User Reviews

I've watched three episodes of the new Sea Change and I'm enjoying it in its own context, and not relating it back twenty years and attempting to see a seamless connection. The connection is there but time has interrupted the flow. Some original characters and there but older, while some have gone and others have grown up to be played by new actors. It's wonderful to see Sigrid Thornton, John Howard, Kerri Armstrong and Kevin Harrington still bumbling around Pearl Bay, and the addition of the talented Brooke Satchwell, Kate Lister, and a number of others, has injected new blood into the narrative and it has worked very well. I can't see Season 4 sweeping all the television awards handed out every year, but for me it hits the spot and the absence of serial killers, drug addicts and chronic depression are omissions from the plot I'm enjoying while I can.

When my "in" show "The Bill" was suddenly replaced I thought to myself "I might as well give this a go" and as someone already testified, I was instantly addicted. After the first 2 episodes I could not get out of my mind the Northern Exposure feel it had. I was thus please to find another comment that expressed a similar thought. It simple, beautiful and full of laughters as well as having serious and sad moments. It's different and unhurried. The quotes on the main page do tell you a little about the pace of this work. Yes well done you guys who brought it to us you deserve, me, remembering your names... but that's another story, and I appologise about it,just the same I mentioned your existence! Perhaps one thing that got me on the first place was Sigrid Thornton casting. I always admired her and certainly had plenty to admire in her "Laura" character here. But as said by many, everyone is such an important part of it that it would be quite unfair to single any of them out. When I first googled the net to learn more about Sea Change, it did not bring IMDb in the search and I was a little sad about it as this site is my favourite in regard of entertainment and was looking forward for others' thought about it. But using S. Thornton did the trick as she's part of the big movie community, what a relief! I wonder how it would fare in other languages, as I feel it deserves a wider audience. I don't like giving rating but gave 8 as there are heavier things around but really 10 was in my mind all the time!

SeaChange is one of my favourite programs. I live in Canada, and although I heard a rumour that it's on Digital Cable, it's not on regular cable, so I don't see it. My friend owns most of the videos, and we watch them on her international video player, unfortunately I can't borrow them since mine only plays vhs. Brilliant show, keeps me laughing at things for an hour. It's a shame Diver Dan left the show, since he was a wonderful addition to the cast. I can't wait to see more.

This is a gem of a series, just perfectly put together, and - that rare thing - something which knew when to stop, so there is no tailing off, just a glorious and appropriate finish. It's funny, clever, warm and beautiful, and every character is perfectly cast, from the main players (Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, in later seasons William McInnes) through to the supporting cast (Tom Long and John Howard are standouts, but they're all good). As time goes on there are 'in-jokes' and things to look out for, such as the short exchanges between Kevin and his son at the end of every episode, and the viewer feels a part of this wonderful and quirky community. It's scandalous (but not really surprising, I suppose) that Australia is known overseas by shows like Neighbours and Home and Away, and this wonderful piece of art has not yet received due recognition. I live in hope!!

:D

I love good films and good television. It seems harder and harder to find quality in a television show these days. Or maybe I'm just picky. But especially when it comes to Australian television, I'd love to see more quality. That's not to say there is none, there is. But there can always be MORE.

"If my milk dries up because of this, or my baby becomes psychologically disturbed later on in life, I'm going to blame you."

SeaChange is my all time favourite Australian television show. I know that is saying a lot, but whenever a new Australian show starts up, I try and watch at least once to see what it is like because I believe in supporting the talent and industry in this country. I've watched as many Australian shows that I can, and SeaChange is still my favourite.

Everything about it is absolutely wonderful. As a show, it's hilarious, touching, warm, light, sad, happy and everything in between. The characters are emotionally real and you can't help but fall in love with them, even Bob Jelly. And the actors amaze me every time I watch an episode. Especially Sigrid Thornton and John Howard who can make the simplest dialogue or action so funny I end up in tears.

I have brought every series of the show on DVD and I never tire of watching the show... it can be enjoyed again and again.

My stepmother was the first person to mention the show to me. I was fifteen at the time. She said it was good and that I'd enjoy it. Since we have a similar sense of humour, I took her up on her recommendation. The first episode I ever saw was "Broken Hearts and Crustaceans" in series two. Yes, I am deeply ashamed to admit I wasn't one of those people who watched from the very first episode the first time it originally aired. As a teenage viewer at the time, I just didn't tune into the ABC channel very often.

