australian television information archive

Separate Seats

Episode 1
Wed, Oct 31, 2012 (8:30, ABC1)
Ratings: 677,000 viewers (14th)
Written by Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

How does an unsentimental family get through the most sentimental time of year?

Such is the ordeal Dan Moody must face when he journeys home from London to spend each Christmas with his overbearing family.

Once a year, for six years, we visit the lovably dysfunctional Moody family as they come together to share this universally celebrated holiday, stuffed full of all the fun, fights, bad gifts, boring uncles, overbearing in-laws, shocking family secrets and bizarre eccentricities that any family who's experienced the melting pot of Christmas Day will relate to.

Starring: Ian Meadows as Dan, Patrick Brammall as Sean, Danny Adcock as Kevin, Robina Beard as Gwen, Tina Bursill as Maree, Guy Edmonds as Hayden, Darren Gilshenan as Terry, Rachel Gordon as Bridget, Jane Harber as Cora, Phil Lloyd as Roger

Guest Cast: Mark Heap as Heathrow Passenger, Sarah Hampson as Phoebe, David FIeld as Rhys, Jody Kennedy as Dashenka, Duncan Fellows as Police Officer, Srisacd Sacdpraseuth as Peter, Ben Toyer as Stunt Double

Operation Sex Via The Homeless

Episode 2
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Ratings: 592,000 viewers (18th)
Written by Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

Dan gets home Christmas Eve to find everyone heading to Carols by Candlelight to see Terry sing. The event is marred when Terry breaks down on stage over his split with his wife.

In an effort to have a more meaningful Christmas, Maree drags Dan to a homeless shelter next morning, where she and Cora are volunteering. After reconnecting with Cora following their kiss last year, Dan makes a faux pas with a homeless woman, Linda, whom he subsequently invites to lunch to make amends. Maree's also invited her friend from work, Chris, in the vain hope her family won't argue in front of a stranger at lunch.

Having set up an air-con business in direct competition with his father's, Kevin delights in Sean being called out to fix one of the dodgy units he's installed.

Meanwhile, Roger and Bridget try to capitalise on Bridget's ovulation window following her miscarriage earlier in the year. After Dan does Cora a favour by photographing her clothes for her application to a London fashion school, the day ends with a shock.

Guest Cast: Mandy McElhinney as Linda, Helen Dallimore as Peggy, Chum Ehelepola as Chris, Craig Jackson as Homeless Man; Dave Jensen, Ian Bloxhom, Evan Lohning & Vicki Thiel as Band Members; Zachary Howson, Tom Scheller Agar & Ernie Gilshenan as Peggy's Kids

Decapod Crustaceans

Episode 3
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Ratings: 616,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Phil Lloyd and Trent O'Donnell
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

When Dan lands at the airport with Cora, we quickly realise they've secretly been seeing each other since she's broken up with Hayden. They'll break the news at lunch since Hayden won't be there this year. But the secrets mount up when Dan learns Bridget and Roger have split. Roger has 'come out' and is now with Chris Maree's colleague from Christmas last year. Bridget swears Dan to secrecy — she and Roger are pretending to be together to save face, and achieve Bridget's adoption plans.

While Kevin tries in vain to convince Sean to join the family business, Sean's mate Scott, also there for Christmas, has a crush on Maree. Dan panics when Hayden suddenly shows up but he's unable to reach Cora. Meanwhile, Hayden and Terry seem haunted by a big night out after his breakup.

When Dan lets slip about Bridget and Roger, Kevin sees red and finds Maree trying on lingerie that Scott gave her for Christmas. He has a heart attack just as Cora arrives. At the hospital, Sean promises to come and work for Kevin if he pulls through. Meanwhile things are left in limbo for Cora and Dan who decide this isn't the best time to break their news.

Guest Cast: Geoff Whiting as London Cabbie, David Eastgate as Scott, Chum Ehelepola as Chris, Annie Maynard as Irene, Daniel Mitchell as Doctor

I'm Walt Roskow

Episode 4
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Ratings: 570,000 viewers (17th)
Written by Phil Lloyd & Trent O'Donnell
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

Dan is met by his dad at the airport. Kevin wants to walk home since he's on a health kick and uses the time to lament how Sean has driven the family business into the ground since joining the company. At home Dan meets Sean's son, Cooper, the result of Sean's visit to Peggy's house to fix her air conditioning two Christmases ago. But Dan seems more preoccupied with the fact Cora looks like she is now back with Hayden, after Dan returned to London for work and she stayed in Australia.

