1950) is an Australian writer and executive best known for creating the TV dramas '' All Saints'', ''Packed to the Rafters'', ''Winners & Losers'' and '' A Place to Call Home''. Career Lee was an actor before tu ...
and writer Anthony Ellis are part of the same team responsible for the critically acclaimed series ''
Always Greener ''Always Greener'' was an Australian television drama/ comedy series that aired on the Seven Network which followed the fortunes of two families, one from the city and the other from the country, when they decide to switch homes and start a new ...
'', which also set ratings records. The exterior shots of the Rafter house are filmed on location in
Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...
, while most house interiors were shot in studios at the
Australian Technology Park South Eveleigh, previously known as Australian Technology Park is a retail, business centre and technology park south of the Sydney central business district and north of Sydney Airport. South Eveleigh borders Alexandria and Eveleigh. Evele ...
,
Eveleigh Eveleigh is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Eveleigh is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. ...
. Most of the other exterior shots are filmed at locations in
Southern Sydney Southern Sydney is the southern metropolitan area of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Southern Sydney includes the suburbs in the local government areas of Georges River Council and part of Bayside Council (collectively know ...
including establishing shots at Oatley and
Lugarno Lugarno is a suburb in the St George area of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the local government area of the Georges River Council, 23 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. ...
shopping centres as well as the Captain Cook Bridge. The dinner venue in episode 1 was filmed at the St George Motor Boat Club at Sans Souci but the indoor scenes in the Chinese Restaurant were a set. The cricket match in episode 2 was filmed at Morrisons Park, Putney. The shopping centre, beach and park scenes in episode 5 were shot in Carss Park. Julie's “Night Club” scenes were shot near Concord, at the Epping Hotel.


Home media

The entire series of ''Packed to the Rafters'' has been released on DVD on Region 4 in Australia from
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (formerly Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, MCA/Universal Home Video, MCA Home Video, MCA Videodisc and MCA Videocassette, Inc.) is the home video distribution division of Am ...
between 2009 and 2013. A complete series box set was released in 2013. Season two was the only season to receive a Blu-ray release, in addition to its DVD release.


Soundtrack


Volume 1

''Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack'' was released on 29 November 2008. It has peaked at No. 7 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. It has since gone triple certified Platinum, selling in excess of 170,000 copies. The songs "I'm Yours" and "Rock & Roll" have been heavily used in promotional advertising for the series.


Track listing

#
Jason Mraz Jason Thomas Mraz (; born June 23, 1977) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, ''Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' (2002), which spawned the single " The Remedy (I Won't ...
– " I'm Yours" #
Gabriella Cilmi Gabriella Lucia Cilmi ( ; ; born 10 October 1991) is an Australian pop singer. A contralto, Cilmi is known for her distinctive raspy singing voice. Her debut album, '' Lessons to Be Learned'', was released in March 2008, becoming a moderate in ...
– " Sweet About Me" #
Josh Pyke Joshua Jon Pyke (born 18 December 1977) is an Australian singer-songwriter, producer, musician and children's book author. Biography Josh Pyke is a prolific songwriter, with a successful and critically acclaimed career both domestically and ove ...
– "Memories and Dust" #
Ben Lee Benjamin Michael Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but he focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appe ...
– " Love Me Like the World Is Ending" # Kahn Brothers – "Stronger Together" #
Lisa Mitchell Lisa Helen Mitchell (born 22 March 1990) is an Australian singer-songwriter who grew up in Albury, New South Wales. Mitchell currently lives in Melbourne and is working on her fourth studio album. Mitchell finished sixth in the 2006 season o ...
– "
Neopolitan Dreams "Neopolitan Dreams" is a song performed and written by Australian singer–songwriter Lisa Mitchell from her second extended play ''Welcome to the Afternoon'' (2008) and first studio album, ''Wonder'' (2009). It was released in August 2008 by Sco ...
" #
The Cat Empire The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were Felix Riebl (lead vocals, percussion), Harry James Angus (trumpet, vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), ...
– "Fishies" # Old Man River – "La" # José González – " Down the Line" #
James Reyne James Michael Nugent Reyne OAM (born 19 May 1957) is an Australian rock musician and singer-songwriter both in solo work and, until 1986, with the band Australian Crawl. Biography Early years Reyne was born in Lagos, Nigeria. His father, Rod ...
– " Reckless" #
Alex Lloyd Alex Lloyd (born 19 November 1974) is an Australian singer-songwriter. Four of his albums, '' Black the Sun'', '' Watching Angels Mend'', '' Distant Light'' and '' Alex Lloyd'', released between 1999 and 2005, made the top ten on the ARIA char ...
– "Same Day" #
Lior Lior Attar, better known simply as Lior, is an independent Australian singer-songwriter based in Melbourne. He is best known for his 2005 debut studio album ''Autumn Flow'' and for the song "Hoot's Lullaby". Early life and education Lior was bo ...
– "Burst Your Bubble" # Jenny Morris – "Street of Love" # Mark Sholtez – "Love Me for the Cool" #
Abby Dobson Abby Dobson (born 1969) is an Australian singer and musician. Dobson was the lead vocalist for the pop band Leonardo's Bride. In 2002, Dobson recorded the song "Don't Ask For More" for ''The Secret Life of Us volume 2'' soundtrack compilation a ...
– "It's Only Love" #
Eric Hutchinson Eric Hutchinson (born September 8, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his songs "Rock & Roll", "OK, It's Alright with Me", "Not There Yet", "Watching You Watch Him", and "Tell the World". Hutchinson was named an AOL "About to ...
– "
Rock and Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
"


