Family and Friends (Australian TV series)

"Family and Friends" was a short-lived Australian television soap opera made in 1990.

The series was intended to be the Nine Network's response to the already successful soaps on the rival channels - "Neighbours" and "E Street" transmitted on the Ten Network and "Home and Away" shown on the Seven Network.

Set in a suburban community the series focused on two families - the Chandler and the Italian-Australian Rossi families - who were linked by a long-standing vendetta stemming from an accidental death in the 1950s. Old enmities were renewed by the Romeo-and-Juliet style romance between Jennifer Chandler (Roxanne Wilson) and Robert Rossi (Renato Bartolomei).

Despite a strong cast that included Diane Craig, Anne Phelan, Abigail, Jonathan Hardy, Dinah Shearing, Ross Newton and Alyce Platt, the series failed to catch on with the viewers. Episodes were initially broadcast in one-hour installments up against Ten's "E Street" but ratings were disastrous. The show was promptly reformatted as half-hour episodes stripped at 5.30 weeknights, but ratings remained low. And now that it was lead-in to National Nine News its low ratings meant it remained in a precarious position.

The series then underwent a major revamp which included the loss of six cast members and addition of new cast members including Rebecca Rigg however the series was cancelled shortly afterwards. The final episodes went to air in a late-night timeslot during the summer non-ratings period. In total 96 episodes had been produced.

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