What’s it about?

Does life begin at 40? Is a change as good as a holiday? Is all that glitters not gold? Okay, enough with the cliches - but if you answered "yes" to each of the above, this might be the show for you. If not, you've got an appointment at Melrose Place (yes, you can still catch it on cable).

What does a woman have to do to "have it all"? How about a sparkling legal career and the promise of a partnership; a handsome husband; two happy and healthy kids. Whoops! As Joni Mitchell sang, "Just when you're thinking you've finally got it made, bad news comes knocking on your garden gate". Bad news? Son Rupert gets expelled from school; that partnership goes elsewhere; husband Jack is charged with corporate fraud, and unfortunately has taken the family savings with him; and oh, by the way, he's also having an affair with…your sister!

As it says in the theme song:

Don't wanna live in the city, my friends tell me I'm changin',
The smell of salty air, is what I'm chasin'.
You probably think I'm mad, but it feels good to me,
Cos from now on I'll live as close as I can to the sea
I don't know why I'm going through the seachange
I'm reaching out to the sky for a seachange

Laura Gibson has wonderful memories of sleepy seaside town Pearl Bay, and so when they advertise a position for a magistrate, well, what the heck, things couldn't get any worse. Except that this charming town has changed a lot since that halcyon holiday a decade ago. It's now a pretty mixed-up place, economically in the doldrums, and in need of a decent coat of paint. And things don't improve when Laura's first day in court sees her predecessor before the bench, not that she's going to get much help from her clerk (a surfie with a confused view of romance) and the police prosecutor who wants to lure him down the aisle. And Laura's not really rid of husband Jack, who makes an unexpected return (breaking his bail). His lover (yes, Laura's sister) will similarly visit to create havoc, to the extent that we believe she is bearing his child (turns out not to be true). All this is grist for the gossip mill in Pearl Bay - no, it's not a malicious place, but a little bit of gossip goes a long way in this sleepy seaside town.

Who's it about?

Laura
Laura has fallen for the upwardly mobile three-card trick. She's full throttle into a legal career, but she seems to have forgotten her marriage and her children. No, it's hardly her fault that hubbie turned out to be a criminal, and her law partners have not recognised her ability, but as the Bible says, "what does it profit a man…". Does her life have meaning? Is the gridlocked traffic worth the effort?   We're about to find out.

You can hardly blame Laura for feeling lost as a "single". She couldn't even get the now departed Diver Dan to take her to the annual Magistrates' Dinner-Dance - to avoid this chore he gets himself arrested for unpaid fines! But Laura has clearly become attached to the strange ways of Pearl Bay (maybe it's all that tantric energy Carmen goes on about). When it looked like the courthouse was going to be closed, the whole town embarked on a criminal spree to keep Her Worship busy! She was even offered a job at her old law firm, but when the town turned up to give her a huge welcome back, we knew she's well and truly hooked. And you can't help but like a person who knows all the lyrics to "Eagle Rock".

Max Connor
Max is an ex-foreign correspondent who has returned to Peal Bay, his home town, in search of the Great Australian Novel. He's got a very dry wit, although clearly he has the pulse of the town and is able to help Laura understand their quirky humour. But as most of the women viewers will have worked out, Max has his defences well and truly raised. Of course there's a sensitive guy underneath - or is there?

Diver Dan
Laconic Renaissance Man, Daniel Della Bosca used to be a shark wrangler! Understandably he has retired from that dubious vocation, but that feat of daring has certainly earned him the respect of his fellow Pearl Bay citizens.

He doesn't give much away, our Dan, but there is a wisdom not too far beneath the surface. He runs a ferry and boat hire business/café on the pier, Diver Dan's Café, where the service is inadequate but the ambience is perfect for that quiet moment away from the hurly burly.

And he's a deft hand with a gourmet dish, which he whips up occasionally at the Tropical Star. He also knows a thing or two about tides, the effects of meteorites on sea mullets, various weather forecasting matters and the perfect cup of coffee. And when Rupert needs some guidance, he dons the gloves and gives him a few pointers about the manly art of boxing - typically, it is a disaster.

Dan wanted Laura to follow him to the Galapagos Islands. But how could she leave her children, and there's no doubt she had become enamoured with Pearl Bay. So Dan sailed off into the sunset.

Miranda & Rupert
Mother Laura hasn't paid enough attention to their formative years, more interested in her career and the loftier end of the corporate ladder. Miranda shows all the signs of developing a difficult streak, although her maturity will stand her in good stead.

