Packed to the Rafters
Packed to the Rafters is an Australian family-oriented television series which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show has 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, whilst 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 has consistently been among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run in Australia. It was announced in TV Week that the sixth season 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 series finale of Rafters aired on 2 July 2013, which 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."
Actor: Zoe Ventoura, Jessica Marais, Jessica McNamee, George Houvardas, Caroline Brazier, Hannah Marshall, Rebecca Gibney, Michael Caton, Erik Thomson, Angus McLaren
Creator: Bevan Lee
Country: Australia
Type: tv
Season: 1
Episode: 1
Duration: 1h
Release: 2008
Rating: 7.7
Season 1 - Packed to the Rafters
29 Aug 2008
"Dave Rafter was looking forward to a 'second youth', alone again with his wife Julie, after daughter Rachel and lately successful son Nathan's marriages and 'immature' adult son Ben moved ..."
11 Nov 2008
"Shortly before Christmas Dave wants more quality time for Julie and him, so he enforces domestic chores roster. Alas that exposes everyone to a practical breakdown, a mysterious stench and ..."
25 Nov 2008
"Sick of not getting anytime alone, Nathan and Sammy arrange a romantic rendezvous at a vacant property but are discovered by Nathan's boss Carl who promptly fires him. However, Nathan ..."
03 Feb 2009
"Nathan continues his search for a job opportunity in property and finds out that his old colleague Damien has been bad-mouthing him. Ben goes on jury duty and meets Cat and ends up bringing..."
2009-03-24
"Last week saw a huge surprise bestowed on Dave and Julie. With three grown up kids, and the youngest being born 21 years ago, just how will Dave and Julie cope? What with the nappies, school runs and the lack of sleep and time; let alone the actual delivery? Dave and Julie have some serious life changing decisions to make, that not only have ramifications for themselves as individuals and a couple, but may shake the very foundation of the family."
Season 2 - Packed to the Rafters
14 Jul 2009
"Ben is determined to get a promotion to Bar Manager at the Bar but must compete against another more qualified manager to get the coveted job. Rachel goes on a number of blind dates, most ..."
04 Aug 2009
"Ted and Marjorie's romance continues to blossom until he meets her opinionated lesbian daughter Susannah and her pregnant partner Abbey. Rachel gets trapped in a building that is being ..."
06 Oct 2009
"Dave throws the party of all parties for Ben and Melissa's engagement which distracts him from news that Chel is attending the renal unit several times a week. Nathan panics when he hears ..."
20 Oct 2009
"Rachel sees Sammy having lunch with her old boyfriend Owen and hatches a plot with Jake to get Sammy and Nathan together. Meanwhile, Julie goes back to consult psychic Bonnie about her ..."
27 Oct 2009
"Rachel meets her ex-boyfriend Daniel at the advertising campaign launch of Rampart of which Jake is also involved. She soon discovers that flowers that she thought Jake sent were actually ..."
10 Nov 2009
"Carbo is lonely with Ben and Melissa gone on honeymoon so he ends up on a bender with Warney and drunkenly allows Warney to move in fearing Ben and Mel would want their own place. Meanwhile..."
17 Nov 2009
"After getting knocked back on the job front Nathan heads out into rural country to look for his grandfather Tom Jennings but gets a shock when he finds out he's in jail. Later, Nathan and ..."
