Rain Shadow

2007
Rain Shadow

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 The Long Paddock Oct 07, 2007

Enthusiastic young vet Jill Blake (Victoria Thaine) arrives in the dusty one-horse town of Paringa to find only a curt note directing her to her spartan new home. When her new boss, the notoriously "difficult" Kate McDonald (Rachel Ward), turns up, her attitude is as dry as the drought-stricken landscape... Set to work immediately, Jill encounters many of the problems of dry-land farming in stark relief: a farmer who can cope with neither the drought nor his mounting debts; another forced off his land by the bank; and a third confronting the vexed issues of succession and future planning. Then there's the spectre of a notifiable sheep disease, the mere mention of which turns Kate's prickly attitude to open hostility. It's clear that Kate has a stronger connection to the land and the people on it than just treating their animals. Kate tells Jill that she either accepts her way of working or she needn't bother unpacking her bags. If that weren't enough to scare Jill off, there's the mysterious locked room in Kate's house, and the light from its window in the middle of the night...

EP2 You Can't Eat Scenery Oct 14, 2007

Jill is shocked by the austerity of life in the drought-stricken area, and is sensitive to every sign of distress and decline. From the bruise on Gail Klein's cheek to Kate's attempt to exclude her from Tom Huppatz's father's funeral, Jill senses there is much amiss in this place, and it goes far beyond the lack of rain. Neither Kate nor the local farmers seem willing to admit to their dire position and a government sponsored drought relief workshop comes as an unwelcome reminder of their plight, rather than an offer of hope. Meanwhile, for those who can no longer live on the land, the very real choice to die on it lurks in the shadow of debt. Sketchy information about the premature death of Kate's husband, and its effect on her, is another puzzle for Jill to solve. The sheep disease, which should be reported to the authorities, causes more tension between Jill and Kate. Tom Huppatz's distress at learning he won't inherit the family farm is nothing compared to Fred Klein's tipping over the edge as everything he knows and holds dear is stripped away from him. Kate's handling of these issues - the first infuriating, the second with all the gentle brutality of a mercy killing - leaves Jill awe-struck but wondering if she can ever really fit in.

EP3 Paringa Rules Oct 28, 2007

Achmed Aziz (Panda Likoudis), an Iraqi agronomist, arrives on a study tour and Kate (Rachel Ward) fears he will submit a report on the condition of the local sheep. Having rebuffed Jill's attempts to empathise with her, Kate then forces her to co-operate with a plan to cover up the sheep problem until the drought breaks, after which it will be irrelevant. Jill is morally and professionally challenged by this, but then finds herself defending Kate to James Campbell, a vet in a nearby town who has designs on Kate's practice (and Jill's body). Meanwhile, Achmed meets diverse characters such as the mysterious Larry Riley, a wealthy man with no known source of income, and Harry Greene (Shane Withington), the ultimate pragmatist, known locally as the Grim Reaper for his blithe exploitation of others' misfortune. After the sale of the Huppatz farm for a knock-down price reignites a feud between Tom Huppatz (Tom O'Sullivan) and local bigwig Lachlan Balfour (Kim Knuckey), Kate is furious when she discovers Jill, unable to suppress her personal and professional curiosity, has conducted laboratory tests on the diseased sheep.

EP4 Black And White Nov 04, 2007

Kate is injured in a cattle yard accident, forcing Jill to run the practice on her own. It seems the order of the world has been restored when Jill gets to do some refreshingly routine vet work and achieves results, mostly without Kate's help or interference. But her world is thrown off kilter again when she and Kate perform highly illegal life-saving surgery on Larry Riley, who has managed to acquire a gunshot wound. Then Kate tests Jill's courage, watching her destroy Larry's mortally wounded dog. While Kate seems able to justify breaking the law to achieve the right result, Jill now feels completely compromised. By helping to save Larry's life, she has become part of the skewed morality of the Rain Shadow country. Ironically, having longed to be accepted, she is now wondering exactly what it is that she's embraced.

EP5 The Call Of The Wild Nov 11, 2007

With Jill almost reconciled to the idea of an imperfect future with Kate, the past catches up with her when her father, brother and then Shane, all descend on them for an impromptu country lunch. All three men are there with the intention of wooing Jill away from her new life, although each has a very different motivation. Meanwhile, Kate is trying to persuade the departing Iraqi agronomist, Achmed Aziz, not to tell the authorities about the widespread sheep disease in the district. A horrific attack on the Balfour farm by a pack of dogs distracts everyone, but it gives Jill a chance to show her true worth as well as crystallising her decision to stay in Paringa. She is unexpectedly rewarded by Kate's confession about what really happened the night her husband died. The revelation is as shocking in its candour as it is in content. Jill is both accepted and challenged as she realises she's now privy to the dark secret that has cast its shadow over the last decade of Kate's life.

