Bed of Roses (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | May 10, 2008 |
| Founder | Jutta Goetze, Elizabeth Coleman |
Key people | Mark Ruse (producer), Stephen Luby (producer) |
| Products | Television series |
| Website | www |
Bed of Roses is an Australian comedy-drama television series that debuted on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) network on 10 May 2008. Featuring Kerry Armstrong, recognized for her roles in SeaChange and Lantana, the show was developed by Jutta Goetze and Elizabeth Coleman. Production was led by Mark Ruse (known for Kath & Kim and The Games) alongside Stephen Luby (of Crackerjack).
Plot
The storyline centers on Louisa Atherton (Armstrong), who, after learning her husband passed away with another woman and left her in financial distress, returns to her hometown of Rainbow's End. There, she moves in with her determined mother, Minna (Julia Blake). Set within a developing area near Indigo, Louisa must navigate challenges involving her teenage daughter Holly (Hanna Mangan-Lawrence) and the local community. With few assets apart from "Mary Kelly's Shack," an inheritance from her father, Louisa intends to demolish the old structure and construct a new home for sale. Holly struggles emotionally, carrying her late father's ashes, while Louisa’s reckless driving results in expensive traffic violations she cannot easily afford.
Production
The inaugural season consisted of six episodes, each lasting approximately 50 minutes, produced on a budget of $5 million. Filming took place over nine weeks primarily in the South Gippsland towns of Foster and Meeniyan. The concept took six years to develop before airing and bore resemblance to Armstrong’s earlier ABC series SeaChange. The six-episode series was scheduled for Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm on ABC, preceding the program The Bill.
For the second season, ABC commissioned eight episodes. New cast members included Bud Tingwell and Philip Quast. Production extended over five months across regional Victoria’s South Gippsland area, Melbourne, and ABC’s Ripponlea studios. The producers reported a strong viewer response both on ABC1 and through podcast platforms.
Miranda Dear, head of drama at ABC TV, described season two as exploring a woman’s and her community’s quest for identity in modern times, highlighting its timeless love story elements appealing to audiences of all ages.
Filming for the third and final season began in May 2010, spanning five months across South Gippsland, Melbourne, and ABC’s Southbank studios. The episode count doubled to twelve, with the season premiering on 4 December 2010.
Main cast
- Kerry Armstrong as Louisa Atherton – Recently widowed, she returns to Rainbow's End.
- Serves as editor of The Rainbow Echo, addressing community issues and mediating disputes involving Tim and Nick.
- Julia Blake as Minna Franklin – Louisa’s mother and member of the Heritage Society.
- Rekindles friendship with Sandy; stands against redevelopment initiatives.
- Caroline Gillmer as Marg Braithwaite – Estranged spouse of Gavin Braithwaite.
- Works as a marriage celebrant aiming to attract Tim’s attention.
- Hanna Mangan-Lawrence as Holly Atherton – Louisa’s daughter, senior at Indigo High School, employed at Lim's.
- Participates in local affairs; experiences a misunderstanding with Sean.
- Jay Laga'aia as Nick Pickering – Longtime friend of Louisa and proprietor of Nick's Tyre Service.
- Dates Louisa; helps Holly with driving lessons.
- Andrew S. Gilbert as Gavin Braithwaite – Owner of hardware store and local council member.
- Focused on self-promotion; purchases The Rainbow Echo and appoints Tim as manager.
- Kaarin Fairfax as Deb Mathieson – New acquaintance working at The Rainbow Echo who also cares for injured wildlife.
- Runs a wildlife sanctuary; limited time with husband Trev due to professional duties.
- Tim Phillipps as Sean Smithwick – Local football player and son of the undertaker attracted to Holly.
- Experiences a misunderstanding with Holly; drives the undertaker's van.
- Dina Panozzo as Gemma O'Reilly – Gym owner and longtime friend.
- Encounters intimacy issues with husband Pat.
- HaiHa Le as Rita Lim – Manager of Rainbow Inn restaurant and Happy Nuggett mini-market; girlfriend of Gavin.
- Actively involved in community projects; dating Chin.
Season 2
- Charles "Bud" Tingwell portrays Sandy Wilsoncroft, an old acquaintance of Minna who is living with Alzheimer's disease.
- Gareth Yuen appears as Chin Tsung Chi, Rita's new romantic interest who is on a quest to discover his ancestor.
- Philip Quast takes on the role of Tim Price, the newly appointed manager of The Rainbow Echo and Louisa's employer.
Additional cast
- Dave Thornton plays Shannon Atherton, Louisa's 24-year-old son and a professional Australian Rules football athlete.
- Cameron McKenzie features as 'Young Cop' (Gregg Russell), a traffic officer enforcing regulations impacting Louisa and Sean.
- Kallista Kaval acts as Wendy Watt, the former editor of The Rainbow Echo who departs for a superior career opportunity.