2009-11-24
"Julie faces her greatest challenge yet \u2013 the birth of her fourth and final child without husband Dave at her side.\n\nAfter Dave leaves for his vasectomy, Julie begins to have contractions, and though she thinks they\u2019re probably Braxton Hicks, Melissa and Ben insist on getting her to a hospital. \n\nOnce in hospital, Julie\u2019s obstetrician Sandra Marsh observes that the signs of labour have disappeared \u2013 but now that Julie is in hospital, she\u2019s not allowed to leave until she gives birth. Julie reluctantly gives in \u2013 and tells Ben not to worry Dave as he will undoubtedly call them once his procedure is over. \n\nHowever Julie\u2019s labour pains start up again \u2013 this time for real. Ben leaves frantic voice messages for Dave, realising they don\u2019t know the name of the clinic where his vasectomy is taking place. Will Dave make it to the hospital in time?\n\nMeanwhile, Jake invites her to lunch with his family \u2013 at his mother\u2019s Grace\u2019s insistence. When Rachel expresses surprise, Jake admits that he has told Grace that she is going to be in his life long term. Rachel is taken aback \u2013 what kind of commitment is Jake talking about? However, the family lunch takes a dark turn when Jake begins to fit, collapsing on the floor.\n\nMeanwhile, Nathan surprises Sammy with a cheque for $14,000. He took some spare chips back to the casino and won \u2013 enough for them to pay off the remainder of their debt and put down bond on an apartment. They\u2019re finally able to move out of the Rafter house. Despite their good fortune, Nathan can\u2019t help but think what he and Sammy could do if they had more money \u2013 maybe even put down a deposit on a place. So instead of taking the cheque to the bank\u2026Nathan heads back to the casino. Will he come up trumps or lose the lot?"
Season 3 - Packed to the Rafters
13 Jul 2010
"Ben wants to make up with Mel by treating her to romance for their anniversary, so he books a balloon surprise trip. Nathan can't talk Carbo out of treating the happy couple to a ..."
14 Sep 2010
"Ben is naughtily amused when Mel discovers that Carbo's 'future bride' only invited him as date for her gay room-mate and confidant Jamie, who happens to share many interests with Nick. Ben..."
28 Sep 2010
"Ben is desperate for fatherhood, so he pushed reluctant Mel to test, is disappointed by the result, but it makes Mel realize she's ready for motherhood too. Nathan can't resist feeding ..."
2010-11-16
"With Christmas and Ruby's first birthday fast approaching, the Rafter family struggle to get back on track.\n\nDave is struggling with his own demons. Julie gently convinces him to give therapy another try. Finally able to find the words his therapist's been pushing for, it seems that Dave might finally be starting to address some of his issues.\n\nAnd then when the whole family gathers for Ruby's first birthday and she takes a first tentative step, it seems all could be coming right in the Rafter world.\n\nJulie discovers that Coby's apprenticeship papers have arrived. In the spirit of moving on, the Rafters feel that life is too short to hold grudges.\n\nDave speaks to Coby, who promises never to let them down again and Dave renews his offer of an apprenticeship to a grateful nephew."
Season 4 - Packed to the Rafters
08 Feb 2011
"Ben returns from the road trip, nobody asks why exactly Nathan isn't with him, allegedly staying with a girl. Still unable to sleeping Mel's room, he's found in his car, so Rachel moves out..."
15 Feb 2011
"Nathan is finally back, he and Ben can't hide long that they parted in utter confusion, actually after Ben's mindless cliff dive landed him in hospital. The annual garage cleaning and ..."
22 Feb 2011
"Jake is the object of a police investigation after Jodi filed an abuse complaint, ignoring the names of Camel's gang. A party finally gets Ben back in the mood to live his life post-Mel. ..."
01 Mar 2011
"Ben is spirited enough to return to Carbo's home and join in a ruthless prank war. Nathan's itching powder makes Ben's application for a bar job with the club's new owner awkward, but he ..."
15 Mar 2011
"Ben can't resist watching without warning when the flyer Nathan has spread for his spare parts web site contains a saucy ambiguity. Jake gets his court date and asks Rachel to stand by him,..."
20 Sep 2011
"Even Jake couldn't make Coby keep his promise to Tom to attend a family dinner with the girl who propped up at hospital: Coby's hated sister Bree Jennings, who was raised by their mother, ..."
11 Oct 2011
"Despite Coby's warnings, Alex lives to please Bree and even Jake is seduced to kiss her. Envious of former employee Warney's success, Dave bids for an urgent, too large job, for which Ben ..."