Bridget has found a new suitor, Elliot, a smooth-talking cad, twenty years her senior whose deliberately coy innuendos to Kevin severely test his patience. Terry also has a new love interest, Irene, the Russian nurse who cared for Kevin in hospital after his heart attack. He's almost as proud of her as he is of his new, homebrew rocket-fuel which sees Dan getting quite drunk and bolshie with Hayden and Cora, who are in business together now, with Hayden funding her fashion label.

But when Hayden finds a photo of Dan and Cora kissing in London, all hell breaks loose leaving Dan with a bloody nose and more than one relationship in doubt. The day ends with the family sitting back watching a tape of the exposé on Sean from A Current Affair when he was revealed as a dodgy repairman.

Guest Cast: Rob Carlton as Elliot, Helen Dallimore as Peggy, Annie Maynard as Irene, Henry O'Donnell as Baby Cooper, Tracy Grimshaw as Herself, Loani Arman as Deborah Anderson, Jeremy Just as ACA Reporter

Water Under The Bridge

Episode 5
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Ratings: 551,000 viewers (18th)
Written by Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

Dan arrives Christmas morning with his confident, precocious new girlfriend, Patience, a model he met through work. Hayden and Cora are back together, and despite Hayden saying last year is 'water under the bridge', they are sorely tested when all four end up stuck in a car en route to visit grandma.

Meanwhile, Sean's plans to propose to Peggy are waylaid by Uncle Rhys, who's on day release from prison and has come to make amends as part of his rehabilitation. Roger arrives and we learn that Bridget is still planning to adopt a child with him. They need to create the façade that they are still a couple, and want to document such happy family occasions for their application in spite of Maree's lack of support for it.

Rhys gives the family a painting depicting some of his wrongs from the past. It proves to be quite explosive, driving Rhys to snap and stab his own leg with a fork. Back in the car, tensions between Cora, Dan and Hayden rise, not helped when they get to the nursing home to find grandma missing.

Guest Cast: David Field as Rhys, Helen Dalimore as Peggy, Georgina Haig as Patience, Chum Ehelepola as Chris, Jack Wetere as Keith, Daniel Corboy as Teenage Boy, Jack Davies-Smith as Cooper, Catherine Moore as Carer, Jenny Templeton as Bev, John Howson as Harvey, Craig Anderson as Counsellor

Last Minute Airfare

Episode 6 (finale)
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Ratings: 624,000 viewers (15th)
Written by Phil Lloyd and Trent O'Donnell
Directed by Trent O'Donnell

After declaring he won't be home for Christmas this year, Dan mistakes a text from Cora as a confession she still wants to be with him. He rushes back, only to feel like an idiot. He comes home to meet Max, Bridget's 8-year-old adopted son who talks like an adult, and with whom Sean has a competitive rivalry. Uncle Terry is embarrassed when his new date Oksana turns out to be an escort. Kevin is thrilled to finally unveil the new swimming pool, only six years after he began. Roger comes to lunch with Chris, and Bridget discovers that Roger isn't sure he wants to get married.

Meanwhile, Sean's new business — 'Dying High Funeral Fireworks' causes a stir. Sean takes Dan to Peggy's house to show him why he should go after Cora — because he'll miss out like Sean has otherwise, since Peggy is back with her ex, Bryan. Dan points out that Peggy used him and told him he was Cooper's dad when he wasn't. When Brian puts an axe through the car bonnet, Sean stays to take him on and spurs Dan away to Cora's house.

Guest Cast: Helen Dalimore as Peggy, Chum Ehelepola as Chris, Toby Mennie as Max, Natasha Beaumont as Oksana, Matthew Hardie as Andy, Kerry Blakeman as Bryan, Lorna Lesley as Cora's Mum, Bryan Marshall as Cora's Uncle, Matthew Fagan as Guitarist, Bryan Moses as Airport Guy, Harriet Dyer as Airport Girl, Sarah Grieve as Stunt Performer