- Richard Davies portrays 'Rooster' McIver, the football team captain pursuing Holly and working as Marty's carpenter.
- Greg Stone embodies Jack (Thomas) Atherton (1956–2008), Louisa's deceased husband who passed away from a heart attack.
- Jacquie Brennan appears as Anna Mayhew, Jack’s girlfriend mentioned by Louisa.
- Amanda Ma plays Lily Lim, co-owner of Rainbow Inn and Happy Nuggett, who is also Gavin’s disapproving mother.
- Lawrence Mah acts as Wayne Lim, co-owner of the family enterprises; he supports the expansion of a shopping centre alongside Gavin.
- Frank Magree portrays Marty Mason, a builder and coach of the Rainbow Roos involved in construction projects for Gavin; he also works as a taxi driver.
- Brandon Burns appears as Macca, a football player and Marty's laborer who is turning 21.
- Susie Dee plays Vivien Dixon, a Heritage Society member employed at The Rainbow Echo, responsible for the 'Caring Caroline' column.
- Geoff Morrell acts as Tibor Havel, a psychiatrist and Louisa’s widowed neighbor.
- Leverne McDonnell portrays Robyn Blake, Louisa's friend from Melbourne who offers her a job opportunity.
- Ronald Boyter / Cliff Ellen appear as Clem Blackwell, a resident of Rainbow’s End.
- Tim Sullivan features as Ern Swann, an active real estate agent within the community.
- Nicole Gulasekharam plays Tahlia, Holly’s schoolmate involved in protests opposing redevelopment plans.
- Graham Thwaites acts as Jase, Marty's roofing subcontractor and nephew.
- Julie Wynn portrays Meilin Chee, a ghost seen by Louisa and former owner of the shack.
Season 2
- Jasper Bagg appears as Trev Mathieson, a truck driver whose scheduling conflicts interfere with Deb’s wildlife work.
- Christopher Bunworth plays Pat O'Reilly, who struggles with intimacy issues involving Gemma.
- Richard Moss features as Bob Stinson, the former owner of The Rainbow Echo.
- Christopher Connelly acts as Lionel Smithwick, an undertaker and Sean's father.
- Terry Gill portrays Owen Diston, a goat farmer.
Season 3
- Georgia Chara appears as Bike Salesperson (1 episode)
- Laura Gordon plays Donna (1 episode)
- Todd MacDonald features as Conrad (1 episode)
Episodes
International broadcasts
The show Bed of Roses was available on South Africa's subscription television provider DStv Series Channel, with the second season premiering there more than two months ahead of its Australian release, on 24 November 2009.
In Ireland, the series was aired on RTÉ One, while in the United States it could be accessed through the Acorn.com streaming service.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, Bed of Roses made its debut on Amazon Prime Video on 17 April 2019.
Critical reception
- Judy Adamson of The Sydney Morning Herald commended the depth of character development in the first episode. By the third episode, Jodie Pfarr observed a noticeable enhancement, particularly praising Armstrong's emotional versatility. Conversely, Kate Duthie considered the series to have become somewhat predictable by the fourth episode.
- Despite the strong cast, Catherine Deveny from The Age expressed dissatisfaction with the series.
- David Knox from TV Tonight offered a positive critique, applauding the show's concept, scriptwriting, and Kerry Armstrong’s portrayal. He described it as a "warm-spirited, genial tale full of quiet charm and likable characters," setting it apart from more sensationalist dramas.
Ratings
| Season | Timeslot (Australian) |
Episodes | Premiere | Final episode | Rank | Average viewers (millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Viewers (millions) |
Date | Viewers (millions) | |||||
| 1 | Saturday 7:30 pm | 6 | 10 May 2008 | 1.07 | 14 June 2008 | 0.961 | 5 | 0.972 |
| 2 | 8 | 13 February 2010 | 0.675 | 3 April 2010 | 0.651 | 9 | 0.621 | |
| 3 | 12 | 4 December 2010 | 0.767 | 26 February 2011 | 0.689 | 7 | 0.652 | |
Awards and nominations
In 2008, Bed of Roses was nominated for two AFI Awards: Best Telefeature, Mini Series or Short Run Series for its first season, and Best Guest or Supporting Actress recognizing Hanna Mangan-Lawrence's role. Additionally, season one received three Logie Award nominations in 2009 for Most Outstanding Drama Series, Most Outstanding Actress awarded to Julia Blake, and Most Outstanding New Talent for Hanna Mangan-Lawrence.
Home media
| Season | Release date | Episodes | Discs | ACB Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 7 August 2008 | 6 | 2 | PG |
| Season 2 | 1 April 2010 | 8 | 2 | PG |
| Season 3 | 3 March 2011 | 12 | 3 | PG |
| Seasons 1–3 | 3 April 2013 | 26 | 7 | PG |