18 Oct 2011
"Ben considers investing Mel's life Insurance in Tom's mate's nightclub, but hesitates even after Dave turns down using it to upscale his electrician firm. Nathan finally agrees to help with..."
25 Oct 2011
"Ben still denies his obvious, probably requited feelings for Emma. Tom gets him to take the boys out clubbing at his so-called mate's present, popular night-club, suggesting they should ..."
14 Feb 2012
"Ben stubbornly insists on giving Tom, who obviously stole his insurance fortune, the benefit of the doubt, and refuses to 'break Dave's heart', so the boys agree to search the thief ..."
06 Mar 2012
"Besides brewing his own beer 'Ted's Tap', and despite the bottle all around, Ted is approved for the Great Mates program, as substitute father figure for super-shy preteen Cooper. The ..."
2012-03-20
"Ben and Emma are both nervously looking forward to their first date. When Carbo and Retta return from the honeymoon from hell, Ben and Emma head out to a restaurant and enjoy a perfect evening."
Season 5 - Packed to the Rafters
24 Apr 2012
"Ben moves to Nathan's villa room to avoid Mel's shadow now he shares his bed with Emma. Carbo, already rodent-terrorized, is not amused that Retta has turned into a ruthless scrooge to save..."
01 May 2012
"On Valentine's day, the bachelors wrestle with who if at all send a card and what those they get mean, and Matt's prank ones complicate things. Even young couple CarboRetta hesitates what's..."
08 May 2012
"Coby stubbornly denies having a crush on Frankie, even tries to avoid her by missing out on a drinking night. Yet Coby ends up joining and volunteers during his remaining holiday to drive ..."
15 May 2012
"Dave has landed another major contract, so he ends the boys to keep in shape, yet they insist on some partying. Jake is baffled when his father, who left his ma when he was four, turns up ..."
22 May 2012
"Coby spares no effort on a 'casual' surprise for Frankie, in secret despite his house-mates's growing suspicions, but she appreciates his birds couple tattoo design, only to specify later ..."
29 May 2012
"Ben and Emma really need a break together, with all the hassle from her mother-boss and CarboRetta's baby and nursery obsession. So they rent her professor's country house and enjoy simple,..."
12 Jun 2012
"Dave and Frankie feel terrible about their drunk kiss, so she offers to resign, but he decides to leave everything as if nothing happened. Coby agonizes whether to tell anyone but his ..."
19 Jun 2012
"Coby's hasty resignation leaves his CV scarily sparse, so he ends up in a terrible job in suited car-wash publicity, starting to doubt if he should have sacrificed his apprenticeship. Dave ..."
29 Jan 2013
"Ben is confident he'll get a bank loan to buy the cottage, but misses his first appointment due to Carbo's absurd indoor game. After Julie insisted to give even Frankie her job back, the '..."
12 Feb 2013
"Jake is surprised when his brother Alex turns up unannounced, fired 'due to the economy' but actually becoming a junkie. To vacate Alex's old room 'so long', Julie invites sleazy Matt ..."
19 Feb 2013
"Jake has dragged Alex back home so their mother can keep an eye on the junkie, but he soon begs to come back so as to avoid her man Doug and 'forgives' Jake for visiting their father Jim. ..."
05 Mar 2013
"Pushed by his mates, who also wondered why they're never invited at her place, actually her late father's, Coby finally makes another move on Frankie, which ends up in her bed, and recovers..."
26 Mar 2013
"Coby becomes a nervous, guilt-crushed wreck as developer Duncan Galloway insists on formal abuse charges. The gang gets him to apologize to grumpy Donna, who soon discovers Duncan still has..."
09 Apr 2013
"Shortly before his trial, Coby jumps bail. Looking for him with the gang makes Jake miss his father's fatal surgery. Coby has a void meeting at Doug's and sneaks back in at Jake's to ..."
Season 6 - Packed to the Rafters
02 Jul 2013
"Cody is finally released from jail. he finds Dave packing, as the house is sold. When Nathan's warning finding an affordable house is nearly impossible proves true, they resign to renting. ..."
