Always Greener
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand |
| Products | Television drama and comedy series |
Always Greener was an Australian television drama and comedy series broadcast on the Seven Network. The narrative revolved around two families—one living in the city and the other in a rural setting—who exchange residences to explore new life opportunities. The show aired from 2001 until 2003, concluding due to a drop in viewer numbers and elevated production expenses.
History
The series’ name is inspired by the saying "The grass is always greener on the other side." Its launch was highlighted by featuring the song "Side" by Travis, which prominently includes this phrase in its chorus. Outside Australia, it was also shown in New Zealand on TV ONE, with reruns starting on TV2 in 2006. Additionally, the show has been made available on DVD.
International distribution rights for Always Greener are managed by the Southern Star Group, aiding its exposure beyond Australian borders.
Premise
The storyline focuses on two families: the Taylors, residing in suburban Sydney, and the Todds, living on a farm near Inverness in rural New South Wales. During a Christmas visit to his sister Sandra Todd’s farm, John Taylor uncovers his daughter Marissa’s drug problems alongside Sandra’s financial difficulties. This leads them to decide to swap homes. The series blends weighty subject matter with comedic elements, frequently incorporating imaginative sequences such as musical performances to enrich the narrative.
The Taylor family
- John Howard as John Taylor
- Anne Tenney as Liz Taylor
- Michala Banas as Marissa Taylor
- Daniel Steven Bowden as Jason Taylor
- Natasha Lee as Kimberley Taylor
The Todd family
- Caitlin McDougall as Sandra Todd
- Bree Walters as Pip Todd
- Abe Forsythe as Campbell Todd
Other main characters
- Scott Major as Tom Morgan
- Andrew Clarke as Derek Unn
- Merridy Eastman as Eileen Unn
- Denise Roberts as Isabelle Turnbull
- Georgie Shew as Katy Turnbull
- Peter Corbett as Bert Adams
- Bree Desborough as Shelley Southall
- Clayton Watson as Mickey Steele
- Grant Bowler as Greg Steele (Episodes 1–27)
- Nathaniel Dean as Craig 'Patch' Porter (Episodes 9–50)
- Steven Rooke as Nick Greenhill (Episodes 16–50)
Recurring
- Bartholomew John as Gregory Kind (6 episodes)
- Betty Lucas as Florence Holiday (5 episodes)
- Craig McLachlan as Greg Graham (5 episodes)
- Eddie McGill as Eddie McGill (4 episodes)
- Felicity Price as Anne Clark (4 episodes)
- Ian Turpie as Rollie Fields / Rollie Meadows (6 episodes)
- Lynette Curran as Connie Linguini (9 episodes)
- Matt Doran as Scumbag (7 episodes)
- Matt Passmore as Pete 'The Love Professor' Jones (14 episodes)
- Peter Collingwood as Dr Dalrymple (6 episodes)
- Roy Billing as Eddie McGill (4 episodes)
Guests
Prominent guest stars featured throughout the series include Craig McLachlan, Michael Caton, Natalie Saleeba, and Tim Campbell (actor), among others, who appeared across multiple storylines.
Ratings
| Season | Number of Episodes | Original Broadcast Dates | Average Viewership (millions) | Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | |||||
| 1 | 22 | 9 September 2001 | 3 June 2002 | 1.738 | #2 | |
| 2 | 28 | 8 September 2002 | 8 June 2003 | 1.150 | #8 | |
Awards
In 2002, Clayton Watson earned the Australian Film Institute accolade for "Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama." The series also garnered an International Emmy nomination that same year and received multiple Logie Award nominations throughout its broadcast.
Logie Awards
- 2003 Nominee: Most Outstanding Drama Series
- 2003 Nominee: Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (John Howard)
- 2002 Nominee: Most Outstanding Drama Series
- 2002 Nominee: Most Popular New Female Talent (Michala Banas)
ASSG Australian Screen Sound Awards
- 2003 Nominee: Best Achievement in Sound for a Television Drama ("Episode 50")
APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards
- 2002 Nominee: Best Music for a Television Series or Serial (Paul Healy and Trent Williamson)
Australian Film Institute Television Awards
- 2002 Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama (Clayton Watson)
International Emmy Awards
- 2002 Nominee: Always Greener Series 1 – Episodes 1 & 3
Australian Writers' Guild Awards
- 2002 Nominee: Television (Series): "The Good Woman's Guide To A Happy Home" (Sue Hore)
Cancellation
On 6 July 2003, Tim Worner, Director of Programming and Production at Seven, confirmed the renewal of Always Greener, describing it as "a significant program" and a "key franchise" anticipated to expand during its third season. Nevertheless, by September, despite initial script development for the upcoming series, the renewal decision was reversed.
The cancellation was largely linked to dwindling viewership figures. The show debuted strongly in 2001 with audiences exceeding two million but experienced a decline after launching its second season during the low-rating Easter period of 2002, contending with competitors such as '60 Minutes' and 'Big Brother.' Although the series alternated between Sunday and Monday broadcast slots, it was attracting approximately one million viewers when it was discontinued. Officially, Seven attributed the cancellation to "cost management."
Worner highlighted that producing a full set of 22 episodes would require $10 million, which was considered too costly. In late 2005, reruns were scheduled during early morning and midday timeframes on Seven. Currently, the series airs intermittently on Universal Channel.
Home media
The initial season of Always Greener has been made available on DVD within Region 4 (Australia), distributed by Madman Entertainment via VIA Vision Entertainment. Both Season 1 (Volume 2) and the complete Season 1 release feature a photo gallery.
| Always Greener Australian DVD Releases | |||||
| DVD Title | Release Date | Episodes Included | Classification | Number of Discs | Total Runtime |
| Season 1 (Volume 1) | 7 March 2007 | Episodes 1–11 | M | 3 | 472 minutes |
| Season 1 (Volume 2) | 7 March 2007 | Episodes 12–22 | M | 3 | 484 minutes |
| Season 1 (Complete) | 10 October 2007 | Episodes 1–22 | M | 6 | 956 minutes |
| Season 2 (Volume 1) | Unreleased | Episodes 23–36 | M | 3 | TBA |
| Season 2 (Volume 2) | Unreleased | Episodes 37–50 | M | 3 | TBA |
See also
External links
- Always Greener featured on the Australian Television Information Archive
- Always Greener listed in the National Film and Sound Archive
- Access Always Greener on 7plus
- Articles with short description
- 2000s Australian drama television series
- Television shows set in New South Wales
- Seven Network original programming
- 2001 Australian television series debuts
- 2003 Australian television series endings
- Australian English-language television shows
- Television series by Endemol Shine Australia