Packed to the Rafters

Packed to the Rafters is an Australian family-oriented comedy drama television program which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show continued on Tuesdays in this timeslot for its entire run. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and life issues, while also tackling serious social issues. The Logie award winning series was the highest rating to screen on the Seven Network in 2008, and the show was consistently among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run in Australia.

TV Week announced 2013 that the sixth series of Packed to the Rafters would be the last, with Hugh Sheridan stating, "It's emotional letting go of Rafters – for all of us. It was such an amazing chapter in Aussie TV. I'm really proud we all came back together to send it off." The two-hour finale of Rafters aired on 2 July 2013, and saw the return of Hugh Sheridan, Jessica Marais, Ryan Corr, Jessica McNamee and James Stewart. Rebecca Gibney said, "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 it on a high.  We can say season six winds up an aspect of the Rafter family and there is a sense of finality to it."

A sequel series Back to the Rafters was released on Amazon Prime Video in 2021.

The first season (2008)
The first season premiered on 26 August 2008. The season finale aired 24 March 2009. Season one's storylines included:
 * Julie and Dave's 25th wedding anniversary
 * Rachel and Nathan & Sammy moving back home
 * Ben moving in with Carbo and getting a new flatmate, Mel
 * An amateur porn video of Rachel and Daniel released
 * Ben and Mel sleeping together and eventually dating
 * Rachel's pregnancy and subsequent abortion
 * Carbo and Chrissy's forbidden relationship
 * Ted moving on from late wife Louise
 * The discovery that Julie is pregnant

The second season (2009)
The second season premiered on 30 June 2009. The season finale aired 24 November 2009. Season two's storylines included:
 * Julie's pregnancy and the birth of baby Ruby
 * Ben's heart problems
 * Dave meeting his birth mother Chel
 * Rachel's romance with electrician (“sparky”) Jake Barton
 * Carbo's relationship with his mother's best friend's daughter, Artie
 * Chrissy's crush on Dave, the demise of her friendship with Julie, and her departure
 * Nathan's infidelity and gambling problems
 * Ben and Mel's engagement and marriage
 * Dave's vasectomy
 * Sammy leaving Nathan

The third season (2010)
The third season premiered on 29 June 2010. The season finale aired 16 November 2010. Season three's storylines included:
 * Dave meeting his biological father, Tom Jennings
 * Nathan and Sammy's separation and her subsequent departure
 * Rachel's jealousy of baby sister Ruby
 * Nathan donating a kidney to HIV-positive grandmother Chel
 * Rachel's new job
 * Ben and Mel's fertility troubles
 * Carbo meeting a girl, Retta
 * Julie making friends with Hamish, who develops a crush on her
 * The Rafters meeting Tom's grandson, Coby
 * Mel's death
 * Chel's departure
 * Ben and Nathan's holiday around Australia

The fourth season (2011–2012)
The fourth season premiered on 8 February 2011. The season finale aired 20 March 2012. Season four's storylines included:
 * The return of Ben and Nathan
 * Coby's artistic flare and his outing as an artist by Rachel
 * The finalisation of Nathan and Sammy's divorce
 * Rachel's departure to New York
 * Carbo and Retta's secret marriage
 * The development of a friendship between Julie and Donna
 * Bree's arrival & her romance with Jake and departure
 * Ben's relationship with Donna's daughter Emma
 * Tom's departure
 * The introduction of Matt, the half-brother of Dave
 * Ruby's disappearance
 * Ted's new lease on life and becoming a mentor to Cooper
 * Nathan's departure

The fifth season (2012–2013)
The fifth season premiered on 17 April 2012. The season finale aired 16 April 2013. Season five's storylines included:
 * The introductions of new electrician Frankie Calasso and Julie's boss Adam Goodman
 * Coby and Frankie's tumultuous relationship
 * The reappearance of Jake's father Jim and his subsequent death
 * The end of Ben and Emma's relationship
 * Dave's drunken kiss with Frankie and his subsequent marriage troubles
 * Retta's pregnancy and miscarriage
 * Ben's departure
 * Ted's dementia diagnosis
 * The fire in the Rafter household and its aftermath
 * Emma moving in with Carbo and Retta
 * The arrest of Coby after his assault on Donna's boyfriend (and Dave’s client) Duncan, leading to Coby’s imprisonment and subsequent departure
 * Nathan's marriage to Saskia and the birth of their son Edward
 * The brief return of Nathan and Ben
 * Jake's departure
 * Julie and Dave's 30th wedding anniversary

