All Saints (TV series)
| All Saints | |
|---|---|
Seasons 4-6 title card
|
|
| Created by | Bevan Lee |
| Developed by | Jo Porter |
| Starring | (see detailed cast list in article) |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 12 |
| No. of episodes | 493 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | John Holmes |
| Producer(s) | Jo Porter (seasons 1-4) Di Drew (seasons 5-7) Jo Porter (seasons 7-8) MaryAnne Carroll (seasons 8-10) Bill Hughes (seasons 11-12) |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Seven Network Operations Limited Red Heart Entertainment |
| Distributor | Southern Star Group |
| Release | |
| Original network | Seven Network |
| Picture format |
4:3 (seasons 1-3) 16:9 (seasons 4-12) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 24 February 1998 – 27 October 2009 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
All Saints was an Australian television medical drama that first screened on the Seven Network on 24 February 1998. Set in the fictional All Saints Western General Hospital, it focused on the staff of Ward 17 until its closure in 2004, which is when the focus changed and began following the staff of the Emergency Department. It was produced by John Holmes alongside Jo Porter, MaryAnne Carroll and Di Drew. The final episode aired on 27 October 2009, completing its recording-breaking 12-year run.
All Saints follows the lives of the staff at All Saints Western General Hospital. Until its closure in 2004, the show primarily focused on the staff in Ward 17. Known as the "garbage ward" as it took all the overflow from the other wards, Ward 17 was run by compassionate nun, Sister Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker). Her staff included her nurses Connor Costello (Jeremy Cumpston), Von Ryan (Judith McGrath), Bronwyn Craig (Libby Tanner), Jared Levine (Ben Tari) and Stephanie Markham (Kirrily White) and her ward clerk Jaz Hillerman (Sam Healy). Luke Forlano (Martin Lynes) and Peter Morrison (Andrew McKaige) were doctors who frequently worked with Terri and her staff. Ben Markham (Brian Vriends) was an ambulance officer who worked closely with Luke, despite their rivalry. Bronwyn left Ward 17 and became an ambulance officer at the end of 1998 but returned to the ward full-time at the end of season 3.
After the death of Dr. Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson) and the departure of Bron Craig (Libby Tanner) in 2003, the producers decided to do something in response to considerable drop in ratings and to prolong the life of the series.
In February 2004, John Holmes told The Age journalist Debi Enker that All Saints would be undergoing "major surgery" when the focus shifted from Ward 17 to the Emergency Department. He also stated that while four familiar faces with be leaving, new characters will be introduced to fill the void. Holmes recalled a statement that he made in May 2003 in which he said, "we [myself and Seven script executive Bevan Lee] were seeing the scripts and watching episodes and we were feeling that there was a little bit of a sameness in it. We started to think, 'Don't know about this. Sixth year. Maybe we've had a few too many people through the door of Ward 17 on a trolley and had the 'Hi, I'm Von, I'm your nurse. Room Three, thanks Sterlo.'" After tossing up between cancelling the show and using it as the foundation of a spin-off series, Holmes and Lee decided to rejuvenate the show by changing the setting. Ward 17 would then close and the show would be relocated to the Emergency Department.
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