But that first episode that I saw had me hooked instantly and blindly. I fell in love with the show. It made me laugh harder than I could remember from watching a television show. There were times I literally cried with how hard I laughed. I went back and watched every episode as the ABC repeated the series, and again on cable.

The show presented some great messages as well, I thought. Overall I believe the message/ theme of the show was that life never turns out as you might expect, but often it turns out better if you just stop and learn to look at it a certain way. That if you want things to change, often you have to seek out that change yourself and be willing to see where it takes you. I also liked the message of that if you look close enough, the people you think you have nothing in common with, are more similar to you than you realise.

SeaChange is definitely a show I'd recommend. It does have a unique sense of humour that I've been told is very Australian (whatever that means), so maybe some people won't see it as hilariously funny as I do. But it's extremely well written and acted, and most importantly, it's a blast to watch. It's fun. It's entertaining. It's quality television.

Thank you Deb Cox and Andrew Knight for creating such a wonderful, unique, funny and memorable Australian show. I'll be forever grateful :)

Not a lot to add to the other comments. This series which, lamentably, is little known outside Australia, was compulsive viewing. Sunday nights were never the same again after the end! Yes it was right to go out on a high rather than peter out a la Northern Exposure.

Escapist and full of strange characters, you can only wish you lived somewhere the people were so strange (in a good way!). The series is as good on re-viewing and I have acquired all the DVDs. The series has little for action junkies. You come to know and like the characters - no real baddies, just a few scallywags, nothing major ever happens, but that does not give you the sense of the twinkle, the merriment of the little things that happen in everyday life, and the magic of living in Pearl Bay. I wish I did.

SeaChange is a rare and wonderful show that takes the viewer into the fictional, yet oddly familiar, town of Pearl Bay, where once you are there you never want to leave. The characters in the show are very real and are not unlike people you would meet in your everyday life. This is due to the fantastic casting of each of the characters, especially the leads, (Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham and William McInnes). With each new problem, and it always is a problem with Laura, Thornton plays the part wonderfully with alternating waves of pure joy and crippling sadness. McInnes also does a fabulous job as Max. Although I doubted whether McInnes and the character of Max would be anywhere near as good as Diver Dan, I am happy to say however, that my doubts were not at all an issue. He was fantastic! McInnes was a delight to watch whilst acting Max's character with his skeptic, hard exterior to his very soft and caring interior. Diver Dan however, played by Wenham, was a perfect character who was terribly hard not to fall in love with. From his great humour to raw emotional scenes Wenham is extremely compelling as the laid-back Diver Dan.

The brilliance of SeaChange however is owed to the excellent and flawless writing, principally by Andrew Knight and Deb Cox. With memorable lines in every episode to the exciting and hilarious structure of each episode, SeaChange makes for incredibly enjoyable viewing. The Kevin and Trevor scenes are often so ridiculous they are funny. This is especially the case in the Season 3 episode with Kevin's anecdote about his fear of ping-pong balls. It sent me into fits of uncontrollable laughter. The magic of the writing in SeaChange is also evident in many episodes when the character story relates to the court case Laura is currently judging.

SeaChange has a mysterious quality that makes the viewer feel as if they are part of the abstract town and that also it matters to them what is going on with Laura's relationships with Dan and Max.

The best TV-show ever made in Australia and it is highly likely nothing will ever rival this absolute golden series.

Saw a few episodes on public TV here in the States two - three years ago. Just enough to get hooked, but then the station moved the show to different times in the middle of the night and made it difficult to even tape. I've been looking for it ever since. Can't wait to reconnect w Laura and friends. The scenery is great; the characters are believable and likable, even the "Bad guy"; the stories pull you in and make you care what happens. Each episode leaves you wanting more... More sea, more sun, more misunderstandings, more understandings, more laughs, more friends. Call the travel agent! If Australia is this beautiful and much fun, we all need to make the trip.

