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Rafters attracts international business

Even Lost's Damon Lindelhof and Carlton Cuse are said to be interested in the success of Seven's newest drama.

Packed To The Rafters has been sold to South Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands, several Scandinavian countries and Ireland and now there is strong interest from American producers – including Lost‘s Damon Lindelhof and Carlton Cuse.

Seven Programmer Tim Worner confirmed he recently took a copy of the pilot to the US.

“After the second week’s ratings results here, the overseas people just came out of the trees to buy the show – US networks, US studios, UK producers – and everyone wanted copies,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“It certainly already has some big name fans in Hollywood, including Damon Lindelhof and Carlton Cuse, the makers of Lost.”

Cathy Payne of distributors Southern Star says overseas markets are responding to the same themes that Australians tapped into: a family coming together in tough times which has unintentionally coincided with the global financial crisis.

“They like that it makes them smile, can be bittersweet and everyone can see a little bit of their family in it, and they respond.”

The show has been Seven’s biggest hit outside of the Olympics, and a sweet victory for creator Bevan Lee, whose HeadLand series disappeared quickly, and Always Greener which many say ended prematurely.

Source: Daily Telegraph

18 Responses

  1. I watch the Aussie version online, and I hope if it does come to the states, they put it on as is. It seems whenever we (Americans) remake a TV show from overseas, we mess it up badly.

  2. That’s great news if the U.S. picks it up, but doesn’t remake it. I think it’s a great show, and could even do well there. If they remake it…it’s their loss I guess. Heaps of money going to waste, when they have a perfectly good show they can buy and play.

  3. This show has a lot going for it … one of our very strongest creations in many years! I was veery sceptical at first but it has won me over big time … did anyone else see the guy who played the drug addict husband/boyfriend (?) in a recent episode of The Strip as a Fireman??? Wow … why didn’t we get to see that much of him in Packed … he is soooo hot!
    Jack!

  4. Yay for international business attraction.. i just wonder.. if they are going to remark it with new people.. I dont think anyone else could play the parents like erik thompson and rebecca gibney… if they do buy it.. I hope they buy it with our actors and dont create their own

  5. ABC (America) had to remake New Zealand’s Outrageous Fortune, and that is a million times better than Packed to the Rafters, so I doubt PTTR will air on a major American network without being remade.

  6. I can see a remake of this show ending up on abc in the US, it actually seems quite a lot like Brothers & Sisters, except not so political with more comedic moments.

  7. The show works because it is so different to everything else on TV these days. You can miss an episode as well quite easily and not lose any impact on next episodes. Idea should work well anywhere!

  8. this is great news. i only hope that it is not unaustralianised into the future as a result. this show is very australian which is probably part of the reason that it is so successful here.

  9. Whatever happened to the never screened episodes of HeadLand? Are they ever going to see the light of day? Maybe Ch 7 can screen them on their new channel that’ll be launched in 2009, along with repeats of other ch 7 series and soapies.

  10. I miss Always Greener 🙁

    Good on them, over seas buyers are good news.

    So any word on the DVD release and what of the 22 ep season or did they change their mind to make it 14 eps and use the rest as part of S2?

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