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Packed to the Rafters ending confirmed

It's official. Packed to the Rafters will come to an end next month with a two-hour finale.

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2013-06-10_1750It’s official.

Packed to the Rafters will come to an end next month after six successful seasons on Seven.

The rumours and speculation have been flying about for months, with Seven careful to avoid clarity for its much-loved show in case it impacted on current ratings.

But Rebecca Gibney told TV Week, “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 on a high.

“We can say that season six winds up an aspect of the Rafter family and there is a sense of finality to it.”

Rafters will wrap with a two hour finale in July, including appearances from Hugh Sheridan and Jessica Marais, but the ending is left open-ended. Gibney is in discussions with the network on new projects.

In April Erik Thomson told TV Tonight, “We’ve reached a conclusion that could be the end. There are talks that it might continue in a different format, telemovies or miniseries or whatever.

“I don’t think the franchise is necessarily dead but the series, as it stands, looks like it might have resolved.

“It’s sort of in the hands of the network at this stage.”

Don’t be surprised if Seven confirms a second season of A Place to Call Home soon, to take the edge off this news and focus on the positive.

Seven has also hinted at another chapter for the family according to AAP, but Seven also made similar ovations for City Homicide to have a potential afterlife as telemovies. That never eventuated (to this day the network still has not officially “axed” that show). Once a cast and key crew disperses and sets are no more, it’s almost impossible to resurrect a drama.

Packed to the Rafters deserves to go out in style as arguably the most successful local drama of the last decade.

33 Responses

  1. Rafters has definitely gone on two seasons too long. Good on Seven for managing to maintain some audience.

    Looking forward to new Winners & Losers!

  3. Sensible decision, but Seven should definitely have put more effort into this final season. Storylines have been disappointing and Would like to have seen more of the original cast rather than a brief appearance in the final episode.

  4. Well Im really disappointed but glad that its going out on a high.

    I will miss this show as its a nice family show and great actors in it. But I can see why its coming to an end. 6 seasons for an aussie drama is great.

    It still rates over 1m every week. I will miss it but hopefully it means winners and losers comes back earlier.

    CH7 have done well in the 8:30 timeslot over the years. All Saints and now Rafters.

  5. I can happily say that I have never watched an episode of Rafters or Winners & Losers or A Place to Call Home.
    I do watch House Husbands & Aussie drama on ABC.
    Seven is just too female centric.

  6. While I’m sad to see it go, it has run it’s course and will be going out on a high. Sunrise did indicate there would be a spin off, so be interesting to see if it goes ahead.

  8. It’s so wonderful to see an Australian drama like Packed to the Rafters go out on a high. Last time I checked it was still the #1 Australian drama on television with a very loyal core audience. I think for a show to be on for five years and to have only lost its timeslot about a handful of times, this is a rare feat. It has also remained in the same timeslot throughout its run. Channel Seven should be applauded for the model way in which they have treated this series. It is a real credit to them and all involved.

  9. Argh forgot about Winners and Losers. You have any idea when The Mole may air David, Seven has a heap of new shows to air and not a lot of time. It appears House Rules has at least 7 more weeks in it since they have announced they will be doing the gardens next, they may even pull exterior of the house out of their bag….

  10. such contrast between the networks, 7 ending rafters with 1.1mil while ten renew Puberty Blues with about half that.

    great that the show is ending on a high, This is the only drama I can think of in the past 10 years that has lasted many season and stayed in the one timeslot, ignoring the 15-30min bumps. quite the achievement.

  12. Don’t lol JB. Seven now needs to produce something for their biggest contracted actor, Rebecca Gibney. Rebecca + crime = new drama vehicle for her. It is going to be called City Rebeccacide.

  14. It’s the right time. The audience has lessened this year too; but the non Rafter characters take up too much space. The Ted/Julie relationship has been so well sketched and plotted. It will leave a gap though. 5 glorious years (6 seasons)

  15. On Sunrise it was officially announced that the show will end next month, however, it was also stated that it will continue in a diffrent form. It was stated that a spin-off series is been created.
    youtube.com/watch?v=2Q8zpxzOW4o

  16. Will miss it, this past season has been fantastic after a lacklustre season 5.

    A Place to Call Home holds no interest me in the slightest, and never got into Offspring… will have to find a new weekly drama to watch now!

  17. So will City Homicide be coming back? lol

    I stopped watching Rafters when they yanked it mid-season with no warning which i think was when Jessica Marais left. It was already getting horrible at that stage though. More screen time to Carbo who was just annoying, introducing Retta who was even more ridiculous and just as bad a character. Seven yanking it off air just made the decision to stop watching easier.

  20. All good things must come to an end, and I think Rafters jumped the shark with the exit of all the offspring and the introduction of new people, none of which appealed to me in the least. A total lack of charisma in most of them.

    It was terrific in its early days, but it lost me quite some time ago.

  22. Better to die on your feet than live on your knees. However its always upsetting to many when their fav show goes. I still havent gotten over Blue Heelers departure! Wed 8.30 have never been the same!!!

  23. It’s had a good run and will go out whilst it is still rating strongly. Unlikely to be back in any form. However, the AAP article does mention a new location if it returns, which will negate the sets issue. Perhaps they may relocate to Byron Bay or Melbourne or Inverness?

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