I first watched this series with my mum when it came out on ABC, waiting for each new episode, it was a time we spent together and enjoyed, We loved it. over 15 years later when i was struck with illness and bed ridden, i turned to pearl bay as an escape. Sometimes things happen that create what can only be described as magic, this show was that. Its subtle, powerful and peaceful and sad. Im sad because it isn't real, ant that it ended. but maybe that is life in a nutshell. This show inspired y to dream from what i though was my death bed and i searched for my own seachange. I am happy to tell you that myself and my wonderful girlfriend who i met while i was unwell are at this stage only weeks away from our shack in the sand dunes just behind the beach in a little fishing town north of Perth, western Australia. What that holds in store for us is a mystery, but the imagination and hope this series gave to me pulled me up from my fall. So wherever you are pearl bay, the characters are living in people's imaginations and moments of the peoples minds, and that is as real as anything. Best of life for you and those around you, from my beach with my family and cats (:

The first episode made me roll my eyes: was it the evil career woman or useless husband stereotypes? yes both. But as soon as the annoying husband and sister left the show, it really took off. I loved the town characters. This isn't about city folks and country yokels. All of the characters, even Bob Jelly and his family, had shades of grey, their own struggles, and were humanized rather than fitting certain character slots. That includes that none of them were perfect and they weren't put into positive and negative charcterizations. I love it! well done!

edit after season 4: i finally got to see the 4th season after 20 years. It took a couple of episodes to get used to the new characters but then it hit its stride and was excellent. I am so glad they got Bob and Heather Jelly and Kevin and Phrani back. They were the best characters. (apart from Diver Dan that is) Laura was newly mellow and that was good to see. Well as mellow as she can be. I will miss this show as I guess that is probably it!

Watched recently this 90's series. Warm, charming and doesn't fall into the usual writing cliches and holes. I love all the characters except the main one. She isn't unlikable just for me unlikable.

I'll admit it. I got hooked watching this last year. Yes I became a lounge lizard, while staying with my dad, over the course of a couple of weeks, watching this daily. I loved the show and it's settings, I so much wanted to be part of the atmosphere of this sleepy town, Pearl Bay, aka: Barwon Heads. The stories are well thought out and interesting. I had watched Sea Change a few Friday nights a year before last, and got into the show, but really got to appreciate it last year. Every actor is so good, no performance lacks. I did miss David's Wenham's departure, his smart alecky talking character was one of my favourites. I know if you started watching this show, it would grow on you. The father and son talk at the end of each show was an ingenious touch, but it's also funny, then leaving you with a small afterthought to ponder over for a few tics. You might also notice a younger Wolf Creek face, pre-backpacker victim. Sigrid Thornton as the town lawyer is very strong too. Like I said, every actor's wonderful rocks. I love the theme song too. It's a winner, like the show.

As I'm not an Australia native, I was unable to watch this series when it originally aired and only found out about it after checking out some of David Wenham's work. On a hunch, I purchased the first season (series 1) - mostly to drool over Mr. Wenham.

What I hadn't anticipated was that 'SeaChange' was much more than Diver Dan.

After viewing the first episode, I knew I had to have the rest of the series. While Mr. Wenham's character was (and still is) my favorite, I absolutely adored the rest of the quirky townspeople - even Bob Jelly.

The series had a number of interesting episodes which, while bordering on the fantastic, conveyed some down-to-earth truths, with a moral to each story. All in all, a wonderful series for everyone to enjoy.

I LOVED this show, from the very first episode of season 1, had to get over Diver Dan leaving at the end of season 1, through the hilarious madness through seasons 2 & 3 & the SHOCK of the show ending.

My point here, is should we have gone back to Pearl Bay for season 4, RISKING all of those wondrous memories?

The overdone makeup of Sigrid Thorton in episode 1 of season 4 was very worrying, it made her look SO angular & reminded me of the Aussie saying "Mutton dressed as lamb". It's TWENTY years later, we DON'T expect Laura to look unchanged, we can DEAL with that, but it felt as though we were being treated as idiots, who wanted Laura to look as she did in season 1!

But, after about episode 3, I either got used to it, or the makeup department worked out how to make her look human again. This, probably affected my enjoyment, but the first 3 episodes, I struggled to care or follow the story arc.

I'm writing this after episode 5, & I see the NEW actors settling in, & the old cast finding their footing again. It's NOT the show of my memory, but perhaps it never could have been, that's the problem with trying to resurrect fan favourites?

I have kept my original '9' as my rating, but were this the start of a NEW program, I worry I might not have kept watching past the first 2 episodes, & would have given it a 6 or so.

This is the problem with human memory, it's ALWAYS better in the remembering than in it's reality!