Certifications


Volume 2

''Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack Volume 2'' was released on 18 September 2009. It has peaked at No. 30 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart.


Track listing

# Latch Key Kid – "Good Times" #
Lisa Mitchell Lisa Helen Mitchell (born 22 March 1990) is an Australian singer-songwriter who grew up in Albury, New South Wales. Mitchell currently lives in Melbourne and is working on her fourth studio album. Mitchell finished sixth in the 2006 season o ...
– "
Coin Laundry A self-service laundry, coin laundry, laundromat, or coin wash is a facility where clothes are washed and dried without much personalized professional help. They are known in the United Kingdom as launderettes or laundrettes, and in the Unit ...
" #
Empire of the Sun ''Empire of the Sun'' is a 1984 novel by English writer J. G. Ballard; it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Like Ballard's earlier short story "The Dead Time" (published in the anthology ...
– " We Are the People" #
Ben Lee Benjamin Michael Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but he focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appe ...
– "Birds and Bees" #
Eric Hutchinson Eric Hutchinson (born September 8, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his songs "Rock & Roll", "OK, It's Alright with Me", "Not There Yet", "Watching You Watch Him", and "Tell the World". Hutchinson was named an AOL "About to ...
– "You Don't Have to Believe Me" # Bob Evans – " Don't You Think It's Time?" #
Kylie Auldist Kylie Auldist is an Australian singer, best known as the singer of the Bamboos and Cookin' on 3 Burners. She has also released five solo albums. Career Auldist recorded her first song at the age of six. She is half Samoan. She moved from Brok ...
– "Just Say" # James Grehan – "Hold On" #
Matt Costa Matthew Albert Costa (born June 16, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter from Huntington Beach, California, United States. He has 13 independent releases: 7 self-recorded EPs, 6 complete LPs, 4 of which are released via Brushfire Records. ...
– "Miss Magnolia" # Mark Sholtez – "Too Late for Heroes" #
Lior Lior Attar, better known simply as Lior, is an independent Australian singer-songwriter based in Melbourne. He is best known for his 2005 debut studio album ''Autumn Flow'' and for the song "Hoot's Lullaby". Early life and education Lior was bo ...
– "This Old Love" # Whitley – "Lost in Time" # King Curly – "Little Arrows" #
Sarah Blasko Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow (born 23 September 1976), known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acqui ...
– "Perfect Now" #
Abby Dobson Abby Dobson (born 1969) is an Australian singer and musician. Dobson was the lead vocalist for the pop band Leonardo's Bride. In 2002, Dobson recorded the song "Don't Ask For More" for ''The Secret Life of Us volume 2'' soundtrack compilation a ...
– "Horses" #
Rick Price Rick Allan Price (born 6 July 1961) is an Australian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. His debut album, '' Heaven Knows'', was released in July 1992, and peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It provided t ...
– "
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical ''Meet Me in St. Louis''. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. I ...
"


Volume 3

''Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack Volume 3'' was released on 4 March 2011.