Like his sister, Rupert is bright, but he's missing the father figure in his life since the move to Pearl Bay. But the anarchic seaside town may also allow him to blossom and find his feet.

Nevertheless both children have become attached to the strange ways of Pearl Bay - when it looked like they would have to move back to the city they were clearly despondent.

Carmen
She wafts into town, the niece of Meredith, pregnant and up on charges involving a bit of a scam - she pretends to be a food critic to score free meals. Carmen believes a "tantric nexus" is created between the male and female energies at Brabey Point, a favourite "parking" spot. By the way, Bob Jelly wants to turn Brabey Point into a housing development. Carmen has taken a position as a reporter of the local daily newspaper The Oyster.

Bob Jelly
He's the big man around town who has set his sights on a seat in Parliament for a questionable political party. He can't wait for the new bridge to open so he can introduce Pearl Bay's magic to the world, and of course line his own pockets at the same time. But oh, the bridge - it seems to be destined never to achieve its purpose. Bob is the Shire President of Pearl Bay and would be at home in any forum that espoused the economic rationalist viewpoint and rewarded the shonky deal. He loves his wife Heather, and when she temporarily flew the coop he ended up in his pyjamas staring at Play School and eating peanut butter.

Heather Jelly
She's the Queen Bee of Pearl Bay, not surprising since she's married to its defacto Emperor, Bob Jelly. She doesn't dirty her hands with the business of Pearl Bay, that's her husband's domain, but she'll get her nose into any social activity where a deft touch is required. Behind every great man…but watch out for Heather, because she has become stronger, a woman who has realised the virtues of self-empowerment. When she temporarily left the house Bob fell to pieces.

Sergeant Grey & Constable Karen Miller
This copper would fit nicely into "Blue Heelers", a country cop who makes his own rules, but with a scrupulous regard for ethics. Karen's horizons don't stretch much farther than Pearl Bay, and she would not be a proponent of the unmarried life, especially if she gets Angus to tie the knot. She does her job in the same unassuming way she conducts her life. However, in a real turn-up, she has begun to think about her horizons and will move on from both the town and poor, confused Angus.

Angus Kabiri
Karen Miller would like to get this bloke down the aisle, which is not surprising given his fascinating character and love of nature. Pearl Bay is the ideal setting for him, with surf and a laid back lifestyle to match his unpretentious manner. And if you have to work, there are worse jobs than the Clerk of Courts where life is never boring.

Kevin Harrington
Kev may appear to be a little slow, but in fact he is a gentle, wise and sometimes the real spirit of Pearl Bay. And clearly the lovely Phrani has fallen for the man whose attire tends to thongs and shorts. And his relationship to his son, encapsulated in a homily at the end of each episode, is as good as any father could wish for. Yes, Kev is really a hero.

Phrani
Don't go to her for a straightforward perspective on life - Phrani has that unique Indian way of looking at things from an altogether different perspective than most of us. She has her heart set on Kevin, who, let's face it, needs someone to show help him in the ways of love. And she's a whiz at reading the tarot cards and anything else that might provide a window to your soul.

Who's who?

Sigrid Thornton is Laura
Sigrid has been around for a long time now, moving gracefully between television and cinema in diverse efforts such as "The Man From Snowy River", "The Light Horseman", "All The Rivers Run" and the U.S. series Western "Paradise". She is a member of the Board of the Australian Film Institute and was appointed to the Commercial Television Production Fund. Sigrid seems to have made a habit of costume drama roles, with horses and corsets a speciality. This is really a far better showcase for her talents.

William McInnes is Max Connor
You may remember this actor from his role as Senior Constable Nick Schultz, a four year stint on Blue Heelers. William grew up in Redcliffe, Queensland and graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 1988 . Away from the small screen he has done some good work on the stage, including Pride and Prejudice at the Melbourne Theatre Company. In 2000 he won the Logie Award for Outstanding Actor for his work on SeaChange.

David Wenham is Diver Dan
Now known universally as the "thinking woman's sex symbol" (like that other ABC icon Kerry O'Brien) David earned the respect of theatre goers through his long association with Sydney's Belvoir St. Theatre. In film, you may have seen him in "Dark City", "The Boys", "Cosi" and "Idiot Box". He was awarded the Australian Film Institute Best Actor for his great work in "Simone de Beauvoir's Babies", also produced by Artists Services. Look out for him in famed director Paul Cox's production of "Damien", which was filmed in Hawaii, which also stars Peter O'Toole and Sam Neill. And if you're old enough, you might remember him in "Sons and Daughters", yet another bygone Aussie soap opera.