First up, I am Australian, and I am not a fan of Australian content, as I find that if you turn the sound off, you don't know if you're watching a comedy or a drama (movie or series), it all looks like a bad episode of Home and Away or Neighbors,same actors over and over again, most of it is trying too hard to be something it isn't......But, when they get get it right, it is usually a cracker. Take Rosehaven for instance, quirky, inoffensive and easy to watch. just like Seachange. Now I didn't take to Seachange straight away, I watched a few episodes purely to see my old stomping ground. (the courthouse was where my band Valhalla used to practice, among other memories), but damn if this show didn't win me over, I started to like and care about the characters, much to my surprise. The drama's were believable and genuine, the comedy was light and funny, the whole show just got it....well, maybe not perfect, but pretty close

Highly recommended to any one who is sick of all the rubbish we're being force fed. So, while I wait for the next season of Rosehaven, I will enjoy the comeback of Seachange

LOVED THE REBOOT AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT CONTINUE WITH A SEASON 5. The new filming location was amazing with the inland water vistas. Does Bob Jelly have another season left in his aged body??? He looked pretty rough in Season 4.

I still have a couple episodes to go, but I have really enjoyed the show so far. My question is why isn't David Wenham listed among the actors for this show? He has a leading role.

I remember watching this every week with my mum when I was an early teen. Nowadays, although the world has moved on and it's shows some very outdated mentalities and ideologies I just can't stop watching it. It reminds me of a cozy time when I was young watching this every week, being enthralled by the story and hanging out for the next one.

10/10 from me, it's so worth a watch, it's a bit misogynistic, a bit racist and a bit white, but it's so perfect for the time it was made.

I didn't realise this wasn't the first season!

What a great feel-good, quirky and fun series. The location is great and unique. The characters likeable and each with their pinch of humour and little crazy. They face challenges and we vouch for them and their little village. The ambiance is heart-warming, and I loved the radio intros and outros. Just watch and you'll feel happy and fluffy inside.

SEAchange is feeling dated, by now, but that can be OK when viewed in context. Where I've lost my patience and my interest in this show is with the writing, which has veered off the rails in season 2. The characters are not so much funny or Querky as they are just stupid. And annoying. Some themes or subplots are just dragged out as if the writer(s) ran out of ideas.

There's no need to drag this review out - no need for excessive detail about the failures of various characters (and superficial 'acting' to match careless writing), so I'll stop here. Obviously, a lot of people like SeaChange, so it's a matter of disagreement about whether this series is your time or not. I've certainly come across other series, including from Australia, that resonated with me, with querks, unique characters and a sense of identity and place and warmth. This didn't come close, and I really wish it had.

Set in a small coast side town of Eastern Australia, Seachange follows Laura Gibson and her strange family... well, they seem that way, but they are more truthful than a strange interpretation of the Aussie family... Performances to look for are Sigrid Thorton and David Wehnam in the lead roles and in the supporting cast, I loved the ditsy, but kind hearted couple of Angus (Tom Long) and Karen (Kate Atkinson) and their lines such as "We're on a break from our break." Phrani was great too. "You are like the great god ganisha, except you don't have the head of an elephant and the body of fat little indian man" Hilarious stuff!!

I did a recap on series 1-3 & fully enjoy watching them again. & then found out they had rebooted the series.

So could not wait to see what had happen because in my opinion they had tied all the loose ends up. I was shock/ disappointed at what I was watching I wondered if they were filming in a different part of peal bay to be honest as the court house was not the large court house we where use to seeing but a small little building that look nothing like the peal bay court house, & onto the Tropical Star Hotel all I can say is OMG again what we saw was a large pub/restaurant in series 1-3 what we got in series 4 was an unknown building falling apart with just the name stuck on it. There where lots of gapes with people back stories as well. Leaving you to just guess at what had happen in the past.

Very poor reboot to what was a good series. It look like they where on a low budget for this series as nothing was like the other series 1-3.

I got hooked on Seachange halfway through the first series, so I had to go and buy the whole set just so I could watch it all. I identify with "Miranda" and my mum is so very similar to "Laura". I adore the series now, and can't wait for the third installment. The characters range from very smart to quite stupid, and all are very funny. The best bit is that most situations are very realistic. Not all, and not always, but most.

I recommend it to anyone and everyone!