Must See TV: Rain Shadow November 4 and 11th
With the recent increase in ratings for locally produced dramas, it is disappointing to note that Rain Shadow is not being received better by the viewing public. For anyone who is not in the know, Rain Shadow is the story of Kate McDonald, a prickly vet who has just been joined by a young enthusiastic assistant in her rundown practice in the small, rainstarved South Australian town of Pilbara. Rachel Ward gives a marvellous multifaceted performance as Kate, the cranky vet with the secret past - think of All Saint's Frank Campion in a dress and you can't go far wrong. The way she snaps at all and sundry it is no surprise that on hearing that Kate has just adopted a stray cat that someone quips "the witch has found herself a familiar".
Despite her austere outward appearance, this is a woman who needs just as much healing as that which she despatches daily to the district's livestock - it has become clear that her damaged personality is a direct result of her husband's death thirteen years ago. To call her a woman at breaking point may be an underestimation. She is trapped in her practice, between the town and the graveyard, not able to take a holiday and determined to keep her husband's practice going at all costs. There is also the added complication that she has failed to tell the Department of Agriculture of a notifiable disease and consequently her career could well be on the line.
Rain Shadow is possibly one of the best quality dramas ever to grace Australian television screens and it is my hope that the show will continue for many series to come. Mature scripts, sensitively crafted performances and superior production values have combined to make a topnotch drama that deserves to be seen and appreciated by many. Every second of screen time is one to be savoured, this is certainly award winning material.
Rachel Ward is not the only person turning in a superb performance. Kim Knuckey (Home and Away's Sgt. McGrath) and Heather Mitchell are also superb as the well-to-do Balfours. The ever reliable Gary Sweet turns up as the shady Larry and Shane Withington (A Country Practice's Brendan Jones) returns to the countryside as another memorable farmer, Harry Greene.
Having already viewed the final two episodes of this series I can only recommend that no-one that can watch should miss these episodes. I defy anyone not to be moved by the shocking final scene in episode five. If you can help it, don't miss either episode. They truly are 'must-see' TV.
Rain Shadow - ABC Sunday nights at 8.30pm.