The sixth season (2013)
The sixth and final season premiered on 23 April 2013. The series finale aired 2 July 2013. Season six's storylines included:
 * The arrival of new sparky and Frankie's old friend Buzz Graham
 * Ted's reunion with ex-lover Eleanor McCormack
 * Matt moving in with Frankie
 * Carbo, Retta and Emma struggling with their florist store
 * Buzz taking a liking to Emma
 * Emma dating Logan/Craig who has been juggling between Donna and her
 * Buzz's son Jackson visiting his dad when he is working and get to know the others
 * The sudden death of a customer of Dave Rafter Electrical who was fond of Frankie and Frankie taking care of his greenhouse
 * Dave coaching the cricket team
 * Nathan calling Sammy for help in his visit to London to look for Saskia
 * Saskia cheating on Nathan and her sleep deprivation
 * Retta pregnant
 * Jake and Rachel getting engaged
 * Dave and Julie's holiday around Australia

Guest
Recurring and minor guest stars have included Melanie Vallejo, Lieschen Pogue, Denise Roberts, Phoebe Tonkin, Damian de Montemas, Malcolm Kennard, Andy Whitfield, Iain PF McDonald, Betty Lucas and Bernard Curry. Kate Ceberano and David Campbell have appeared as themselves.

Production
The producer is Jo Porter, who alongside series creator Bevan Lee and writer Anthony Ellis are part of the same team responsible for the critically acclaimed series Always Greener, which also set ratings records.

The exterior shots of the Rafter house are filmed on location in Concord, while most house interiors were shot in studios at the Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh. Most of the other exterior shots are filmed at locations in Southern Sydney including establishing shots at Oatley and Lugarno shopping centres as well as the Captain Cook Bridge. The dinner venue in episode 1 was filmed at the St George Motor Boat Club at Sans Souci but the indoor scenes in the Chinese Restaurant were a set. The cricket match in episode 2 was filmed at Morrisons Park, Putney. The shopping centre, beach and park scenes in episode 5 were shot in Carss Park. Julie's “Night Club” scenes were shot near Concord, at the Epping Hotel.

Home media
The entire series of Packed to the Rafters has been released on DVD on Region 4 in Australia from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment between 2009 and 2013. A complete series box set was released in 2013. Season two was the only season to receive a Blu-ray release, in addition to its DVD release.

Volume 1
Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack was released on 29 November 2008. It has peaked at No. 7 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. It has since gone triple certified Platinum, selling in excess of 170,000 copies. The songs "I'm Yours" and "Rock & Roll" have been heavily used in promotional advertising for the series.

Track listing

 * 1) Jason Mraz – "I'm Yours"
 * 2) Gabriella Cilmi – "Sweet About Me"
 * 3) Josh Pyke – "Memories and Dust"
 * 4) Ben Lee – "Love Me Like the World Is Ending"
 * 5) Kahn Brothers – "Stronger Together"
 * 6) Lisa Mitchell – "Neopolitan Dreams"
 * 7) The Cat Empire – "Fishies"
 * 8) Old Man River – "La"
 * 9) José González – "Down the Line"
 * 10) James Reyne – "Reckless"
 * 11) Alex Lloyd – "Same Day"
 * 12) Lior – "Burst Your Bubble"
 * 13) Jenny Morris – "Street of Love"
 * 14) Mark Sholtez – "Love Me for the Cool"
 * 15) Abby Dobson – "It's Only Love"
 * 16) Eric Hutchinson – "Rock and Roll"

Volume 2
Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack Volume 2 was released on 18 September 2009. It has peaked at No. 30 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart.

Track listing

 * 1) Latch Key Kid – "Good Times"
 * 2) Lisa Mitchell – "Coin Laundry"
 * 3) Empire of the Sun – "We Are the People"
 * 4) Ben Lee – "Birds and Bees"
 * 5) Eric Hutchinson – "You Don't Have to Believe Me"
 * 6) Bob Evans – "Don't You Think It's Time?"
 * 7) Kylie Auldist – "Just Say"
 * 8) James Grehan – "Hold On"
 * 9) Matt Costa – "Miss Magnolia"
 * 10) Mark Sholtez – "Too Late for Heroes"
 * 11) Lior – "This Old Love"
 * 12) Whitley – "Lost in Time"
 * 13) King Curly – "Little Arrows"
 * 14) Sarah Blasko – "Perfect Now"
 * 15) Abby Dobson – "Horses"
 * 16) Rick Price – "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Volume 3
Packed to the Rafters: The Soundtrack Volume 3 was released on 4 March 2011.

