australian television information archive

Paradise Regained

Episode 1
Written by
Directed by

We meet David Grief and his Polynesian partner, Mauriri Lepau, two ambitious, adventurous traders working out of the beautiful town of Matavai in the tropical paradise of Tahiti. Grief and Mauriti's ship, The Rattler, is commandeered by the local authorities to transport prisoners to a nearby penal colony, they meet a young English woman named Isabelle Reed, accused of murder.

Guest Cast: Lani Tupu

The Devil's Pearl

Episode 2
Australia: January 01, 2000
Written by
Directed by

An exotic black pearl suspected of having supernatural powers finds its way into Matavai and into Grief's possession. A mysterious foreigner arrives to claim it. When Grief refuses, the man warns the adventurer that he will take Lavinia's soul instead if it is not returned.

The Locket

Episode 3
Australia: January 08, 2000
Written by Peter McCabe
Directed by Donald Crombie

Isabelle reed is finally captured by the authorities and placed in the Matavai jail. She sends to Grief a locket which she claims will prove her innocence. Still infatuated by the mysterious Isabelle, Grief takes it upon himself to look into her case.

Guest Cast: Luciano Martuccim, Barry Langrishe, Anthony Ingersent, John Allen, Robert Hughes, Andrew Rodoreda; Alistair Crombie, James Conelius, Chris Heskpeth, Matt Wright

Lessons for a Warrior

Episode 4
Australia: January 08, 2000
Written by
Directed by Scott Hartford-Davis

After two villains steal artifacts from a church and kill a priest, Grief sets off to avenge his death. Meanwhile, Mauriri's nephew enters warrior school even though his uncle would rather have him go to college.

Guest Cast: George Henare, Jerome Ehlers, Wayne Pygram, Taungaroa Emile, Brian Vriends, Robyn Loau, Brian Harrison, Boris Brkic

Trent In Love

Episode 5
Australia: January 15, 2000
Written by
Directed by

Grief and Lavinia work to keep their relationship on track. However, Lavinia becomes doubtful when Grief is given the daughter of a tribal chief in a trade transaction. Luckily, the Reverend Trent takes a liking to her.

Guest Cast: John Noble as Christian Ambrose, Chuti Tiu as Tahura Savue

The Fiery Messiah

Episode 6
Australia: January 15, 2000
Written by
Directed by

A religious cult based on another island gains a foothold in Matavai. Clair Devon becomes the obsession of the man claiming to be a messiah.

Guest Cast: Chuti Tiu, John Waters

Blackbirding

Episode 7
Teleplay by Sean Clark
Story by Peter McCabe
Directed by Ian GIlmour

Blackbirding — the South Seas expression for slave-trading of natives — had for all intents and purposes come to a halt a few years before our takes place. However, several natives have recently been decimated of its youngest, strongest citizens. Isabelle once again lends Grief a hand in finding what has happened to the islanders, when she finds her new business a part of the crime.

Guest Cast: Chuti Tiu, Brian Vriends, Rod Mullinar, Anthony Hawkins, Peter Hardy, Ian Bliss, Tuvae Tleafoa, Cramer Cain; Sione Manuella, Ron Vreeken

The Rabblercrouser

Episode 8
Written by
Directed by

A woman named Sarah Blanohard arrives in Matavai. Lavinia befriends her and feels great respect and admiration for her, although she is troubled by Grief's reaction to her. Sarah and her husband bring the new concept of work unions to the island, which causes a great deal of tension between the plantation owners and the natives.

Guest Cast: Nicholas Hammond, John Bach, Bartholomew John, Dee Smart, Chuti Tiu

Isabelle's Brother

Episode 9
Written by
Directed by

A man Grief and Mauriri rescue from a bar fight turns out to be William Reed, the older brother Isabelle though had died when she was a child. William is on the run from the French Foreign Legion to marry a close friend of Lavinia's. After witnessing William's devotion to his betrothed, Lavinia begins to have doubts about her relationship with David Grief.

Guest Cast: Peter McCauley as William Reed

The Boxer Rebellion

Episode 10
Written by
Directed by

A young man whom Grief and Mauriri rescue from a ship explosion turns out to have been an unwitting accomplice in an unscrupulous arms shipment.

