Offspring (TV series)

Offspring
Current promotional logo
Genre	Comedy-drama
Created by	Debra Oswald with John Edwards and Imogen Banks
Starring	Asher Keddie Kat Stewart Don Hany Deborah Mailman Eddie Perfect Linda Cropper Richard Davies John Waters Matthew Le Nevez
Narrated by	Asher Keddie as Nina Proudman
Opening theme	"When We Swam" by Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	27 (including Telemovie) (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	John Edwards and Imogen Banks
Broadcast
Original channel	Network Ten
Picture format	576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Audio format	Dolby Digital 5.1
Original run	15 August 2010 – present
External links
Website

Offspring is an Australian television comedy-drama series which premiered on Network Ten in Australia on 15 August 2010. Offspring is centred around 30-something obstetrician Nina Proudman and her family, as they navigate the chaos of modern life.^[1] The show mixes conventional narrative drama with flashbacks, graphic animation and fantasy sequences.

Debra Oswald wrote the series with John Edwards and Imogen Banks producing with Southern Star Entertainment.^[2][3] Offspring was originally conceived as a two hour telemovie for Ten, but was spun off into a 13 episodes series after television executives were impressed by the quality of the telemovie. The second season began on 16 May 2011 with a double episode premiere.

A third season has been confirmed and will begin production in late 2011.^[4][5]

Cast

Main Cast

Season 1 Cast

• Asher Keddie as Nina Proudman - a 30-something obstetrician, known for her incredibly capable and caring nature. However, despite her proficiencies in her work-life, Nina constantly struggles with bouts of uncertainty, which both helps and hinders her in her quest for love, fulfillment and balance in the chaos of modern life.
• Don Hany as Chris Havel (Season 1, Guest Starring in Season 2) - introduced as the new paediatrician at the Neonatal ward in which Nina works. Initially sparks fly between Chris and Nina, but their relationship becomes complicated on the arrival of Chris' estranged wife. The relationship ultimately ends on the conclusion of season 2.
• Kat Stewart as Billie Proudman - Nina's boisterous older sister, she is bold, brassy, and incapable of lying. At constant war with Nina's golden girl image within the family, Billie who was once the wild child, is determined to put her wayward youth behind her, and become something great.
• Deborah Mailman as Cherie Butterfield - a colleague of Nina's, Cherie is a nurse. She is thrust into the Proudman family spotlight when it is discovered that Darcy is the father of her soon to be born child. Previously coming from a strict Catholic upbringing she finds herself very much a member of the Proudmans.
• Eddie Perfect as Mick Holland - Mick is a hard working, fun-loving guy, who spends half his time labouring and other half making music. His idea of happiness is a day spent with the woman he loves, and his dog. When Billie and Mick plan to start a family, Mick's forced to confront his demons and contact his estranged brother. Mick's best friend is Billie's and Nina's younger brother Jimmy
• Richard Davies as Jimmy Proudman - is a free spirit, and has a thirst for experience. Unfortunately for Jimmy his yearning to live a life of good times can sometimes clash with the rest of the Proudman clan. The introduction of Tammie sees Jimmy make the decision to settle down, however this is short lived. After a fling with Zara, a nurse at the hospital, Jimmy is forced to reassess his life.
• Linda Cropper as Geraldine Proudman - mother to the three eldest Proudman children. Geraldine works as an architectural model maker and is a creative and intelligent woman. She is passionately connected to each of her children, but is also committed to making the most of her own life.
• John Waters as Darcy Proudman - charming, devoted and passionate, Darcy is Nina's father. He also loves women. He was never the type of man who could settle down forever with one person, loving women is too much a part of who he is, and hence Geraldine and Darcy have been separated for some time. However after suffering a serious heart attack his willingness to commit to Geraldine is rekindled. He owns a real estate agency in which Billie also works.
• Matthew Le Nevez as Patrick Reed (Season 2) - the good-hearted, recently hired anaesthetist at the hospital. When Patrick and Nina first meet they engage each other in regular niggles, as a result of Nina's misjudgement of Patrick. However a relationship slowly evolves. They are thrown into turmoil on the arrival of Chris Havel, Nina's old flame.

Supporting Cast

Actor	Role	Season(s)
Jane Harber	Zara Perkich	1-present
Alicia Gardiner	Kim Akerholt	1-present
Lachy Hulme	Dr Martin Clegg	1-present
Jay Ryan	Fraser King	2
Emma Griffin	Tammy	2
Dan Spielman	Andrew Holland	2-present

Production

The series is produced by John Edwards and Imogen Banks who also co Produce Tangle. John Edwards was responsible for such successes as Police Rescue, The Secret Life of Us, Love My Way and Dangerous - also produced with Imogen Banks, and has more recently been producing Rush for Network TEN.

Awards

Australian Film Institute Awards

2010

• AFI Award For Best Guest Or Supporting Actress In A Television Drama

Deborah Mailman (Won)

• AFI Award For Best Guest Or Supporting Actor In A Television Drama

John Waters (Nominations)

TV Week Logie Awards

In April 2011, the nominations for the TV Week Logie Awards were announced, with the event taking place on 3 May 2011.

2011

• Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, Asher Keddie (Nominated)

• Most Popular Actor, Don Hany (Nominated)

• Most Popular Actress, Asher Keddie (Won)

• Most Popular New Male Talent, Eddie Perfect (Nominated)

• Most Popular Australian Drama (Nominated)

• Most Outstanding Actress, Asher Keddie (Nominated)

• Most Outstanding Actress, Kat Stewart (Nominated)

• Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent, Richard Davies (Nominated)

Ratings

Offspring premiered on 15 August 2010, with a two hour telemovie, which attracted 1,124,000 viewers, coming in 7th place for the night.^[6] The first season concluded with a two hour finale 21 November 2010 at its normal time slot at 8:30pm, with the seasons final episode at 9:30pm. The 8:30pm telecast averaged 929,000 viewers and 9:30pm averaged 860,000, the series second lowest ratings so far.^[7]

DVD releases

DVD Season		# Episodes	# Disc(s)	Region 1	Region 2	Region 4	Special Features
	The Complete First Series and Feature-Length Telemovie	13 (+ Telemovie)	5	N/A	N/A	1 December 2010[8]	Original Feature-length Telemovie Offspring: The Nurses (Series 1 Webisodes)
	The Complete Second Series	13	4	N/A	N/A	14 September 2011[9]	Offspring: The Nurses (Series 2 Webisodes)

International distribution

Country	Channel	Year	Notes
New Zealand	TV One	2011	Wednesdays 11pm[10]
Sweden	TLC Sweden	2011	Thursdays 9pm
Netherlands	TLC Netherlands	2011	July
Norway	TLC Norway	2011
Russia	TLC Russia	2011	Sundays beginning from 29 May
Spain	Sony TV	2011	Spanish title: Descubriendo a Nina

References

1. ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/07/three-way-drama-tussle.html
2. ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/02/offspring-springs-into-series.html
3. ^ "Credits". Offspring. Network Ten, Film Victoria, Southern Star. 6 July 2010. http://ten.com.au/offspring-credits.htm. Retrieved 5 August 2010. 
4. ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/04/offspring-headed-for-third-series.html
5. ^ http://if.com.au/2011/06/08/article/Offspring-season-three-coming-to-our-screens/ZIQPBDNKNL.html
6. ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/08/week-34-3.html
7. ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/11/week-47-3.html
8. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/816629
9. ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/820563
10. ^ "New season TV: Offspring". The New Zealand Herald. 27 January 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10702178. Retrieved 1 November 2011.