“Death of a young Rafter”
Minor Spoilers. Are we really about to lose a member of the family Rafter? Seven has gone to great lengths to keep an episode under wraps.
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Minor Spoilers: If we are to believe the promos, tonight’s episode of Packed to the Rafters will be one to remember.
Entitled “Perfect Bubble,” the episode is said to include “the death of a young Rafter.”
Promos for the show tell us the family’s ‘perfect bubble’ is about to pop when it is least expected. One of the Rafter family is apparently about to die. This is big stuff in TV drama, especially when it is the #1 drama in the country and only in its third season.
Seven has gone to extra lengths to keep the detail under wraps.
No Preview DVDs have been sent out.
Synopses of the show don’t even hint at a tragedy. Synopses of next week also don’t touch upon it and tactfully omit references to several key characters.
The cast list in publicity material remains unchanged. Not even a photo of the episode was to be given out, even including those that didn’t give the game away (the photo here is archival).
Seven will likely issue Amendments to media that reflect the changes after the episode has safely aired.
Yes this is top secret stuff in TV soap land….
So far the show has only farewelled one key clan member, Jessica MacNamee who played Sammy, earlier this season after her failed marriage to Nathan (Angus McLaren).
The candidates who qualify as a “young Rafter” are:
Jessica Marais (Rachel Rafter)
Angus McLaren ( Nathan Rafter)
Hugh Sheridan (Ben Rafter)
Zoe Ventoura (Melissa Rafter)
Ruby / Imogen Strong (Ruby Rafter)
But wouldn’t it also include Sammy Rafter given that the fictional character married into the family? Probably.
Media have also noted a subsequent funeral scene with key characters in attendance.
Seven sources promise a “powerful” episode tonight. Whether it will come close to the death of Molly in A Country Practice or the loss of Grace Sullivan on The Sullivans remains to be seen.
But Rafters is also known for its fantasy scenes. What if it’s all just someone’s wild imagination?
With the wording of Seven promos, there will be hell to pay if the audience is short-changed.
The episode is strategically placed on Melbourne Cup Day, one of the network’s biggest viewing days of the year. The race will deliver the show an enormous lead-in, just as it did last year when there were wedding bells in the air for Ben and Melissa.
Here is the synopsis for tonight’s episode:
This week on PACKED TO THE RAFTERS, certain perfect bubbles in the Rafter world all burst
in the most unexpected and confronting ways.
Newly unemployed Rachel is seeing the world in a new light – as her oyster. But first what she’d love more than anything is a holiday with Jake. Unbeknownst to her, Jake takes the hint and organises time off – but before he can spring the surprise, Rachel gets a phone call from former boss Paul Morgan offering her job back with better perks and more money. For Rachel, the choice is simple – but for Jake, it’s a disappointing slap in the face. The world isn’t their oyster, it’s Rachel’s. If their relationship is going to survive, she needs to start considering his future, too.
Still resisting any suggestion of depression, Dave throws himself into normality, suggesting a Rafter family dinner and offering Coby an apprenticeship, which Coby is hesitant but touched to accept.
However, when it’s revealed that the police have finally arrested a fence connected to the site robberies, Coby is forced to face the fact that his involvement will soon be disclosed and the truth and his self-hate emerge drunkenly over dinner. Dave explodes with anger, even scaring Julie with his unhinged vehemence. As Coby tries to own his guilt by turning himself into the police, Dave is forced to confront his own truth – he has a real problem, possibly the depression Julie has mentioned. But is he willing he do anything about it?
After proving his “swimmers” are perfectly sound, Ben is even more determined to start a family with beloved wife Melissa.
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- Tagged with A Country Practice, Melbourne Cup, Packed to the Rafters, The Sullivans
55 Responses
How I wish it were evil Michael Caton.
I think a SIDS storyline may be in the making
I hate the adds, i think they are really mean. With Rafters being the number one show, they didn’t have to go to such leghths to ensure peple watch. They will anyway. My guess is it’s Ben and Melissa unborn child.
@Brenton: At least you’ll know to keep away then, eh?
After reading the synopsis, my prediction is that Dave, in a fit of depression, will take out Ruby.
The photos taken and leaked of the filming of the funeral makes it quite obvious who is missing and thus dies. Since then, Hugh Sheridan has posted Twitter comments trying to confuse people about meeting up with crew on Season 4. Plus I think Sunrise are trying to cause confusion too about Angus McLaren.
I just hope its not a dream sequence!!
Jump the shark, anyone?
Could we lose the entire show?
Given a photo of some of the cast seen attending the funeral, it is likely to be an adult Rafter, so not baby Ruby, and probably not a Rafter by birth either. Very sad if it’s who I think it is as quite like the character. Wouldn’t surprise me if the person dying is also the narrator of the episode, making it almost Desperate Housewives-Mary Alice Young like.
Maybe it will be the secret twin brother of Nathan, who nobody knew about until the death
Maybe it will be the secret twin brother of Nathan, who nobody knew about until the detah
Doesn’t say anything concrete, but Melissa is still credited on-screen as ‘Melissa Bannon’. So there’s that.
Also, isn’t the episode after this one called Rest in Peace? 🙁
I’m betting that the “death” is that of Melissa’s unborn baby. You’re right when you say that there will be hell to pay if the audience is short changed.
Sunrise gave it away this morning by saying they are talking to the actor who is leaving on tomorrows show while showing pictures of Angus McLaren.
That just said on Sunrise they’ll be joined tomorrow by the cast member who’s leaving. That now rules out Sammy who we know has left, and Ruby, who would be a very bad interview if they had her on. And means someone will definitely die. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was Jessica Marais also. There was talk months ago of Hollywood calling.
If it turns out to be Sammy it will be death to Channel Seven. That would be an absolute cop out. And if it’s a dream sequence I would be even more pi**ed off. Rush cops flack for it’s miselading ads, i hope this isn’t the same situation. My money’s on Nathan or Ruby though.
From the clues there really is an obvious choice and i really hope they don’t go there. It would feel more or a cop out – like they’ve exhausted the storylines with this “character” and decided to press the reset button on the show.
I wish they were a little subtle in their advertising as it’s going to take away the surprise factor. I’m still shocked with the death in Love My Way – which is really how you should feel about a death.
I hope there is spoilers on this website tonight at 9:30pm for all QLD, WA & SA viewers.
nothing could even come close to the death of molly in a country practice that episode pretty muched stopped australia Brian wenzel said people didnt go out for tea untill after tha episode went to air because they would not miss that episode
Grace’s death on the sullivans was also very sad
The death of Molly in acp was so overrated.
Ahh I am about four episodes behind on this show, they are all safely on the PVR though.
I’d be very surpriseD if it is anyone other than Mel. Which will be very sad.
Better not be the baby 🙁
Sorry to sound mean and cruel but I think it will be baby Ruby, JMO. Cot death/SIDS?
Who knows with Seven; I don’t want to see anyone die but with the anticipation they’ve built with the promos if someone doesn’t I’m going to flip out. Literally.