Track listing

#
Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer (born June 6, 1974), also known by his stage name Uncle Kracker, is an American singer and musician. He was previously a turntablist for Kid Rock's backing group Twisted Brown Trucker and since 1999 has recorded as a solo artist. ...
– "
Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses ...
" #
Olly Murs Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television presenter. He was runner-up on the sixth series of '' The X Factor'' in 2009 and was subsequently signed to RCA Records and Sony Music in the United Kingdom ...
– "
Please Don't Let Me Go "Please Don't Let Me Go" is a song by British singer Olly Murs. Written by Murs, Claude Kelly and Steve Robson, the song served as the lead single from the ''X Factor'' runner-up's eponymous debut album and it was his debut single. The song wa ...
" # The Potbelleez – "
Hello ''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses ''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the '' Norwich ...
" #
Michael Franti & Spearhead Michael Franti (born April 21, 1966) is an American rapper, musician, poet, activist, documentarian, and singer-songwriter, known for his participation in many musical projects, most with a political and social emphasis, including the Beatnigs ...
featuring
Cherine Anderson Cherine Tanya Anderson (born 25 September 1984, Rockfort, East Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican actress and dancehall/ reggae vocalist. Biography Anderson's acting career began in the film '' Dancehall Queen'' (1997), as Marcia's pressured, t ...
– "
Say Hey (I Love You) "Say Hey (I Love You)" is a single by Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Jamaican soul singer Cherine Anderson released in 2008 from their album ''All Rebel Rockers''. The single was produced by Sly & Robbie. The music video peaked at number 5 ...
" #
Little Birdy Little Birdy were an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue. They gaine ...
– "
Brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-famili ...
" # Passion Pit – " Little Secrets" #
The Cat Empire The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were Felix Riebl (lead vocals, percussion), Harry James Angus (trumpet, vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), ...
– "
So Many Nights ''So Many Nights'' is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian ...
" #
Kisschasy Kisschasy are an Australian rock band that formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 2002. Their line-up consists of lead vocalist Darren Cordeux, bassist Joel Vanderuit, guitarist Sean Thomas and drummer Karl Ammitzboll. The band released two gold ce ...
– "Generation Why" #
Sarah Blasko Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow (born 23 September 1976), known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acqui ...
– "We Won't Run" #
Missy Higgins Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''The Sound of White'' (2004), ''On a Clear Night'' (2007) and '' The O ...
– "Warm Whispers" #
Bertie Blackman Beatrice "Bertie" Blackman (born 1982) is an Independent Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. She rose to fame in 2004 with her debut album ''Headway,'' which came after years of prolific performances around Sydney's inner-city venues, wh ...
– "Thump" #
Fatboy Slim Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook, 31 July 1963), also known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is an English musician, DJ, and record producer who helped to popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Cook was the bassist ...
– "
The Rockafeller Skank "The Rockafeller Skank", usually called "Funk Soul Brother" by fans, is a song by English big beat musician and DJ Fatboy Slim. It was released as the lead single from his second studio album, ''You've Come a Long Way, Baby'' (1998), on 8 June 19 ...
" # Sally Seltmann – "Harmony to My Heart Beat" # Leroy Lee – "Mountain Song" # Mark Sholtez – "This Perfect Day" #
Angus & Julia Stone Angus & Julia Stone are an Australian folk and indie pop group, formed in 2006 by brother and sister Angus and Julia Stone. Angus & Julia Stone have released five studio albums: '' A Book Like This'' (2007), '' Down the Way'' (2010), '' Angus ...
– "Hush" # Daniel Merriweather – " Red" # Sia – "
I Go to Sleep "I Go to Sleep" is a song written by Ray Davies, main songwriter for The Kinks, and first released by The Applejacks. It was never recorded by The Kinks, but Ray Davies's demo can be found in reissue bonus tracks of their second studio album ' ...
" #
Holly Throsby Holly Sarah Throsby (born 28 December 1978) is an Australian musician and novelist. As a solo artist Throsby has issued six albums. She was nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Female Artist in 2006 for '' Under the Town''; and in the same cate ...
– "Now I Love Someone" #
The Easybeats The Easybeats were an Australian rock band that formed in Sydney in late 1964. They enjoyed a level of success that in Australia rivalled The Beatles. They became the first Australian rock act to score an international hit, with the 1966 sing ...
– "
Wedding Ring A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. It is usually forged from metal, traditionally gold or another precious metal. Rings were used in ancient Rome during marriage, though the modern prac ...
"


