Second series for Packed to the Rafters
No surprises here. More Rafters are on the way, with all the cast returning.
- Published by David Knox
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Here’s an announcement we all saw coming, and a win for Australian drama.
Seven has approved a second season of Packed to the Rafters. As if there was any doubt…
It’s fair to say Rafters has struck a chord with Australian viewers, slamming all those who contend local drama doesn’t rate. Even at this early stage of the show’s life, we haven’t seen figures so consistently high since dramas like Blue Heelers and SeaChange. Rafters, along with Underbelly, is one of the few success stories of a tough year.
All cast members are confirmed to return for the second series (hopefully with pay rise?).
The success of the series is a triumph for the creative team, who took a long time planning this, and a sweet victory following the premature demise of another joint project, Always Greener.
“The success of Packed to the Rafters has been extraordinary,” Head of Drama John Holmes says. “We knew we had a great show and a brilliant cast but the response from audiences has been overwhelming.”
Last night the show scored another 1.86m viewers.
Press Release:
Channel 7 today announced production of a second season of PACKED TO THE RAFTERS. The in-house family drama has been the runaway hit of the year.
Starring respected actors Rebecca Gibney, Erik Thomson and Michael Caton, it debuted in August and has since become the most-watched regular series on television in 2008.
Cementing its place as the number one drama in Australia, PACKED TO THE RAFTERS is attracting a massive audience of close to 2 million viewers each week.
Seven’s Head of Drama John Holmes is thrilled the show has struck such a powerful chord with the Australian public. “The success of Packed to the Rafters has been extraordinary,” he says. “We knew we had a great show and a brilliant cast but the response from audiences has been overwhelming.
“We’re pleased the entire cast will be returning. Viewers have lots to look forward to.
There’ll be plenty more drama and laughs and a few unexpected twists in store for the Rafter family.”
PACKED TO THE RAFTERS spearheads Channel 7’s stable of hit dramas including City Homicide, All Saints and Home and Away, reaffirming the network’s status as the home of Australian drama.
Filming of the second series will commence early next year.
PACKED TO THE RAFTERS airs on Tuesdays at 8.30pm on Channel 7
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- Tagged with Always Greener, Blue Heelers, Packed to the Rafters, SeaChange, Underbelly
28 Responses
I think it’s great that aussie tv is reaching a high. I think we are entering or going through a golden age of tv, but I must say – the quality isn’t there. We have the talent but it always seems that we can’t take chances with our content or be original. I wouldn’t blame the stations for this, rather ourselves… we are the ones waching this stuff. I wish that one day the standard of our television series will be on par with the quality that HBO or Showtime delivers. So far, the difference between Neighbours and Packed to the Rafters isn’t much.
It is nice that there’s something nice (an Aussie dramedy) to watch every week. I really missed Always Greener.
I wonder how long it’ll keep rating though. Wasn’t Always Greener a huge ratings success for a while?
@ sillygostly
ok well that being said, there is definately no competition. I will give you the “too many issues” and “emotional rollercoasters” but i assume that this was part of the plan to get viewers hooked, it is a buisiness afterall. i believe that is started out with too many issues but these have all been dragged out over many episodes as opposed to the “got over it by the next episode” type.
as far as the flaws of tv shows these days go, this is a rather minor one.
definately not worth not watching it over
Hey, hang on. Each episode seems to just add more dimensions to the characters as time goes on. I like it. At first it confused me, in storyline terms, but they way they set out the first few episodes, helped in a way. They were more or less flashbacks, but then things were eventually explained in further episodes. Character development, doesn’t just happen in seconds. I think, when you ask for too much of the same character, then that’s painfully forced. Quite sure they aren’t trying to make every episode, of epic proportions either.
Dude, grab yourself a pen and paper, or Word, or Notepad or something and try your luck at writing a series.
Nathan, I was not referring to the competition which Rafters faces in its timeslot (which is undeniably tough). I was actually referring to the fact that Rafters is the only show of its type left on Aussie primetime TV (apart from H&A/Neighbours), which is the only reason why people find it so refreshing compared to all the crime/medical/legal/reality shows which FTA has been cramming down our throats in recent years.
With that said, while Rafters does deal with social issues and all, I think the show has tried to deal with far too many issues simulanteously so early into the series for it feel authentically “real” (especially since the characters haven’t really been developed beyond the archetypes of which they’ve been moulded). Plus, I can’t help but to think that the writers/producers are trying to make EVERY episode an emotional rollercoaster of Titanical proportions, thus making the characters (and their relationships) feel painfully forced. They should be developing the characters so we can relate to them more without having to resort to sentimentalistic smut.