Bruce Alexander is Sergeant Grey
How does one go from plumber's apprentice to actor? Easy. You get the acting bug, wash off the grease, discard the blue overalls, and study the craft at night - and later, when you've established a reputation in the theatre, you extend your repertoire to include Japanese and European training. And finally, if you're as enterprising as Bruce Alexander, you establish your own theatre group, write eight or so plays, and a couple of screenplays in your spare time.

John Howard is Bob Jelly
No, it's not THAT John Howard. This one unexpectedly found himself at Australia's premier acting school (NIDA), and has built an enviable career in theatre and television. Not to mention film roles in "Young Einstein", "The Club", and "Evil Angels". Howard made an infamous appearance on the ABC's The Games, where he satirically parlayed his name as that of his Prime Ministerial namesake and delivered the long awaited apology to the Stolen Generation.

Kerry Armstrong is Heather Jelly
It seems like Kerry has been on our television screens forever. She made her debut in the ABC series "Marion" when she was 12 years old, moving to the theatre within a couple of years. By 16 she had starred in the Bruce Beresford film "The Getting Of Wisdom", before moving to television again in "Prisoner" and "The Sullivans". She also spent a number of productive years in America, where she is perhaps best known for the year she spent in that hall-of-fame soap opera "Dynasty". She participated in the "Actors Gang" with luminaries including Helen Hunt (who went on to win an Academy Award), John Cusack and "ER's" Anthony Edwards. Since returning to Australia she has also found roles in "Grievous Bodily Harm", "Come In Spinner", and "Amy" (with Rachel Griffiths).

Alice Garner is Carmen
She played the wonderful role of Alice in the film "Love and Other Catastrophes". She was in "Monkey Grip" before she was a teenager, which is understandable given that her mother is the acclaimed writer Helen Garner, who wrote the novel on which that film was based. She also studies….believe it or not, she's on her way to a doctorate in French history.

Where did it come from?

Andrew Knight
The Executive Producer and writer of SeaChange. He is the partner of Steve Vizard - well, he must be doing something right. They began working together in 1989, starting Artists Services, later the producer of such well known shows as "Fast Forward", "Full Frontal", "Simone de Beauvoir's Babies", and "Kangaroo Palace". He was the head writer on the "D-Generation" and "Fast Forward". There is much talk that the character of Diver Dan is based on Andrew - well, he would say that, wouldn't he?

Deborah Cox
She is the Creator/Writer and Associate Producer of SeaChange. Here's a writer's C.V.: "The Sullivans", "Carson's Law"; "Janus" (check this out if it is shown again); "Fire"; "Flying Doctors"; "Simone de Beauvoir's Babies". Now she has created the phenomenally successful SeaChange. She is the head of drama at Artists Services, and created the show years before it eventually made its way to the small screen.

Richard Pleasance
This is the man who creates the music for SeaChange, moody and guileless, the perfect aural backdrop to the sleepy town. Richard knows a thing or two about changes, having moved from rock groups Boom Crash Opera and Nick Barker, record producing, and successfully collaborating with great talent Wendy Morrison.

The news

The news after the first series was that David Wenham, the spectacularly popular Diver Dan, was leaving Pearl Bay for greener telepastures. And he was being replaced by a bloke from "Blue Heelers", David McInnes, who is clearly going to shoulder a fair amount of viewer antagonism and perhaps resentment at the hands of Diver Dan's vast fan club. On the evidence of "Blue Heelers", McInnes is a lot more 'blokey' than the enigmatic and sensitive Wenham, but of course, he is an actor - presumably he'll play the part that's written for him.

Pearl Bay is really Barwon Heads in Victoria, south of the capital Melbourne. Apparently there has been a local move afoot to change its name to it's fictional non de plume. It can be found on the Bellarine Peninsula not too far from Melbourne - look for local delicacies like Diver Dan's Licorice and SeaChange cappuccinos.

What is a sea change? "Of his bones are coral made/Those are pearls that were his eyes/Nothing of him that doth fade/But doth suffer a sea change" (Shakespeare's "Tempest").

In its first series, SeaChange achieved that Valhalla of Australian television, knocking off "Sixty Minutes" from its Sunday night perch, continuing the ABC's strong showing on this night. In fact it was the most successful ABC local series since 1991's Brides of Christ.

