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Packed to the Rafters has “an ending of sorts”

Exclusive: "We've reached a conclusion that could be the end," admits Packed to the Rafters Erik Thomson.

2013-04-11_0049EXCLUSIVE: Seven is yet to make a decision on whether Packed to the Rafters will go back before the cameras, with the cast having filmed an episode that could serve as its finale.

“We’re not filming at the moment but the official line is a decision has not yet been made,” Erik Thomson told TV Tonight.

“That’s the official line, so read between it if you will.”

He said the production has “an ending of sorts” that could effectively be the finale if the network decides not to produce a seventh season.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Next week Seven airs Episode 22 of Season 5 but rolls straight into Season 6 a week later.

“We’ve done 122 episodes, we’ve had 6 series with 5×22 and 1×12 episode series. It’s been really successful and you want to carry on knowing you can maintain that success. That’s a lot of hours of television for what is quite a high quality drama.

“A lot of stories have been told, a lot of people have come and gone. Whether we can continue to do that and still hold our heads up high, I’m not sure.

“But that’s in someone else’s hands.”

Seven’s drama slate is hardly lean with Home & Away, Winners & Losers, A Place to Call Home and Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS.

Meanwhile Thomson is filming The Broken Shore for ABC1, playing Inspector Villani of Irish-Italian descent.

The Broken Shore is a telemovie with the ABC and it’s very exciting. I’ve only had one day’s work on it but I have a few more coming up at the end of the month.

“It’s a great cast in a dark, Aussie thriller based on a Peter Temple book of the same name, shooting in Melbourne and Port Fairy.’

“I’m an actor in Australia so I’m able to do anything really,” he said.

Packed to the Rafters airs 8:30pm Tuesdays on Seven.

22 Responses

  1. I like the sound of that ending Mr Darcy, I like things to end happily and be tied in nicely. They did a similar thing with the finale of 6 Feet Under, I really liked how they went into the future and showed how they all ended up. Desperate Housewives did something similar.

  2. Too often, we’re delivered high quality shows that run until their last breath with a weary cast and lazy scripts/story arcs. Rafters has been a rare and most welcome return to the dramas of old. Constantly fresh and despite the loss of key characters it still manages to pull the numbers. However, I too find that there is a “wrapping up” sense – though as we’re still in S05 it seems pre emptive. This “ending of sorts” while convenient for the producers may not be the best out. I’d like to see it resolve completely and tie up with a spectacular finish akin to Jude McGrath’s scene in the final All Saints. A closed door. Perhaps it could be the Rafters house for sale and a montage of the characters we’ve grown to love. Rachel in NY, Ben and Nathan in distant destinations etc…all elegantly done with a final voice over from Julie Rafter years into the future as she finishes her last chapter in a book and the final shot is of her closing her book with a grown up Ruby. It’s early for me so I’m just thinking aloud but I hope 7 realise the investment that their audience has maintained and given them many high ratings. It would just be a real class act to give the Rafters viewers a decent and final bow out not an “ending of sorts”.

  3. I know I am in the minority, but I am still thoroughly enjoying the Rafters. I only started watching the show in the past few months and was prepared for disappointment following the departure of the Rafter children. However I was pleasantly surprised. Season 5 has had some very engaging storylines and the new talent – namely Retta, Emma, Coby and Frankie – are fantastic.

    I would love to see the show go on longer, but it does feel as though Season 6 is gearing up to be the show’s last with the return of the original cast members. That line about “no official decision” being made does feel awfully similar to City Homicide not receiving a formal cancellation some years ago. The ratings have understandably dropped, but Seven’s scheduling has definitely not helped.

  4. Well I for one will be disappointed if its the end. I think other networks would love to have a drama series for 6 seasons that rates so well every episode.

    I love this show and this season has been really good with teds storyline and coby and frankie. I like how they have included stories around the other characters.

    Channel 7 has always done well at 8:30 on a tuesday. I love winners and Losers but im not sure that will be a consistent winner for them.

    But Tim Warner will probably axe it as he has done with several other aussie dramas.

  5. Rafters will end i’m sure of it, there isn’t much they can do with the show, unless they bring it more people but i doubt that will ever happen, so this weeks episode is the final for season 5 then shaight onto the final season, will sad seeing it disappear from TV, it did have a good run.

  6. I don’t think “Winners and Losers” has been as popular as Seven had hoped it would be. They’d be scratching their heads over the complete lack of Logie nominations in the “Popular” categories. David – when did they finish filming Season 6 of PTTR? I know the actors were really unhappy about the way they dealt with the series last year (showing half a season then showing WAL etc. etc.).

  7. I agree with most of the people here who say Rafters should essentially quit while it is still ahead. I don’t want to see it go the way of Blue Heelers and be relegated to a Saturday death slot. It has had a stellar run and I could understand if the network was anxious about letting it go. However sometimes it is better for the overall drama brand at the network to have shows bow out while they are still relatively popular.

  8. The way that packed to the rafters is progressing it feels like its coming to an end anyway. This is a good thing because if they decide to end it then it should be done properly.

  9. 6 months ago i was saying yes, axe it. but i think it has transformed itself well into a show that could continue for atleast another season.

    i do hope we get an epilogue ending though, i’d really like to see where julie and dave end up.

  10. If it is the final, it’s had a good run. At least they have the foresight to end it properly if it is finished. Nothing worse than shows ending with cliffhangers, then getting axed. The least they can do is tie everything up.

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