They’re simply employing far too many dramatic gimmicks for the situations portrayed on the show to feel realistic. I might give it another shot later in the season to see if it improves, but I strongly doubt that I’ll be jumping on the “BEST AUSSIE SHOW EVER” bandwagon anytime soon.
as far as i am concerned this is the best aussy drama EVER! blue heelers was good but police dramas never seem to get me excited, and i only got into seachange a few eps from the end.
there is just so much i can relate to, it may as well be my family. and all the characters are so well made i feel like i know them and the series is only just getting started.
i hope it lasts for a looooong time, from the ratings its getting it probably will
sillygostly, did you have your eyes open while you were watching the show?
Its sad to think about shows like CrashBurn and Always Greener which didnt get the kind of love they should have, but it’s great to see 7 hitting it’s stride. City Homicide and Packed to the Rafters are great shows, and it’s good to see great written and acted local series. I’d like to see how they go in the UK.
@sillyghostly
“The only reason why Rafters looks so good is because there’s no competition”
are you serious, 8:30 tuesday is probably the most competitive timeslot of the week
ch7: PTTR: australias #1 show
ch9: NEW EPS 2.5 men = ch9 supercard played 10 times a week, these eps are the only new ones
ch10: NCIS the networks highest rating show
and anyway shows don’t average around 1,900,000 viewers just because of no competition.
and i think that it is a very “real” show, that lots of families have in common, esp. compared to other shows. it deals with stuff everyone deals with ie. lack of money, family feuds, family priorities. there is not explosion, murder, planecrash of some sort in every ep.
don’t even get me started on ur character development comment
Always Greener was better.
I honestly think The Strip has some life in it. I reckon it needs a second season for it to truly shine. Canal Road is dead in the water, but I think Rush will survive. It may not rate now, but you wait till they release the DVDs of these shows.
I havent seen this show yet 🙁 Does it really live up to the hype?? What is it about anyway??
go PTTR,
i think if ch7 flog this it could be pulling 2mil plus every ep. next year, it definately has the potential (eg. encore during the summer – lots of people i know r really upset they missed an ep and are wondering if they will ever have a chance to see it again & make an expensive promo during Aus open)
@Craig, i am estimating that city homicide will get a new season (its only dropping now because of competition suddenly arose), canal rd and strip probably wont – i would LOL so hard if they did. the only real question lies on rush, i think it might if its not up against other aussi drama.
@Richard H. well it hasn’t lost many viewers from the pilot ep. to ep9 (less than 100k) and people that i know are really addicted, the storyline allows it to go for a while aswell so it wont get stale. I would say it will be a dominator in the ratings for a while. – If anything it will be a slow burner and it has a looong way to fall before it is trouble
only great show on tv! keep it up!
yep good show. but will it run out of steam?
I am very happy that the show has worked. It is an excellent aussie drama, I just wish that there were a few more successful shows like PTTR on telly.
hope this show stay for long time and it’s one of my favorite show.
This has really turned out to be a good show!
I enjoy whatever they have been offering up each week, and there is pleanty of variety in stories and twists and turns … well written and well made.
I particularly love Ben and Carbo! Some brilliant acting …
Jack!
Great news! Also good to hear Erik will be returning after speculation he wanted to be written out.
Awesome to get the official confirmation. It’s on the back of the news that the show was sold to RTE via MIPCOM. So it’ll be seen overseas. Now just waiting for the official confirmation that City Homicide will be back for a third season.
I love this show.. its my favourite show at the moment..
Im glad seven has renewed it.. It’s just a good nice show that keeps everyone entertained and allows them forget about what ever is going on in their own life for an hour.
This show has been a massive disappointment for me. I’ve seen the first few episodes and the constant sentimentalism of the characters is impossible to take seriously as the characters haven’t been developed enough.
Plus, the voiceovers aaagh, hate them!! Voiceovers just smack of lazy storytelling. They should focus on the finer details, such as body language/gestures, dialogue and even music to convey the mood of the scene IMO. Narrations should stick to the written text. There’s no practical use for them in film (well, in a series like this at least, voiceovers are completely unnecessary). We can bloody see what’s going on.
However, it was when they had a flashback episode four episodes in when I’d given up on the show. It’s stooping to the lowest common demoninator in order to attract the widest possible audience. Very little about this show feels “real”. The only reason why Rafters looks so good is because there’s no competition. Ordinarily, I would love this sort of family-orientated dramedy, and the added fact that it’s Australian made would have been a bonus, but this simply isn’t doing anything for me.
Shock of the season!
Good going, now will other new local shows get a 2nd season?
Great to see. It is a very good show
YAY woooooo! i seriously think this is the best show i have ever seen, and i’m not giving it extra credit for being australian.
i don’t think i have spent a whole week waiting for the next episode of a show, or thinking about it into the night the way i do with this one.
deserves every one of those viewers, and i hope it stays with us for a long time. best aussy drama ever!!!!