Packed To The Rafters: Final

The Sunday Age

Sunday November 23, 2008

Melinda Houston

3.5/5

PACKED TO THE RAFTERS: FINAL

Tuesday 8.30pm, Channel Seven

It's Julie's turn to tell the story again tonight, but the action's shared around the siblings, all of whom have their problems; some large, some small. And, as is the nature of this well-observed dramedy, the small problems are as genuine and important as the large. Rafters is never shy of a cliche, but it's also reliably real when it matters, whether that's Dave and Julie's middle-aged bodies, or the reactions of the family when Rachel's new beau - the classic rebound beau - unexpectedly drops round for tea. Tonight's finale has no bus crash or bomb explosion, but it does have a lovely symmetry as Mrs Rafter attempts a relaxing soak in the tub - as she did in episode one - but in very different circumstances.