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Offspring ending feels very final, but wait…

It's a finale that feels like closure, but producers & TEN are still in talks for more Offspring.

2014-08-02_2343Packed to the Rafters farewelled their family before heading off on a roadtrip, The Sopranos shot Tony Soprano dead in a diner, MASH had Hawkeye smooching Hot Lips and Six Feet Under gave us an amazing flash-forward farewell.

Some TV scenes are pretty clear cut when they are heading for the exit door and this week sentimental TV fans will be wondering: is that it for Offspring?

You’d swear this was its last hurrah.

As the season final nears, Nina Proudman is contemplating a move to a new hospital, Billie is headed for London, Clegg is ready to move in with Cherie and Kim, Zara is about to sit a doctor’s exam and Leo looks ready for a declaration.

Yes the episode feels like more than just a season finale, clearly conceived without any knowledge -one way or the other- about its future.

TEN is on the record as saying it wants the show to return.

Producer John Edwards told TV Tonight he and producer Imogen Banks are still in discussion with the network, but there were some hurdles to clear.

One of those is that having surpassed 65 episodes the show no longer qualified for a Screen Australia rebate, and the costs -even before cast pay rises- go up another 20%.

“We just don’t know. There are various steps that have to be undertaken. We’ve undertaken ours and we’re waiting for the next move,” says Edwards.

“Obviously the show is now so popular that paying a higher price for it is obviously a consideration.

“The issues are a combination of price and Creative and that’s what has to be resolved.”

You also wouldn’t want to chart a sixth season unless you could maintain the standard of recent seasons with most of the cast on board.

Beverley McGarvey, TEN’s Chief Programming Officer, has previously said: “Imogen Banks and John Edwards are the best in the business and we’re obviously very proud of everything that Offspringhas achieved. Network TEN would, of course, like to proceed with series 6 and we are in discussions with the producers now.”

Edwards and Banks have both been busy with two other projects, Gallipoli for Nine and Party Tricks for TEN and are known for having multiple projects in development.

While some drama fans are still getting over the loss of A Place to Call Home on Seven, the good news for Offspring fans is that, publicly, everyone is expressing a desire to return.

“There’s honestly nothing to say yet. It’s a bit early,” says Edwards.

Try to keep that in mind before reaching for the Kleenex this week.

Offspring airs 8:45pm Wednesday on TEN.

21 Responses

  1. I read your post a while back and when I read this: time.com/3199270/david-chase-tony-soprano/ – I couldn’t help but remember these comments. Way to jump the gun Dave. 🙂 But he sure was an evil guy.

  2. It would be interesting to know what constituted a new series. If they shifted in time 5 years forward would that make it a new series? Have the kid in school. Some of the characters have moved on …. If Party Games is a hit they’ll forget about it but right now 10 really needs this show and they also need to take advantage of it’s audience to promote other shows.

  3. I don’t understand the logic behind cutting out the rebate after 65 episodes. Presumably a network would then produce a new show, and get a new rebate. So why not continue with a current, very successful program with the rebate continuing, rather than taking the gamble on a new one.

    Either way, someone gets the rebate. Why not continue to give it to Offspring?

    However, much as I love it, I think it’s probably reached its end, certainly the way this last season episode looks like unfolding.

  4. Ten should realise they need Offspring. Not only should they just pay whatever this is going to cost, they should order another 35 episodes.
    Not only is it one of their only reliable properties, it’s also instantly identifiable as being on Ten.
    I don’t know what their situation is in regard to international syndication and distribution, but they should be pushing that harder, they should be able to fund the next seasons with sales..

  5. If they don’t renew it, there would be so many ways to make a spinoff

    They could make a series on all the Proudman babies all grown up , in their 20’s.

    I could see grown up Zoe, Ray, Alfie, Patrick, Isabella (Patrick’s niece) & Stella (Kim/Clegg’s) daughter dealing with everyday drama at uni or wherever they are.

  6. David. Have you lost all sense of reason. Tony Soprano killed. Oh my goodness. The guy was probably just going to take a leak, intimidated by the fact that he knew he was in the same restaurant as a mobster. Oops typo. I mean monster. When I read this, lucky I had watched every single episode of the Soprano’s ever made because I would otherwise had believed you. I understand that is some people’s position but for the uneducated reader you just misinformed them…

  7. I hope there is a series 6 with more than eight episodes. If 10 won’t pick it up sell it to someone who will if possible. There’s a big audience out there waiting for it.

  8. 5 series/65 hours of births, deaths, marriages and recouplings is enough – I agree with the “going out on top” sentiment. Asher must have had enough…..there are other roles waiting for her while she is at the top of her game.

  9. Get rid of the Bacheleor…… then there’s your money. lol.

    Please renew it…. I want more!!! I do feel like this season has been wrapping things up, but I hope that it is not the end. I love Offspring. Its great that people want it to continue. I hope that helps.

  10. Simple solution.

    Nina turns her back on city life and moves to a little place near Wandin Valley.

    TEN and the producers can claim a new series and get the kick backs again.

    Oh, call it “A Proudman Practice:”…

  11. Yes Southern Start want to make S6 but without the tax concession will demand more money.

    And Ten want to air S6 but it will take 6 or more months until increased revenue from their increase in ratings start flowing and they have covered the redundancies and write downs so they want to pay less money.

    And the cast would like to do it but Keddie and Stewart have been doing the show for 5 years and have other things they could be doing, and would want more money.

    The next step will be talk of TVM or mini series that might be affordable and allow the cast to reassemble while doing other stuff. Which either doesn’t happen or turns out to have been not worth the hassle.

  12. “clearly conceived without any knowledge -one way or the other- about its future.” –
    I’m pretty sure the writer’s thought they were writing a finale. Pretty much all the characters, even secondary minor characters are being moved towards resolutions. My understanding from a variety of sources is that all involved in the production considered it ending towards the end of the shooting of season 5. So the writer’s would have known longer. 10 renewed it for 2 seasons in advance. I think they may have shot themselves in the foot. Hard to get the cast organised when some of them have probably taken other jobs.

  13. That is a huge leap to say Tony Soprano was killed off in a diner. !! Many millions of words have been written about that final episode agreeing and disagreeing with that assumption and of course we will never know since the demise of Mr Gandolfini, but to make such a sweeping statement about one of TV’s great mysteries is naive at best.

  14. As the adage goes: leave them wanting more! And they have done so. Although not common practice here; there were gaps in America for cable shows like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad (i think) in between seasons. It may be a wait for Offspring, but it is worth it, if they can make it work. It is the most distinctive drama on the box.And I saw the promo for Party Tricks; wow, way to alter the look of actor Asher Keddie.

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