All Saints (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | February 24, 1998 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Medical drama television series |
All Saints is an Australian medical drama television series that debuted on the Seven Network on 24 February 1998. The show is set within the fictional All Saints Western General Hospital and originally concentrated on the staff of Ward 17. Following the ward's closure in 2004, the storyline transitioned to focus on the hospital's emergency department. The production team included John Holmes alongside Jo Porter, MaryAnne Carroll, and Di Drew. After an unprecedented 12-year duration, the series concluded on 27 October 2009.
Plot
The narrative of All Saints revolves around personnel working at All Saints Western General Hospital. Up until season seven in 2004, when Ward 17 was shut down, the series highlighted this unit, often referred to as the "garbage ward" due to its role in managing excess patient cases. Sister Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker) led Ward 17, supported by nurses Connor Costello (Jeremy Cumpston), Von Ryan (Judith McGrath), Bronwyn Craig (Libby Tanner), Jared Levine (Ben Tari), Stephanie Markham (Kirrily White), and ward clerk Jaz Hillerman (Sam Healy). Doctors Luke Forlano (Martin Lynes) and Peter Morrison (Andrew McKaige) regularly worked alongside Terri’s team. Ambulance officer Ben Markham (Brian Vriends) collaborated closely with Luke despite their ongoing rivalry. Bronwyn departed in late 1998 to pursue ambulance work but returned full-time by the conclusion of season three.
In early season two, characters Peter and Jaz left the series, making way for Doctor Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson), who was Terri's former romantic partner. Other original cast members also exited over time, including Stephanie who died in season three and Connor who left during season four. Season four introduced new characters such as Ben’s ambulance partner Scott Zinenko (Conrad Coleby) and nurses Paula Morgan (Jenni Baird) and Nelson Curtis (Paul Tassone). Long-standing physician Charlotte Beaumont (Tammy Macintosh) joined the cast in season five.
Main cast
| Actor | Character | Season | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| Georgie Parker | Terri Sullivan | colspan="8" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Jeremy Cumpston | Connor Costello | colspan="4" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Sam Healy | Jaz Hillerman | colspan="2" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Martin Lynes | Luke Forlano | colspan="7" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Judith McGrath | Von Ryan | colspan="12" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Andrew McKaige | Peter Morrison | colspan="2" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Libby Tanner | Bronwyn Craig | colspan="6" Template:CMain | |||||||||||
| Ben Tari | Jared Levine | colspan="6" Template:CMain | Template:CGuest | ||||||||||
| Kirrily White | Stephanie Markham | colspan="3" Template:CMain | Template:CGuest | ||||||||||
| Brian Vriends | Ben Markham | colspan="2" Template:CRecurring | colspan="4" Template:CMain | ||||||||||
Recurring cast
| Performer | Role | Seasons | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| Elizabeth Maywald | Sophie Williams | Template:CRecurring | Template:CGuest | ||||||||||
| Kim Hillas | Joan Marden | colspan="2" Template:CRecurring | colspan="2" Template:CGuest | colspan="2" Template:CRecurring | Template:CGuest | Template:CGuest | |||||||
| Michael Angus | John Ahearn | colspan="2" Template:CRecurring | Template:CGuest | ||||||||||
| John Noble | John Madsen | colspan="3" Template:CRecurring | colspan="2" Template:CGuest | Template:CRecurring | Template:CGuest | ||||||||
| Justine Clarke | Samantha O'Hara | colspan="2" Template:CRecurring | |||||||||||
