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Packed to the Rafters Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
22 Episodes 2008 - 2009
Episode 1
Pilot
Thu, Aug 28, 200855 mins
Dave Rafter is looking forward to a "second youth", alone again with his wife Julie. Their daughter Rachel and lately-successful son Nathan have both married and moved away, and "immature" youngest son Ben has moved next door to help Greek neighbor/friend Nick "Carbo" Karandonis house-sit his parents' home, only neither knows how to run a household. The housemate the boys take in is the very nurse who David felt humiliated by after an overdoses of Viagra to celebrate his re-won freedom. Then things go really wrong: Ron Barrett's firm, where the parents work, downsizes: Dave is kept only half-time. Rachel flees back home, being domestically abused. Nathan is happy with his fresh wife and business-partner but they want to save capital by moving in "for a few months." The parents ultimately accept Nathan's rent, especially when Julie's elderly widowed dad Ted proves unable to live alone anymore and must stay with them.
Episode 2
Playing a Googly
55 mins
Dave still finds his new situation stressing: barely can he cope with giving up his electrician job, or the fact that his wife dumps her father on him - the father wanders through their house as silent as a ghost, only Dave finds out his 'unmanly' secret. Fortunately Ben's new nurse house mate convinces him she'll keep Dave's own exposure secret. Preventing Nathan becoming a rival rooster in dad's roost is hard enough - then daughter Rachel arrives. She opens up only to her mother, yet once Dave steps-up as dad finds it worth a bloody nose being beaten by her addicted husband in order to show he's her protector for life. Finally the firm duel may go badly, involving competitor Warney, family fun cricket sort of seals a stress-series.
Episode 3
She Ain't Heavy
55 mins
Ben enjoys living "free" without his parents, despite the empty fridge and total mess. Realizing that nurse Melissa is a guy-like house-mate only makes her more attractive, so mates Ben and Nick are suddenly rivals--parading macho and undressed--while warning each other that she's off-limits. Meanwhile, only Ben can look after sister Rachel, who's moved back home, fleeing abusive alcoholic husband Daniel, who warns that he won't let her go--and Rachel hits the bottle herself. Ben ends up abused by both feminists as somehow Neanderthal misogynist for barking off a gay pass in a bar, and by his mother, as if he's still not responsible despite doing everything possible. After venting his anger on Nathan for deserting the family barbecue, where Grandad's secret is told in confidence and drunk airhead Rachel reveals that she knows, Ben finds himself on a cliff contemplating suicide.
Episode 4
How Did We Get Here?
55 mins
Nathan Rafter recounts how, in the past 18 months, his dreams seem to have come true, then fallen apart. First, Sammy Westaway becomes his date and lover, then she turns out to be the daughter of real-estate baron Tony Westaway, ideal for a young agent like him. It goes wrong when the honeymoon is canceled as Nathan's grandmother's fatal cardiac arrest at the wedding, then Sammy forbids him to accept a lucrative job from her dad. Within months her shopping addiction exhausts their credit, so they move into his parents' place.
Episode 5
Lines of Communication
44 mins
Julie worries incessantly about the financial strain of supporting the entire family as Dave struggles to get referrals for his electrical contracting business. Meanwhile, Ben is uncomfortable with keeping a secret about Rachel from his family.
Episode 6
Facing Demons
45 mins
After grandpa finds a dirty tape, Rachel tells him how she instantly fell for Daniel Griggs at her first job in advertising. At first he charmed the whole Rafter family but soon proved to be a hopeless substance addict - Rachel doesn't quite manage to break up with him. Now the family knows his own secret, grandpa decides to move back home and face his nosy neighbors.
Episode 7
Self Made Man
55 mins
Nathan Rafter hid the invitation to his rich father-in-law's 50th birthday party from his 'humble' suburban family. When it gets out, everyone blames him. Nathan's wife Sammy insists on organizing the party instead of her mother Trish. Nathan's mother Julie, finally with a reason to dress up worries she has nothing fit to wear. Sister Rachel 'punishes' Nathan by inviting his suave private school mate Oliver as her date so Nathan's 'well-born' cover is blown. Ben and Carbo surprise their mother (in a good way) twice. Tony offers a penthouse to give the couple a new start, but Sammy's pride is dented.
Episode 8
Taking the Lead
55 mins
Ben's drunken one-night stand with Melissa threatens to destroy their potential relationship, so to give her space he seduces Lauren, but she turns out to be just what he didn't need. Meanwhile, Dave's past catches up with him when he sees a television interview with his former bandmate Steve Wilson, and Carbo develops a crush on Chrissey.
Episode 9
Suburban Boy
46 mins
Dave Rafter had been willing to forget about his 'once promising' rock career, but Steve Wilson who continued playing after their sole hit, asks him along for a one-time-only easy tour, which he accepts impulsively. The kids learn about their dad's writing fame, and Nathan finds it most helpful to close a real estate deal with the band's fan magnate Fred Mackie. Bennie stands in as the wine waiter. However something goes wrong. Dave deals with his unfinished business drastically.
Episode 10
All in the Planning
55 mins
Carbo courts Julie's colleague Chrissey Merchant and must babysit his own sister's kids, and Agysilas proves quite a handful for him and Ben. Hotel guest Nick Leigh, investor Venderbergh's man, makes Sam jump through hoops to set her bumbling straight, then courts her. Nathan put his foot down to stop luxuries being bought that they can't afford. Rachel bumps into her ex, Daniel, just when she discovers she's expecting. Although she can't hide it from Melissa, Ben even thinks it's "their" pregnancy, and the family opposes a panic abortion.