Guest Cast: Jeremy Callaghan, Dan Halbert

The Statue

Episode 11
Written by
Directed by

For the first time since his break-up with Lavinia, Grief finds himself attracted to another woman: the beautiful Veronica Gray, assistant to archeologist Paul Kelstrom. Tensions flare high between the visiting archeologists and the natives, as well as between Grief and Mauriri, as a storm uncovers an ancient tribal burial ground, and bounds of friendship and faith are tested.

Guest Cast: Joe Petruzzi, Imogen Annesley

Fool's Gold

Episode 12
Written by
Directed by Scott Hartford-Davis

Isabelle falls prey to a scam run by a con artist named Walsh in which she loses her own and some of Reverend Trent's church money when she buys property she has been led to believe contains gold.

Guest Cast: Andrew McFarlane, Simon Westaway

The Assassin

Episode 13
Written by
Directed by

A sailor is fatally stabbed in a knife fight in the bar, but with his dying breath, he manages to tell Grief that someone important is about to be assassinated in Matavai.

Guest Cast: Brett Climo, Andrew McKaige, Nicholas Bell

The Outlaws

Episode 14
Written by
Directed by

Grief loses a bet to a trio of Americans — two brothers, Brodie and Luke, and Brodie's girlfriend, Kat and must escort them through dangerous territory. It isn't long before he realizes that the trio are outlaws. They take him prisoner after murdering a soldier.

Guest Cast: Melissa George, Doug Penty

Fatal Shore

Episode 15
Written by
Directed by

An Irish rogue named McCoy arrives in Matavai and offers Grief, Mauriri, and Isabelle a hefty reward to help him capture the sadistic prison warden, Frayne, who had tortured him daily for ten years.

Guest Cast: Robert Coleby, Tim Hughes

Fast Company

Episode 16
Written by
Directed by

Steven DeGuerre is a successful businessman — a boyfriend friend of Mauriri and Lavinia. He returns to Matavai to share his newfound success and the fortune he has acquired, coinciding with a series of explosions and criminal activities. Lavinia herself is threatened by ruin.

Guest Cast: Jon Bennett, Gus Mercurio, Mark Hembrow

The Eye of Tangaroa

Episode 17
Written by
Directed by

A centuries-old legend involving horse demons; a scared, hidden stone, and fire makes Mauriri believe in the power of his own dreams, the climax of which is the death of his best friend and partner, Grief.

Guest Cast: Steve Bastoni, Peter Carroll

Rock of Ages

Episode 18
Written by
Directed by

During a boat trip celebrating Reverend Trent's birthday, the Rattler runs aground, stranding Grief, Mauriri, Trent, Lavinia, and Clare on an uninhabited island. After Mauriri is critically injured it falls to Grief to try and find a way to rescue everyone, testing his own strengths and weaknesses.

Guest Cast: Jeremy Ball

Grief and the Lepers

Episode 19
Written by
Directed by

Jenny Duval is the beautiful, sensuous grieving widow of Grief's sworn enemy — unscrupulous trader and businessman Kunt Gunter. A group of lepers are looking to find a secluded island to call their own. Grief and Mauriri discover an uncharted island rich with pearls only to have the French government claim it for the lepers.

Guest Cast: Tiriel Mora

The Compass and the Killer

Episode 20
Written by
Directed by

Jenny strikes again — she seems to be able to murder without conscience to get her way. She attacks a boat and kidnaps an inventor, Ryan Willer, creator of the gyrocompass, which is being sought after by numerous world powers, including her old German enemy, Victor. She coldly abandons Trent and the rest of the passengers in a dinghy. Grief on the Rattler rescues Trent, but the Reverend is duly traumatized by the experience. Grief and Mauriri set off after Jenny.

Guest Cast: Shane Briant, Steven Grives, Martin Vaughan

The Tender Trap

Episode 21
Written by
Directed by

Grief and Jenny overcome their initial distrust of each other as they realize what's happening to them — they're falling in love. However, Mauriri begins to suspect Jenny of murdering her husband. Grief uses the business accounts to settle Jenny's debts.

Guest Cast: Robert Mammone, Shane Briant

The End of Jenny

Episode 22
Written by
Directed by

Grief has been on alert for any news of Jenny and her whereabouts. When a sighting of her comes over the wires, he drops all other business to find her, much to Mauriri's deep concern.

Guest Cast: Robert Mammone, Jared Robinson