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This article is about the Australian television series. For Seachange, see SeaChange (disambiguation).
SeaChange
Created byAndrew Knight
Deborah Cox
StarringSigrid Thornton
David Wenham
William McInnes
John Howard
Tom Long
Kerry Armstrong
Country of originAustralia
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Original release
NetworkABC
Release1999 –
2001

SeaChange was a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2001 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong. The director was Michael Carson.

Filming was based at Barwon Heads, Victoria.

Cast

Starring:

Also starring In alphabetical order:

Plot

Season 1

In the opening episode, "Something Rich and Strange", we are introduced to Laura Gibson, a neurotic corporate lawyer. In one day, her entire life is ruined: her son Rupert is expelled from school, she almost kills the family cat, she loses out on a partnership at work, she finds out that her sister Trudi (Fiona Corke) is having an affair with her husband Jack, and learns that he has been arrested for fraud. On a whim, she takes a job as a magistrate in the small seaside town of Pearl Bay, where she once went for a holiday with her family during happier times.

In Pearl Bay, she meets an eccentric cast of characters: Meredith Monahan, the woman who can remember every single event that has happened in town during her lifetime; Meredith's longtime lover and town lawyer/drunk, Harold; strapping surfie and court clerk Angus; his girlfriend (who would like to be his fiancee), police officer Karen; her superior Sergeant Grey; town fix-it man and village idiot, Kevin; Kevin's son Trevor; clever Indian shop-keeper Phrani, later to be Kevin's lover; local layabout Griff; Meredith's niece, the wandering Carmen; corrupt and scheming real estate agent and shire President Bob Jelly; his loyal trophy wife Heather; and their children Jules and Craig.

While Laura's children, Rupert and Miranda, struggle to get used to their new life, Laura decides that she is going to fit in, and attempts to do her best, despite their run-down house and the eccentric cases. Both helping and hindering her is Diver Dan, the enigmatic cafe owner/ferryman/chef with no ambition but a curious and colourful past, with whom she soon strikes up a relationship.

The first season ends with a series of climaxes - Carmen giving birth (losing the baby Talula), Meredith and Harold realising that Heather was their long-lost daughter; and Laura and Dan reaching a turning point in their relationship.

After a successful first season of 13 episodes, the ABC asked for more.

Season 2

David Wenham had opted not to renew his contract, so, two episodes into the second season, Diver Dan left Pearl Bay for the Galapagos Islands. In his place came old friend Max Connors and his wife Elena (Doris Younane). Max had much to deal with, having left the town years earlier and leaving his family. Storm damage in the aftermath of the first season meant that Pearl Bay was going through serious trauma and things only got worse. Alison Whyte guest starred as a con artist who got the better of Bob, and of the whole town. Heather bonded with her parents. Rupert's determination to get Laura back together with her ex-husband only met with disaster. Elena's sudden death stunned the town. Later in the season, the town began to think that Laura and Max were secretly together - although they weren't - and the resulting confusion led to them becoming closer.

Bucket's dog Alfonzo Dominico Jones died mysteriously and eventually had a swimming pool named after him, in preference to the originally planned name, the 'Jelly Baby Bath', named after Pearl Bay's aforementioned mayor.

The ABC then commissioned a third season.

Season 3

In the third season, the events of the show reached their climax. As Heather and Bob separated, he reached his ultimate political demise and was left to decide whether to help the people of Pearl Bay, or ruin them once and for all. Meredith's health took a turn for the worse. Laura and Max decided just to be friends, propelling a despondent Max into Carmen's arms, and an in-denial Laura into a relationship with and then engagement to the sweet but very dull ("he's nice to my mother!") Warwick (Shaun Micallef). Mark Mitchell guest starred as Morton Tregonning, administrator for the recently sacked Port Deakin council, and his corruption led to Bob being further pulled to the dark side.

In episode 37, "Love In The Time of Coleridge", Max ultimately confessed his love for Laura. However, with distractions including Jack and Trudi, and Meredith running for council, Laura was less than focused. But she did eventually break up with Warwick and the final episode, "Half-Life" (Episode 39), saw the town coming together to stop Tregonning's nuclear waste dumping, Miranda and Craig on trial, Laura's resignation, Karen and Angus' wedding, Meredith facing a life-and-death situation, Bob being forced to make his decision about his future, and Max and Laura together at last with a baby on the way.

Although the third season was successful in ratings terms, the creators decided to end the show to avoid becoming stale.

Recurring themes

One of the long-running jokes of the show was the town bridge. The easiest connection from Pearl Bay to the main world, it was destroyed years earlier and every attempt at fixing it always goes to ruins.

Another joke was 'Bucket'. This bizarre character remained an unseen character (except in one episode, in the background, when someone waves to him), but in almost every episode he was talked about. From various accounts he had no limbs or teeth, but was remarkably able to drive a boat; had never eaten a cereal grain in his life but tended to get drunk often and steal people's ride-on mowers. He would also often arrive home drunk and drink from his dog Alfonzo Dominico Jones's water bowl.

At the end of every episode, except for the pilot and the final episode, there was a brief scene (usually 10 to 20 seconds) which showed Kevin and Trevor sitting on the beach, who would usually sum up the episode, often comedically.

Reception

SeaChange led to the SeaChange effect, repopularising the idea of city dwellers moving to small coastal towns.[1][2] It was one of David Wenham's first major roles.

Video and DVD Releases

The entire series was released on video, with each season released in two parts. Season 1 was released as DVD set, and each season is available on DVD in two parts. The entire series is also available in a DVD boxed set.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2001/aug/seachange.html
  2. ^ http://www.transformationsjournal.org/journal/issue_02/pdf/murphy.pdf
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