Erik Thomson and Bevan Lee

Amazon Prime Video is returning one of our favourite Australian dramas with Back to the Rafters and 6 brand new episodes.

I chat to two television icons. First, creator and writer of Packed/Back to the Rafters Bevan Lee and then secondly Dave Rafter himself, Erik Thomson.

In the first part Bevan Lee chats about:

the complexities of writing the new iteration of Rafters
the overall theme of the 6 episodes
a look at the key characters and how they are re introduced
Michael Caton’s performance as a dementia patient
recasting the role of Rachel Rafter
other favourites returning
Libby Tanner’s character
how the Amazon deal happened
Between Two Worlds
possibility of season 2 of Rafters
the magic ingredients of a reboot

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In the second part Erik Thomson chats about:

any hesitancy in returning to the show
the reunion with the cast
what is in store for Dave and Julie
how the show came back together
who was missed in the reunion
reuniting with Libby Tanner (from All Saints and Pacific Drive)
difference between making the show with Amazon as opposed as to with Seven
meeting now wife Caitlin McDougall
working with Caitlin on The Alice
Always Greener
who is the most popular out of Dave Rafter, George Turner and Mitch Stevens?
Aftertaste on ABC
next projects
the “missing” Logie

Back to the Rafters picks up six years on from when we last saw the Rafter family. Dave (Erik Thomson) and Julie (Rebecca Gibney) have created a new life in the country with youngest daughter Ruby (Willow Speers).

As everyone comes together in Sydney to celebrate Dave and Julie’s 35^th Anniversary, history repeats and circumstances force them all to cram into Ben’s two-bedroom home – once again packed to the-you-know-what. During the visit it becomes apparent that the older Rafter children are facing new challenges with Ben (Hugh Sheridan) recently married to Cassie (HaiHa Le) and hoping to start a family, Nathan (Angus McLaren) trying to do it all as a single dad to Edward (Kaspar Frost) and Rachel (Georgina Haig) living a secret life in New York. Granddad Ted (Michael Caton) struggles to find his place, Julie wrestles with the pain of being absent from the rest of the family, whilst Dave treasures his Buradeena easy lifestyle finding a new mate in his young employee, Paddo (Aaron L. McGrath) who shares his love of motocross racing.

Dave and Julie Rafter’s country-town happiness is brought sharply into question when the city reunion reveals crises in the lives of the rest of the family. What will this mean for Australia’s favourite Mum and Dad? Whether they are crammed under the same roof, or spread out across different cities, towns or countries, the same honesty, love and laughter bonds them all and we see that even as life moves on, family doesn’t.

Created by Bevan Lee, Back to the Rafters was commissioned by Amazon Studios and produced by Seven Studios for Amazon Prime members in over 240 countries and territories. The series is written by Bevan Lee, Margaret Wilson, Trent Atkinson and Katherine Thomson, directed by Jeremy Sims, Lynn Hegarty and Catherine Millar and executive produced by Julie McGuaran, alongside Series Producer Chris Martin-Jones, Co-producer Lesley Parker and Associate Producer Katherine Thomson.

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