| Damon Herriman | Danny Bucknell | Template:CRecurring | Template:CGuest | ||||||||||
| Rod Mullinar | Prof. Richard Craig | Template:CRecurring | |||||||||||
| Robert Coleby | colspan="4" Template:CGuest | ||||||||||||
Guest cast
Amy MathewsAndrea DemetriadesAndrew BibbyAngela Punch McGregorAnh DoAnja ColebyAnna HrubyAnna Lise PhillipsAnne-Louise LambertAnne LucasAnne TenneyAnthony HayesArky MichaelArthur DignamBarry OttoBartholomew John ... [list continues with similar entries, omitted for brevity] ...| Performer | Role | Episode Count |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Blabey | Scott Lacey | 1 |
| Abe Forsythe | Phil Rigg | 1 |
| Adelaide Clemens | Stephanie | 1 |
| Adrian Lee | Sam Lahood | 1 |
| Alan David Lee | Christian / John Jeffries | 2 |
| Alyssa McClelland | Scarlett Baker / Zoe Dell | 2 |
| Mary Cowper / Cassie Anderson | 2 | |
| Felicity Summers | 1 | |
| Tony Clark | 1 | |
| Carmen Shaw | 6 | |
| Tim Salter | 1 | |
| Anna Johnson | 1 | |
| Sandra Connelly / Bridget Mortimer / Nicole Templeton | 7 | |
| Heather | 1 | |
| Gabrielle Trebon | 1 | |
| Mrs Goh / Dr Carol Wong | 4 | |
| Trish Turner | 3 | |
| Krys Goretski | 2 | |
| Doug Silverman | 1 | |
| Father Francis Tyler | 1 | |
| Bob Tyrell | 1 | |
| Lindsay Green | 3 |
Production
After the 2003 exits of Dr. Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson) and Bron Craig (Libby Tanner), producers addressed falling viewership by redirecting the series' emphasis from Ward 17 to the Emergency Department in 2004. John Holmes disclosed intentions for a significant overhaul, bringing in fresh characters while phasing out four established ones. Rather than ending or creating a spin-off, Holmes and Seven's script executive Bevan Lee chose to shift the setting to avoid repetitive storytelling.
This change resulted in the departure of Paula Morgan (Jenni Baird), Luke Forlano (Martin Lynes), Alex Kearns (Fletcher Humphrys), and Sterling McCormack (Henry Nixon). John Howard was cast as Dr. Frank Campion, head of emergency medicine, committing to a three-year contract. New cast members included Wil Traval portraying Dr. Jack Quade, Mark Priestley as Nurse Dan Goldman, Natalie Saleeba in the role of Nurse Jessica Singleton, and Alexandra Davies playing Ambulance Officer Cate McMasters.
Significant alterations occurred during season eight with the midseason exit of principal character Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker), leaving Von Ryan (Judith McGrath) as the sole remaining original cast member and promoting John Howard to lead status. The season's finale introduced Chris Vance as Dr. Sean Everleigh.
Season nine continued with notable cast changes: Nelson and Jessica departed, while new additions included Allison Cratchley as Dr. Zoe Gallagher, Andrew Supanz portraying intern Bartholomew West, Virginia Gay as Nurse Unit Manager Gabrielle Jaeger, and Jolene Anderson in the role of Nurse Erica Templeton. John Waters appeared as surgeon Mike Vlasek before joining full-time in season ten, which also saw Vincent and Cate leave and the character Sean being killed off, succeeded by Steve Taylor (Jack Campbell).
During season eleven, further exits occurred: Zoe departed midseason, Erica was killed off-screen, and following actor Mark Priestley's passing, Dan Goldman made his final appearance alongside Jack Quade’s departure. New cast members introduced were Kip Gamblin as Dr. Adam Rossi and Ella Scott Lynch as Nurse Claire Anderson. Additionally, Alix Bidstrup, who had previously guest-starred as Amy Fielding, was promoted to a regular role.
In 2009, executives at Seven Network aimed to improve ratings by incorporating a Medical Response Unit (MRU) that included helicopter rescue operations in remote areas, rebranding the show as All Saints: Medical Response Unit. The addition of new cast member Mirrah Foulkes and the MRU initially boosted viewership before stabilizing.
