australian television information archive

Packed To The Rafters 'an adult show'

PACKED To the Rafters creator and writer Bevan Lee admits he was depressed over the "stupid" reaction by some viewers to a masturbation scene and considered giving up.

The hit Seven Network program was inundated with complaints after an episode featured young married character Nathan Rafter, played by Angus McLaren, fantasising about his boss.

Creator and writer Lee says he couldn't believe the reaction.

"I got depressed thinking have I created this thing that feeds this degree of stupidity," Lee told the Screen Producers of Australia Association (SPAA) today.

"I thought the reaction was absolutely stupid. I thought what are these people doing? Do they live in the world that I live.

"It scared me slightly because I just felt if they really want this thing to be just a set of blinkers, I just don't think I wanted to do it."

Lee said it was the only time the writers had misjudged "a portion" of the audience, adding he respected the audience.

"We wanted to do an adult show about family. It was never considered to be a family show," he said.

The scene, which aired in September, did not hurt ratings.

The show, which is essentially about a married couple played by Erik Thomson and Rebecca Gibney, and their three adult children, has retained its position as the top rating Australian drama, with close to two million every week, since premiering in mid-2008.

The final for the year will air on Tuesday when Gibney's middle-aged Julie Rafter gives birth.

It's expected to break audience records.

Producer Jo Porter said she knew it would be a winner.

"The minute you told anyone about the idea of the show, everyone said 'oh my God - that's my family'," she said.

"That same kind of recognition has continued throughout the entire life of the series.

"People see themselves in the Rafters."

By Katherine Field
November 20, 2009
AAP