Guys I have a problem and it’s called “I can’t stop writing about Australian TV moments instead of doing my actual job here”. Oh well, sorry anyone that likes fashion and beauty. Instead, you get iconic Aussie telly moments from 2005.
Today, I’m on a disasters bend. I’ve deep dived Wikipedia to find a bunch of primo Aussie drama episodes that were basically producers going “well, shit. Ratings are down, what should we do? Blow some folks up? Drive a bus off a cliff?”.
I’m talking big, dramatic arcs that often left no one dead (sometimes though, our faves died and that was never a good time) but just destroyed sets and cost loads of money.
Here’s a whole bunch I found/remembered – it’s not nearly definitive, so as always, hit me up in the comments with ones you recall and I’ll try and pop ’em in.
HOME AND AWAY – THE HOSPITAL BOMB
Crazy Jade Montgomery plants a bomb in Bianca Scott‘s bag, which then explodes in the hospital for this ripper of a 2013 season finale. It left Bianca in a coma and took the life of Ethan, as well as causing Ricky‘s miscarriage.
HOME AND AWAY – THE CARAVAN PARK EXPLOSION
The explosion at Roo‘s fundraiser, held at the caravan park and, of course, featuring all the people you care about, was major. Characters Hannah Wilson and Oscar McGuire didn’t make it.
BLUE HEELERS – STATION BOMBING
In 2004, Blue Heelers was in dire straits ratings-wise. So, what better to do than just fucking BLOW UP the entire police station, kill off a major character, and scoop in some boonta ratings? Jo Parrish died in the blast, as did Clancy. It also injured (!!!) show stalwart Sergeant Croydon (the old guy). They moved to an entirely new station until the show’s cancellation 2 years later.
PACKED TO THE RAFTERS – MEL’S CAR CRASH
FUCKKKK mates this was such an intense episode, viewers were literally warned by a PSYCHOLOGIST that they might experience real, actual grief from it. Mel was a beloved character and the death came completely out of the blue. It was also a sobering warning about the dangers of checking your phone while driving. Do not do that, guys.
HOME AND AWAY – ZOE BLOWS UP JACK AND MARTHA’S WEDDING
This was a solid, 10/10 explosion my friends – Zoe, the resident stalker, escaped from jail and attended the reception of very beloved couple Jack and Martha. The explosion killed Peter Baker and Rachel‘s mum, but it was also the reason a bunch of injured characters were plopped onto a helicopter – which then crashed in the bush. FUCKING WILD.
MCLEOD’S DAUGHTERS – CLAIRE’S CAR CRASH
Good lord, this might not be a major dramatic disaster but it WAS a huge, intense car crash and it DID take one of the most well-loved characters, Claire McLeod, from Aussie screens. There’s no straight footage of the scene so enjoy this weird montage set to Avril Lavigne.
NEIGHBOURS – LASSITER’S COMPLEX FIRE BURNS EVERYTHING
Fucking Paul Robinson – he had to go burn down the entire Lassiter’s complex so he could build his own business in it’s place. Literally burns down Lou’s Place (noooo), Karl’s doctors surgery, a hotel, and the damn coffee shop. Rude, tbh.
NEIGHBOURS – TOADIE’S WEDDING BLOWS UP
Toadie’s had shit luck on the wedding front and his most recent nuptials to Sonya were no exception. A bomb goes off, a couple of non-important people die, it’s a good time. Can you tell all this TV explosion googling has made me incredibly insensitive?
NEIGHBOURS – TORNADO
FOR GOD’S SAKE. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You can’t just DECIDE somewhere that would literally never get tornadoed is just gonna get tornadoed for the sake of soapie drama.
MCLEOD’S DAUGHTERS – CAR EXPLOSION
This one’s in because it was a VERY INTENSE moment for McLeod’s fans. Jodi goes into witness protection with her new love Matt, they drive off into the sunset, then BAM! Huge car explosion and everyone assumes they’re dead. Except psych they weren’t – they faked it to be free from the folks hunting Matt down forever.
BLUE HEELERS – MINE SHAFT CAVE-IN
If you are too young to remember the absolute national treasure that was Maggie Doyle, played by ~our~ Lisa McCune, I’m sorry for your loss. Maggie and PJ were the #1 sexual-tension-riddled couple of 90’s Aussie TV, and when they fell into a mine shaft (or something, got stuck in one basically) and hooked up for the first time it was HUGE FUCKING NEWS.
A COUNTRY PRACTICE – BUSH FIRE
How’s this for wild – to finish out their existence on Channel 7, A Country Practice just set everything on fire, basically.
HOME AND AWAY – LAND SLIDE
Channel 7 had the Olympics in 2000, so what do they do with Home and Away since it’ll have to go on a month-long hiatus? DESTROY SUMMER BAY. Well, most of it – they gave the Bay a landslide and left a whole bunch of lives in jeopardy. Only Gavin, a character I can’t even remember, actually ended up dying.
NEIGHBOURS – PLANE CRASH
Evil Robert plants a bomb on the Neighbours Tassie-bound plane, and the crash results in the entire Bishop family – well, not Harold (PLEASE) but David, Liljana and Serena Bishop all sadly passed.