By mid-2009, speculation about cancellation emerged as episode orders were reduced from 40 to 24 and production wrapped up earlier than usual. In July 2009, Seven's programming director Tim Worner confirmed the series' cancellation, attributing it to shifting audience preferences and increased production expenses—each episode costing around $500,000 following the MRU's introduction. The final season produced 37 episodes, ending with episode 493. Worner later expressed regret over ending All Saints but maintained it was the appropriate choice under the circumstances, with new drama projects underway.
Episode 265
On 20 April 2004, episode 265, titled "Brave New World," marked the debut of John Howard’s character, Frank Campion, and was the first episode set primarily in the emergency department. This installment generated debate due to a scene implying that a patient used a phone for masturbation, which subsequently became lodged in his rectum.
The episode concluded with Frank confronting Terri (portrayed by Georgie Parker) regarding staff disputes, delivering a blunt warning: "If you ever use your influence with your previous employees to white-ant me again, you will never work in Emergency. Can I make it any fucking clearer?"
Following the broadcast, Channel Seven received over 100 calls from viewers in Melbourne. Parker observed that the audience’s strong reaction was less focused on the coarse language and more on their protective feelings toward her character. The network defended the use of explicit language as permissible under an M rating when relevant to the narrative and did not issue an apology.
Episode 432
Episode 432, "Never Tell," aired on 27 May 2008 and featured a storyline involving a woman pregnant as a result of incest, with an implied increased risk of Down syndrome for her child. Leading geneticist Dr. David Amor publicly disputed this claim, clarifying there is no elevated risk of Down syndrome in children born from incestuous relationships.
Down Syndrome Australia responded by threatening legal proceedings and calling for an advertiser boycott unless Channel Seven issued both an apology and a correction. The network apologized to any viewers offended by the storyline and reaffirmed its commitment to respecting its audience.
The final episode
The extended finale, lasting 49 minutes, was broadcast at 9:30 pm on Tuesday, 27 October 2009. It returned focus to character-driven narratives centered on nurses and doctors caring for patients.
Judith McGrath’s Von Ryan cared for a teenage mother who delivered unexpectedly. Tammy Macintosh and John Howard concluded their roles as Dr. Charlotte Beaumont and Dr. Frank Campion after seven and five years respectively, treating a cystic fibrosis patient portrayed by Heather Mitchell. Ella Scott Lynch and Jonathan Wood departed as Claire Anderson and Elliott Parker while managing a case involving diabetes complications.
Von secretly decided to resign, informing only Frank, who arranged a surprise farewell dinner. During this event, Gabrielle (Virginia Gay) and Steve (Jack Campbell) reconciled to co-parent their child; Bart (Andrew Supanz) proposed to Amy (Alix Bidstrup); Charlotte shared an important moment with Adam (Kip Gamblin). Von delivered her farewell speech, closing with her trademark line followed by a toast.
The finale ended with a montage highlighting memorable moments from the show's twelve-year run—including Mitch’s final scene, Ward 17’s closure, and Bron and Ben’s wedding—set to The Beatles’ "In My Life." The last image showed Frank raising his glass toward Von, who smiled back.
Opening credits
The initial theme began with deep breaths followed by a saxophone tune reminiscent of Ian Anderson’s "Fly by Night," accompanied by cast photos interspersed with medical imagery. Actor names appeared in Zurich Extra Condensed font underlined.
Partway through season two, drums were added to the same theme; cast shots incorporated both actor and character names in the same font alongside medical visuals.
Season four brought a full redesign: deep breaths were layered over a blue screen featuring hands and medical notation; the soundtrack shifted toward strings with subtle saxophone elements; widescreen 16:9 format replaced the previous 4:3 aspect ratio. Visuals included medical crosses and equipment.
In season seven, the opening was updated again to reflect the series’ focus on emergency medicine. An additional saxophone layer enhanced authenticity; images showcased ambulances, surgical instruments, and bustling hospital scenes. The font for actor and character names changed to Imprint MT Shadow and continued through season eight.
