Blue Heelers (season 3)

Infobox tvseason
season_name = Blue Heelers - Season 3
headercolour = cedff2


caption =
dvd_release_date = February 16, 2006
dvd_format = 11-disc boxset
country = AUS
network = Seven Network
first_aired = 12 February 1996
last_aired =
26 November 1996
num_episodes = 42
prev_season = Season 2
next_season = Season 4The "third season" of the Australian police-drama "Blue Heelers" premiered on the Seven Network on 12 February 1996 and aired on Monday nights, and later Tuesday nights, at 8:30 PM. The 42-episode season concluded 26 November 1996.

Casting

Main cast for this season consisted of:
* John Wood as Sergeant Tom Croydon ["full season"]
* Julie Nihill as Christine 'Chris' Riley ["full season"]
* Martin Sacks as Detective Senior Constable Patrick Joseph 'P.J.' Hasham ["full season"]
* Lisa McCune as Constable Margaret 'Maggie' Doyle ["full season"]
* William McInnes as Senior Constable Nicholas 'Nick' Schultz ["full season"]
* Grant Bowler as Constable Wayne Patterson ["episodes 87-96"]
* Damian Walshe-Howling as Probationary Constable Adam Cooper ["full season"]
* Tasma Walton as Probationary Constable Deirdre 'Dash' McKinley ["episode 107+"]

Semi-regular cast members for this season include:
* Peta Doodson as Inspector (formerly Senior Sergeant) Monica Draper
* Beth Buchanan as Susan Croydon
* Michael Isaacs as Clancy Freeman
* Suzi Dougherty as Dr. Mel Carter
* Axl Taylor as Len the barman
* Dennis Miller as Ex-Sergeant Pat Doyle
* Nick Waters as Inspector Ted Faulkner
* Helen Trenos as Celia Donald
* Stuart Baker as "Richo"
* Reg Evans as Keith Purvis
* Terry Gill as Superintendent Clive Adamson
* Karen Davitt as Doctor Zoe Hamilton
* Rachel Blakely as Gina Belfanti
* Beverley Evans as Harriet Keppel
* Alexandra Sangster as Anna Croydon
* Don Bridges as Charlie Clarke
* Marie Trevor as Lelia Clegg
* Pauline Terry-Bietz as Beth McKinley
* Frankie J. Holden as Jack Woodley

Notable guest stars included Frances O'Connor, Marg Downey, Lee Kernaghan, Radha Mitchell, Terry Gill, Raelee Hill, Louise Siversen, Rhys Muldoon, David Wenham, Norman Yemm, Andrew Blackman, Frankie J. Holden, Anne Phelan and Andrew McKaige.

With Grant Bowler's exit from the show, Ann Burbrook also returned to "Blue Heelers" to temporarily reprise her role as date=June 2008By the time the 42-episode third season began, "Blue Heelers" was hailed as the most successful Australian drama on television, also seeing significant changes in life at the station. Storylines included:
*Maggie discovering her brother Robbie (played by David Wenham) was on drugs,
*Wayne's death, paving the way for his untrustworthy replacement, Snr. Det. Jack Woodley (Frankie J. Holden), who eventually was caught falsifying evidence and replaced by strong, independent Constable Deirdre "Dash" McKinley,
*Tom dealing with his young daughter Anna (Alexandra Sangster)'s pregnancy and with his new grandson whom he took in after Anna left,
*PJ and Maggie - who had decided that their kiss meant nothing - were torn apart when Maggie fell for her professor Roman Kellerman (Geoff Paine). While PJ's suspicions about Kellerman proved correct, it severely affected his friendship with Maggie and he chose to leave the station. His charismatic replacement, Detective Johnny Kowalski (Jack Finsterer) proved to be no picnic - wooing both the women of the station. When PJ eventually returned, with Kowalski gone, relations between him and Maggie were strained.
*Dash overcoming her gambling problem and repaying Adam,
*Nick being investigated about a death in custody of a child killer,
*PJ shot dead a local woman in self defence and then had to fight to clear his name (with the help of Maggie) but he still had to contend with the woman's psychotic son, Luke Darcy (Jonathon Brooks),
*The season ended with Tom suffering a heart attack in the dying minutes of the last episode

Production

Reception

Awards

Episodes

References

;General
* Zuk, T. [http://www.australiantelevision.net/bh/series4.html Blue Heelers: 1996 episode guide] , Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
* TV.com editors. [http://www.tv.com/blue-heelers/show/3333/episode_guide.html?season=3&tag=season_dropdown;dropdown;2 "Blue Heelers" Episode Guide - Season 3] , TV.com. Retrieved 1 August 2007.;Specific