Episode 11
Away from It All
46 mins
Julie plans a quality-time weekend away in an old-fashioned beach cabin with Dave, Ted, and the "kids." Nathan says he "can't get away from work" so he can have the house alone with Sammy, but she ruins this rare chance by nagging him about leaving his cellphone on and walks out. Despite her views against all men, Rachel nearly pulls hunky biker Ewan, who tours Australia as long as his terminal MS allows. Ben's nurse-mate Melissa has a bad prawn allergy reaction and refuses to discuss her estranged family. Carbo "hosts" Chrissey back home, but she "can't" commit.
Episode 12
Removing the Block
45 mins
Shortly before Christmas, Dave wants more quality time for just him and Julie, so he enforces a domestic-chores roster. Alas, it exposes everyone to a practical breakdown, a mysterious stench, and Rachel's macrobiotic "cooking"; to her amazement, next door proves that housekeeping can work well, even with kid brother Ben and his cahoot Nick. Nathan feels there's just no time left after work, and that's not working either. Grandpa tries Friend Finders, but is he really ready for dating? Ma misses mothering. Chrissey makes up with Carbo.
Episode 13
Smiling Through the Pain
44 mins
The Rafters feel their bodies let them down. Ben is ashamed an armed hold-up made him literally piss his pants, yet the suggestion of therapy is even scarier. Dad Dave's dental maintenance costs $6,000 but he can't afford without accepting a job with his ex-colleague Warney. Also dealing with his gang lands him in a nightclub and trouble ensues. He still gets the surprise birthday party that he really feels too old for. The girls discover Rachel's yoga motivation, studly guru Vishnu, but ma finds taking the mikey out of her literally painful.
Episode 14
A Mother's Radar
53 mins
Sick of not getting any time alone, Nathan and Sammy arrange a romantic rendezvous at a vacant property but are discovered by Nathan's boss Karl, who promptly fires him. However, Nathan cannot tell Sammy what happened, so he lies to her and his family as he tries to find another job while getting jealous at the reappearance of Sammy's ex-fiancé Owen Matheson. Rachel brings her relationship with Vishnu out in the open but Vishnu's openness upsets Dave. Later Chrissey tells Julie that Vishnu is spreading it around among the female yoga participants--which Julie must tell Rachel, breaking her heart all over again. Meanwhile, Julie has enough of Warney, both at work and working with Dave, so when Warney gets fired from his job Dave fails to see how he should help him.
Episode 15
Natural Justice
44 mins
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 her back to meet Carbo and Melissa but Mel doesn't take to her at all. Ben and Cat help Nathan get back at Damian and Nathan finds a purpose in organising Dave's business. Cat moves in to Ben's old room when he moves in with Mel but is Mel right to have doubts about her?
Episode 16
Having It All
50 mins
Rachel tries to move on with her life after George gives her an inspiring boom but gets mixed results but it does net her a potential new older mate. After appointing Nathan as his new manager to sort out his work life Dave finds that it is not running as smoothly as he had hoped.
Episode 17
Changes
45 mins
Ted ventures back into the dating world but goes a little too far with his double dates. Dave becomes concerned about Rachel's new man Rob as Rachel gets to know Rob's two sons, and Kat arouses suspicions from Chrissey and Melissa, but Ben takes her side. Will it be to his detriment?
Episode 18
House of Cards
44 mins
Ben faces a gut-wrenching dilemma. Should he tell Melissa the truth about his drunken night with Kat? He talks to Kat who promises not to tell Melissa but can he trust her especially when Kat and Mel start to become friendly? Meanwhile, after some prompting from Julie Dave spices up his marriage and organises a strangers rendezvous with Julie at a bar. Later Julie organises a follow-up date in a motel room. Elsewhere, Sammy and Nathan's relationship becomes strained when he discovers she's lied to him about how she got the money to fly to New York for her friend's 21st birthday party. And to top it all Carbo's parents George and Rita arrive back unannounced.
Episode 19
Over the Moon
45 mins
Rachel's boyfriend Rob's enthusiasm for playing happy families startles her and causes her to break up with him. Will Ben get another chance with Mel after fate puts her back in his path? Julie has concerns about her health, and Carbo's mum Rita doesn't help by suggesting that it could be the start of the menopause. Meanwhile, Carbo proposes to Chrissey, which disgusts his mother and prompts him to move in with Chrissey.
Episode 20
Losing the Touch
45 mins
Julie's hormones are playing havoc with her usual ability to give sound advice to her family. Ben decides to declare his love to Mel on national television with comic results and Rachel reveals that she is moving out to live with her best friend Libby - but is this really the best decision? Elsewhere, Sammy returns home from New York with expensive presents for all the family, but Nathan is not impressed. Sammy takes it bad and decides to move home shortly before an investigation begins into her father's personal fortune.
Episode 21
What a Difference a Year Makes
45 mins
As Julie remembers her mother's anniversary along with Ted and the family, Nathan tries to re-connect with Sammy on their first wedding anniversary. But Julie is in for a huge shock, and Ted takes the brunt of it but mistakenly thinks it's because she doesn't like his new lady friend Marjorie. Elsewhere, Ben tries to win Melissa back, but he too is in for a shock when her ex-fiancé Shannon turns up looking for her. Meanwhile, Sammy tries to get her dad to face up to the wrong he has done to all his investors.
Episode 22
Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone
44 mins
Dave and Julie tackle the shocking news that Julie is to become a mum for the fourth time. But the risks at Julie's age cause grave concern for Dave and he urges her to think about it, as he'd rather have her than not have her. Rachel reveals her painful abortion secret to Julie, and Melissa's ex Shannon tries to get to see Melissa, but Ben is not making it easy. Meanwhile, Ted finds it easier to talk to Marjorie about his family than to talk to his own family; and Sammy's mother leaves her dad and goes off to London on holiday.