Season nine eliminated opening titles entirely; main cast credits were moved to episode conclusions using the original font until the finale. Seasons ten and eleven briefly featured actors’ names flying in from screen edges before reverting back. Ad break intertitle cards appeared only during season nine; fading transitions returned afterward. Early in season eleven, a refreshed title card was introduced for season twelve’s rebranding, remaining until the series ended.
Awards and nominations
Throughout its run, the series garnered a total of 56 nominations at the Logie awards, securing 9 wins.
Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards
All Saints secured two AFI Awards from the Australian Film Institute and garnered several additional nominations.
| Year | Nominee | Award | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Georgie Parker | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | |
| Georgie Parker | Most Popular Actress | ||
| All Saints | Most Popular Program | ||
| Libby Tanner | Most Popular New Female Talent | ||
| 2000 | Georgie Parker | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | |
| Georgie Parker | Most Popular Actress | ||
| All Saints | Most Popular Program | ||
| All Saints | Most Outstanding Program | ||
| 2001 | Georgie Parker | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | |
| Georgie Parker | Most Popular Actress | ||
| All Saints | Most Popular Program | ||
| Georgie Parker | Most Outstanding Actress | ||
| Libby Tanner | Most Outstanding Actress | ||
| All Saints | Most Outstanding Program | ||
| 2002 | Georgie Parker | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | |
| Libby Tanner | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | ||
| Georgie Parker | Most Popular Actress | ||
| Libby Tanner | Most Popular Actress | ||
| Erik Thomson | Most Popular Actor | ||
| Georgie Parker | Most Outstanding Actress | ||
| Libby Tanner | Most Outstanding Actress | ||
| Conrad Coleby | Most Popular New Male Talent | ||
| All Saints | Most Popular Program | ||
| All Saints | Most Outstanding Drama Series | ||
| 2003 | Georgie Parker | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | |
| Libby Tanner | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | ||
| Georgie Parker | Most Popular Actress | ||
| Libby Tanner | Most Popular Actress | ||
| Erik Thomson | Most Popular Actor | ||
| All Saints | Most Popular Australian Program | ||
| All Saints | Most Outstanding Drama Series |
| Year | Nominee | Award | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Episode 6: Give and Take | Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Template:Nom |
| Episode 20: Revelations | Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Template:Nom | |
| 1999 | Episode 58: Head to Head | Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Template:Won |
| 2000 | Valley of the Shadow | Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Template:Won |
| Dead on Time | Best Episode in a Television Drama Series | Template:Nom | |
| 2002 | All Saints | Best Television Drama Series | Template:Nom |
| Peter Fisk (Episode 169: Opening Night) | Best Direction in a Television Drama | Template:Nom | |
| Belinda McClory (Episode 169: Opening Night) | Best Guest or Supporting Actress in Television Drama | Template:Nom | |
| 2005 | All Saints | Best Television Drama Series | Template:Nom |
| 2006 | All Saints | Best Television Drama Series | Template:Nom |
| John Waters | Best Guest or Supporting Actor in Television Drama | Template:Nom | |
| 2007 | All Saints | Best Television Drama Series | Template:Nom |
| Mark Priestley | Best Guest or Supporting Actor in Television Drama | Template:Nom |
Ratings
| Season | Episodes Count | Broadcast Time | Season Premiere Date |
Season Finale Date |
Highest Viewership |
