Return to Eden

Return To Eden
Return To Eden series title screen
Genre	Drama/Soap opera
Created by	Michael Laurence
Written by	Michael Laurence Keith Aberdein Betty Quinn David Phillips John Allsop Christine McCourt
Directed by	John Power Tim Burstall Kevin James Dobson Arch Nicholson
Starring	Rebecca Gilling James Smillie Wendy Hughes James Reyne Peta Toppano Daniel Abineri Megan Williams Peter Cousens Nicki Paull Warren Blondell Angelo d'Angelo Peter Gwynne Keith Aberdein
Composer(s)	Brian May
Country of origin	Australia
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	Mini-series: 3 Weekly Series: 22
Production
Producer(s)	Hal McElroy Tim Sanders
Cinematography	Dean Semler (mini-series) Martin McGrath Yuri Sokol (series)
Editor(s)	David Hugget Kim Moodie
Running time	Mini-series: 3 × 90 mins. Weekly Series: 22 × 45 mins.
Production company(s)	Hanna Barbera McElroy & McElroy Taft Hardie
Release
Original network	Network Ten
Picture format	1.33:1 (colour)
Original release	Mini-series: 27 September 1983 Weekly Series: 11 February 1986 – 8 July 1986

Return to Eden is an Australian television drama/soap opera mini-series and later weekly serial starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part six hour mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie, now joined by Peta Toppano would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986. The Production created by Michael Laurence was successful international, particularly in France, and has been shown 13 times.

Stephanie Harper (Rebecca Gilling) is a dull, frumpy 40-year-old heiress. Rich but insecure, and with two failed marriages behind her, she marries a handsome but unscrupulous younger man, tennis pro Greg Marsden (James Reyne). Stephanie believes that she has found true love, but after the wedding, Greg promptly begins an affair with Stephanie’s best friend Jilly Stewart (Wendy Hughes). Greg then plots to get rid of Stephanie and lay claim to her fortune. Whilst on their honeymoon, Greg pushes Stephanie into a crocodile-infested swamp, and he and Jilly watch as she is apparently mauled to death.

However, Stephanie miraculously survives and is later found washed up on a river bank by hermit Dave Welles (Bill Kerr). Dave nurses Stephanie back to health, but her face and body are horrifically scarred from the encounter with the crocodile. Dave gives her precious gems that he mined locally, so that she can use them to try to move on with her life. Stephanie sells the gems and goes to an island clinic where she meets Dr. Dan Marshall (James Smillie), a brilliant plastic surgeon who uses his talents to repair her face and body. After months of operations and physical exercise, Stephanie has been transformed into a very beautiful woman. Using the new alias of Tara Welles, given to her by Dave, Stephanie returns to Sydney and becomes a glamorous supermodel. Using her new identity and fortune, she plots her revenge on both Greg and Jilly and aims to take back what is rightfully hers, particularly her beloved family home Eden, a vast estate in the Northern Territory.