EP6 The Soldiers Choice Nov 18, 2007

Relieved of the burden of her secret, Kate appears to have lost the will to challenge the area's destiny. Threatened by the fact that rival vet James Campbell will expose her decision not to notify the authorities about the sheep disease, she agrees to sell him her practice, mostly in order to save Jill's career. But Jill, realising she is the only person who knows what really happened to Kate's husband, and in view of the new bond created between them following Kate's confession, refuses to allow her to give up so easily. Even when Kate is determined to sacrifice herself yet again, Jill comes up with a radical plan that could save the farmers of Paringa and allow Kate to embrace the possibility of a happy and guilt free future - but only if Kate can overcome her notorious stubborn streak.
7.5| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 07 October 2007 Ended
Producted By: Southern Star
Country: Australia
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.southernstargroup.com/production/production.aspx?programId=23
Synopsis

Rain Shadow is an Australian television drama series which premiered on 7 October 2007 on ABC TV. It aired on Sundays at 8.30 pm. The six-part series was produced by Southern Star. Music from The Audreys features in the soundtrack for the show, including the main theme. Rain Shadow was shot in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia and is set in the fictional district of Paringa, a dry land farming area in a rain shadow. It tells the story of two characters who become the means of each other's future. It stars Rachel Ward as district vet Kate McDonald and Victoria Thaine as new veterinary assistant Jill Blake.

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Reviews

geoffdb The drought-stricken landscape of South Australia is a basic element, almost a 'character', of this well-written series, which I'm watching again for its 2nd run. But the dramatic tension relies on the relationship between the female leads of Rachel Ward and Victoria Thaine - sometimes tense, usually respectful. Many scenes work for their unfinished or repressed words, and awkward silences of these actors, as their characters struggle to relate to each other. Lots of good Oz wine is consumed - South Australian, no doubt ! Rachel Ward looks as sexy as ever, albeit unaided by makeup or other enhancements - which she doesn't need !With pedigreed writers like Tony Morphett involved, we expect and get fine results in this ABC TV production.
hjmsia49 I obtained this DVD from my local library because I was curious as to what Rachel Ward has been doing since I saw her in "The Thorn Birds." I was delighted to see that this fine actress is as at home in Paringa as she was in Dragheda. It would appear that the occupants of both Australian locations dealt with a similar problem- drought. There are impressive performances by both Rachel Ward and Victoria Thaine as a pair of veterinarians serving a dreary landscape. They carry this film and their chemistry is obvious after a rocky introduction. Some will contend that the premise of a young girl from the big city having any interest in establishing a practice in such a dreary location strains credulity. However, this talented pair manage to make that unlikely premise believable. Unfortunately, the male characters are not as clearly defined and are upstaged by the two feminine leads. The film lags when the ladies are absent. We never learn what the mysterious Larry is up to and some will miss the fact that there is little or no sexual magnetism between the two ladies and any of the men in this story. It is hard to visualize Rachel Ward being celibate for 15 years. The film is overlong and the camera dwells too long on the the barren surroundings. We get the message, they need rain. However, I found the film educational and informative especially for Americans who don't recognize the Australia beyond Sydney harbor and Bondi Beach. While not as diverse and entertaining as the Thorn Birds, the brilliant performances of Rachel Ward and Victoria Thaine make it well worth watching. Go see it.
ftech1 Perhaps I am a bit biased as my family participated in the filming of the series. I found it to be quite realistic as we live in the area the series was filmed in. Life is very slow here especially compared to the area in New York we originated from. It is also very different in comparison to Adelaide which is 50 km from here. Lack of rain in our area is very devastating for the farmers as I am sure it is through out Australia. It is about time someone shows the true impact that perhaps everyday people and corporations take it seriously enough to do their best to conserve water. Rachel Ward is a lovely woman that took the time to speak to my daughter Amanda who played Pam the "puppy girl" in episode 2. We may be from NY but we are naturalized and take quite seriously the issues facing this country. Keep watching and see what life is like for those that supply our crops and meat. Its a great series !!!
rosen-17 I may be jumping in here, having only seen the first episode, but even at this early stage, my most overwhelming response is one of disappointment. I really, really wanted to like this series, having grown up in a remote and perpetually dry farming area, but no matter how much I try, I can't.Firstly, the concept of a young and eager vet from the city moving to a rural region in the grip of a long dry to assist the resident (female, middle-aged, complex, crusty) vet - played by Rachel Ward - is a worthy one, but somehow it just isn't enough. It feels clichéd and corny, and as I watched, I couldn't help but think that the vet from 'A Country Practice' was almost more believable!!! Having said that, I feel that Rachel Ward holds this whole thing together. She's a trooper of many years, and the camera loves her.My real problem with this is the way the locals are portrayed, with names like Fred and Harry (although Shane Withington as Harry looks the real deal!)and most of the men wearing Akubras or a cheaper version of it. For the 1997-ish film 'Road To Nhill' the writer spent a number of months living in the area about which she later wrote, so her perspective was an informed one. In 'Rain Shadow' the locals - so far at least - are treated as one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. Strange as this may seem to city dwellers, country folk are quite complex, and their lives and choices can provide great stories for astute and observant writers. I hope my pessimism about this series will prove to be unfounded.