Reception


Critical response

''Packed to the Rafters'' has received positive critical response from reviewers. In reviewing the pilot, David Knox of
TV Tonight TV Tonight is an Australian-based website which features reviews, news and programming information related to television in Australia as well as OzTAM ratings information. The site was started by television critic David Knox in 2007 after list ...
underlined that whilst the series's tone was "predominantly light", ''Rafters'' "also features some darker, more successful moments". ''
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
's'' Jim Schembri called ''Rafters'' a "superbly sculpted series about suburban class warfare", noting that in his opinion, the series was "one of the most enjoyable, finely honed locally produced TV dramas we've seen in ages", applauding the dialogue that "crackles with wit and energy". Season 2 received an equal amount of outflowing positivity, with Michael Lallo discovering that "''Rafters'' "lighthearted" tone acts as a cloak, allowing it to address controversial topics without making viewers feel they're being lectured. The result is a feel-good series that's meaty and satisfying". Of the series's characters, Michael Idato of ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' found an "elegance to the performances", going on to further applaud the "gentle, engaging, emotional dynamics" of the characters interactions with each other that also managed to both "enhance its charm and believability at the same time".


Awards and nominations


TV Week Logie Awards

The show was nominated for forty two
Logie Awards The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...
and won thirteen.


AFI Awards

''Packed to the Rafters'' was nominated for two AFI (now AACTA) Awards in 2009.


Episodes and ratings

The average ratings for Season 1 in 2008 were 1,939,000 making it the No. 1 show of 2008 on Australian television. The second season of ''Packed to the Rafters'' averaged 1,881,000, ranking it as No. 2 for the 2009 year. The program has also been picked up by Irish broadcaster
RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, whil ...
and New Zealand's TV1 which aired the first season of Packed to the Rafters in early 2009. The series has also been sold to networks in South Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands, several Scandinavian countries, Italy and India.


Series ratings

''Packed to the Rafters'' has been a solid performer in the ratings since its premiere. Most episodes have been the number one programme during prime time for the night since the series premiere and the show has remained in the top ten programs of the week. In 2008, the series was the highest rating regularly broadcast show with an average of 1,939,143 viewers per episode for the first fourteen episodes of season one which screened in 2008. The lower weekly rankings for seasons 5 and 6 are as a result of multiple episodes of single reality shows appearing as separate programs on the weekly list.


Season 1 (2008–2009)


Season 2 (2009)


Season 3 (2010)


Season 4 (2011–2012)


Season 5 (2012–2013)


Season 6 (2013)


Broadcast


''Back to the Rafters''

In September 2019, it was reported the cast members were in discussion to revive the series for a 2020 season under the working title ''"Back to the Rafters"'', however the series would not air on Seven Network, instead would be placed on
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pr ...
, which was confirmed in December 2019, and the return of Rebecca Gibney, Erik Thomson, Jessica Marais, Hugh Sheridan, Angus McLaren, Michael Caton and George Houvardas. Filming commenced in Sydney in 2020. In February 2020, Jessica Marais dropped out of the series for personal reasons. In March 2020, it was announced Georgina Haig would take over the role of Rachel Rafter.


See also

*
Always Greener ''Always Greener'' was an Australian television drama/ comedy series that aired on the Seven Network which followed the fortunes of two families, one from the city and the other from the country, when they decide to switch homes and start a new ...


References


External links


''Packed to the Rafters'' – Official Seven Network website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Packed To The Rafters 2008 Australian television series debuts 2013 Australian television series endings Australian comedy-drama television series English-language television shows Seven Network original programming Television series about families Television series by Endemol Television shows set in New South Wales