Average Viewership |
Ranking (Australian series) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41 | Tuesday 8:30 pm | 24 February 1998 | 17 November 1998 | — | 1,381,000 | 5th |
| 2 | 43 | 8 February 1999 | 23 November 1999 | — | 1,435,000 | 5th | |
| 3 | 41 | 8 February 2000 | 21 November 2000 | — | 1,488,000 | 3rd | |
| 4 | 43 | 13 February 2001 | 27 November 2001 | 2,023,000 | 1,595,000 | 3rd | |
| 5 | 43 | 5 February 2002 | 26 November 2002 | 1,687,000 | 1,507,000 | 3rd | |
| 6 | 43 | 11 February 2003 | 25 November 2003 | 1,544,000 | 1,363,000 | 4th | |
| 7 | 40 | 27 February 2004 | 16 November 2004 | 1,424,000 | 1,235,000 | 4th | |
| 8 | 41 | 8 February 2005 | 22 November 2005 | 1,559,000 | 1,282,000 | 3rd | |
| 9 | 40 | 28 February 2006 | 21 November 2006 | 1,660,000 | 1,419,000 | 2nd | |
| 10 | 41 | 13 February 2007 | 20 November 2007 | 1,603,000 | 1,380,000 | 2nd | |
| 11 | 40 | Tuesday 9:30 pm | 12 February 2008 | 25 November 2008 | 1,603,000 | 1,245,000 | 2nd |
| 12 | 37 | 3 February 2009 | 27 October 2009 | 1,505,000 | 1,175,000 | 3rd |
Home media
Between 2005 and 2007, EMI Australia issued seasons 1 through 5 on DVD. Following the loss of DVD distribution rights by EMI in 2007, these releases were discontinued.
Subsequently, Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia obtained the DVD distribution rights and launched seasons 8 to 12 during 2009 and 2010. Seasons 6 and 7 were later made available on 2 March 2011. In 2018 and 2019, all twelve seasons were reissued on DVD in Australia by Via Vision Entertainment and Madman Entertainment. The "All Saints Collection One" (covering seasons 1–3) was released in September 2018, with "Collection Two" following in November 2018.
DVD Releases
| DVD Season | Format | # Episodes |
# Disc(s) |
Region 4 | DVD Distributors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | DVD | 41 | 10 | 2005-11-28 | EMI | |
| The Complete Second Season | DVD | 43 | 11 | 2006-06-20 | EMI | |
| The Complete Third Season | DVD | 41 | 10 | 2006-11-17 | EMI | |
| The Complete Fourth Season | DVD | 43 | 10 | 2006-11-27 | EMI | |
| The Complete Fifth Season | DVD | 43 | 10 | 2007-09-13 | EMI | |
| 2003 Season | DVD | 43 | 11 | 2011-03-02 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| 2004 Season | DVD | 40 | 10 | 2011-03-02 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| 2005 Season | DVD | 41 | 11 | 2010-09-29 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| 2006 Season | DVD | 40 | 10 | 2010-09-29 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| 2007 Season | DVD | 41 | 10 | 2010-09-09 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| 2008 Season | DVD | 40 | 10 | 2010-09-09 | Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia | |
| "All Saints Collection One (seasons 1–3)" | "DVD" | "125" | "31" | "2018-09-19" | "Via Vision Entertainment" | |
| "All Saints Collection Two (seasons 4–6)" | "DVD" | "128" | "31" | "2018-11-01" | "Via Vision Entertainment" | |
| "All Saints Collection Three (seasons 7–9)" | "DVD" | "121" | "31" | "2018-12-05" | "Via Vision Entertainment" | |
| "All Saints Collection Four (seasons 10–12)" | "DVD" | "118" | "29" | "2019-03-06" | "Via Vision Entertainment" | |
| "All Saints Complete Collection (seasons 1–12)" | "DVD" | "493" | "122" | "2023-09-13" | "Via Vision Entertainment" | |
External links
- Articles with short description
- All Saints (TV series)
- 1998 Australian television series debuts
- 2009 Australian television series endings
- 1990s Australian drama television series
- 2000s Australian drama television series
- Australian medical television series
- Lesbian-related television shows
- Seven Network original programming
- Television series by Seven Productions
- Television shows set in Sydney
- Australian English-language television shows
- Films about nurses