Please don't accuse us of sexism, but you can't ignore the effect of Diver Dan on female viewers. Check out the country-wide cries of anguish at the news that he would not be returning to the boatshed. It is a hazard of character based shows - what do you do when a loved character leaves? Some handle it better than others, check out what we had to say about the departures from "NYPD Blue" of two major stars. Luckily for SeaChange viewers Max Connors has built his own following and expunged the ghost of Diver Dan.

The legal point

This show isn't really about the law, not in the way that "The Practice" and its ilk turn on legal issues, but it certainly provides a moral context for the drama, and let's be honest, a rich source of humour.

As anyone who has worked in a Magistrates' or Local Court well knows, the laughs are never far from the action in these grass-roots jurisdictions. The first time this reviewer appeared in a Magistrates' Court, one of the defendants had been nabbed by the police when a safe he had stolen bounced off the back of his ute and landed on the bonnet of a police car travelling in the opposite direction!

Country Magistrates' Courts present their own complications, particularly where the locals know each other and the legal niceties tend to stay buried in textbooks. Laura learns about this the hard way - you can't simply make a legal ruling in Pearl Bay, especially when it might mean a prison sentence for a loved member of the community, or the incompetent local lawyer (and former Magistrate) botches a defence.

There is a hierarchy of courts in each Australian State. Some deal with particular issues, for instance, the Family Court looks after issues around divorce and the welfare of children. Some courts are federal, again the Family Court would be an example of this, and they deal with laws that have been passed by the Federal Parliament.

Most court cases are heard in Magistrates' Courts and Local Courts (different names for the same types of jurisdictions). They deal with both criminal and civil cases - a criminal case deals with breaches of the criminal law and is brought to the court by the police, e.g. most traffic offences, burglaries etc. They also deal with smaller civil offences - a civil case is brought before the court by an individual and usually involves a claim for money, e.g. a debt that is owed for work done by a tradesperson, or a barney between neighbours about a fence. These courts can only hear civil claims that are under a certain level of money, usually around $40,000.

Our verdict

This is the sort of show where an Armani suit can be owned by a syndicate and shared by its members, all trying to impress the same woman. More particularly, it is the journey of a woman, the archetypal contemporary trek from the valley of perfect materialism (Laura's got it all) to the hidden treasures of adversity and absurdity.

Laura is not our classic hero, battling problems like Supergirl; instead, and happily, she is very flawed and touchingly real, believing, heavens knows why, that Pearl Bay is the place to begin the second half of her life. And like Eva Gabor in "Green Acres" (yes, the theme is tried and true), she's a bit haughty but prepared to muck in.

As Deb Cox says, this is a show about a dysfunctional family in a dysfunctional town. But dysfunction has its own rewards if we are prepared to investigate our entanglements, and so it is with Pearl Bay, a town that insinuates its way into our hearts as it similarly inveigles Laura into a lifestyle she never dreamed of in the glass and chrome legal towers of her former life. And in Pearl Bay there are plenty of pearls of wisdom.

There is much about this show that is admirable. It's not reliant on crime, doctors or that other Aussie television staple, the "bush". SeaChange is full of fancy, and although it is imbued with genuinely Australian idiosyncrasies, it would be just as successful in any English speaking country. It is a welcome antidote to the furious pace of "ER" and the cutesy of "Ally McBeal".

Perhaps its vast attraction lies in its unabashed appeal to the longing so many of us have for an escape from the urban madness. We want to relate to our families, to know our nearby residents by their first names, and find values that are more enduring than a microwave dinner. SeaChange represents balance. Regular viewers will recognise the continuing dilemma of the bridge, which represents not only a link to the outside world, but an ongoing threat to the Pearl Bay way of life.

If you like "Hamish Macbeth", the lamented "Northern Exposure", the early series of "Ballykissangel", and "Heartbeat", then you'll love this show (and throw in a dollop of "Rafferty's Rules" and Annie Proulx's novel "The Shipping News"). The future looks rosy for this show, because it is character driven and amenable to a bit of shuffling amongst the ensemble cast, bringing them in and out of focus when plots get a little tedious. There is good reason why it is the ABC's most successful local product. If you're looking for a quirky port in the storm, a place to visit prior to getting back to the Monday morning workaday treadmill, this is the show for you. A real charmer, full of whimsy and the sort of humanity that you won't find in most saccharine imports.

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Read this: The legal information contained above is intended to be general information about the law. It is not a substitute for legal and other professional advice. Lawscape Communications P/L does not accept responsibility for loss to any person, who either acts or does not act because of this information.