Track listing

 * 1) Uncle Kracker – "Smile"
 * 2) Olly Murs – "Please Don't Let Me Go"
 * 3) The Potbelleez – "Hello"
 * 4) Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Cherine Anderson – "Say Hey (I Love You)"
 * 5) Little Birdy – "Brother"
 * 6) Passion Pit – "Little Secrets"
 * 7) The Cat Empire – "So Many Nights"
 * 8) Kisschasy – "Generation Why"
 * 9) Sarah Blasko – "We Won't Run"
 * 10) Missy Higgins – "Warm Whispers"
 * 11) Bertie Blackman – "Thump"
 * 12) Fatboy Slim – "The Rockafeller Skank"
 * 13) Sally Seltmann – "Harmony to My Heart Beat"
 * 14) Leroy Lee – "Mountain Song"
 * 15) Mark Sholtez – "This Perfect Day"
 * 16) Angus & Julia Stone – "Hush"
 * 17) Daniel Merriweather – "Red"
 * 18) Sia – "I Go to Sleep"
 * 19) Holly Throsby – "Now I Love Someone"
 * 20) The Easybeats – "Wedding Ring"

Critical response
Packed to the Rafters has received positive critical response from reviewers. In reviewing the pilot, David Knox of TV Tonight underlined that whilst the series's tone was "predominantly light", Rafters "also features some darker, more successful moments". The Age's Jim Schembri called Rafters a "superbly sculpted series about suburban class warfare", noting that in his opinion, the series was "one of the most enjoyable, finely honed locally produced TV dramas we've seen in ages", applauding the dialogue that "crackles with wit and energy". Season 2 received an equal amount of outflowing positivity, with Michael Lallo discovering that "Rafters "lighthearted" tone acts as a cloak, allowing it to address controversial topics without making viewers feel they're being lectured. The result is a feel-good series that's meaty and satisfying".

Of the series's characters, Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald found an "elegance to the performances", going on to further applaud the "gentle, engaging, emotional dynamics" of the characters interactions with each other that also managed to both "enhance its charm and believability at the same time".

TV Week Logie Awards
The show was nominated for forty two Logie Awards and won thirteen.

AFI Awards
Packed to the Rafters was nominated for two AFI (now AACTA) Awards in 2009.

Episodes and ratings
The average ratings for Season 1 in 2008 were 1,939,000 making it the No. 1 show of 2008 on Australian television. The second season of Packed to the Rafters averaged 1,881,000, ranking it as No. 2 for the 2009 year. The program has also been picked up by Irish broadcaster RTÉ and New Zealand's TV1 which aired the first season of Packed to the Rafters in early 2009. The series has also been sold to networks in South Africa, Belgium, The Netherlands, several Scandinavian countries, Italy and India.

Series ratings
Packed to the Rafters has been a solid performer in the ratings since its premiere. Most episodes have been the number one programme during prime time for the night since the series premiere and the show has remained in the top ten programs of the week. In 2008, the series was the highest rating regularly broadcast show with an average of 1,939,143 viewers per episode for the first fourteen episodes of season one which screened in 2008. The lower weekly rankings for seasons 5 and 6 are as a result of multiple episodes of single reality shows appearing as separate programs on the weekly list.

Back to the Rafters
In September 2019, it was reported the cast members were in discussion to revive the series for a 2020 season under the working title "Back to the Rafters", however the series would not air on Seven Network, instead would be placed on Amazon Prime Video, which was confirmed in December 2019, and the return of Rebecca Gibney, Erik Thomson, Jessica Marais, Hugh Sheridan, Angus McLaren, Michael Caton and George Houvardas. Filming commenced in Sydney in 2020.

In February 2020, Jessica Marais dropped out of the series for personal reasons. In March 2020, it was announced Georgina Haig would take over the role of Rachel Rafter.