This TV show picks up the events of the original mini-series seven years later when Jilly Stewart is released from prison following the fatal shooting of Greg Marsden. Filled with hate and revenge she appears to be quite friendly with Stephanie, however she is actually plotting her downfall and eventually teams up with Jake Sanders (actually Greg Marsden's brother) in order to eventuate her goal. She terrorises Stephanie in many ways over the duration of the season tormented by the fact that she should have killed her instead of Greg.
The show was scheduled to return for a second season and as a result the final scenes of the last episode ended with a cliffhanger. However the show had gone over its budget in certain areas and was ultimately deemed too expensive to continue in production, also unfortunate was a slump in the shows initial high ratings. A last minute decision by the network resulted in the shows cancellation.
Sources have reported that the falling viewing figures were the primary reason for the show being axed, this is not strictly true, Return To Eden was very popular worldwide, despite lacklustre ratings in Australia. As mentioned earlier it was an expensive show to produce and needed to reach a healthy ratings level to allow it to continue, unfortunately interest in the series waned toward the end of its first season and this eventually sealed its fate.
When it was decided to syndicate the series worldwide a small number of the cast were contacted to return to the series, pun intended, as it was discovered the show would be turned down for syndication because the series ended on a cliffhanger which had no resolution. Series Stars Rebecca Gilling, Peter Cousens and Peta Toppano were recalled and scenes were quickly written to explain most of the major story lines.
In the original final scenes Dennis is hit on the head by an unseen assailant shortly after having an argument with Cassie. Stephanie discovers Jake is Greg's brother and Jilly inadvertently shoots him by accident intending to kill Stephanie. Jilly subsequently frames Stephanie for the murder.
In the re-edit these scenes were retained, the action then continued to show Dennis awake but tied up. A stranger arrives and we learn that his name is Chris and he's Stephanie's long lost son, that he's a photographer and that he witnessed the shooting at Eden when Jilly shot Jake and has the pictures to prove this. Chris releases Dennis who persuades him to go to meet his Mother and they go to see Stephanie at the jail just as Jilly arrives to taunt Stephanie about the Trial. The police seize Jilly and Stephanie is released. This re-edited final episode was never shown in Australia, until several years later when the show was re-run. It had been shown in Europe first in a syndication package before being shown at least twice in Australian re-runs.
Return To Eden is a very enjoyable escapist type of soap opera and much better plotted than its American cousins. Its also more funnier and OTT, and not afraid to poke fun at itself. One of the best eighties Aussie soaps ever, a shame it only lasted the one season.
Unfortunately for buyers of the official DVD release, the final episode is the original run episode and not the re-edited version with the extra final scenes, instead finishing on the original cliffhanger. This is evident on viewing the set from the different scroll Worldvision logo at the end of the credits. There are also no subtitles available. Instead just all of the beautifully filmed, well acted twenty two episodes of the show with no special features. Peta Toppano is magnificent as the scheming Jilly. A role you can tell she relished. Rebecca Gilling brings an air of class and glamour as the main heroine of the series. Daniel Abineri and James Smillie are brilliant counterpoints. One young and handsome, the other older, good looking but wiser. Eden is very well cast. The music too (composed by Brian May, the man is a legend) is a treat and brilliantly complements the visual exotic locations of Sydney. Its great to hear the closing theme music without a network announcer spoiling it by talking over it!
Could it ever come back? I wish it would, it would be great to Return To Eden!!! However viewed now it is very much a product of its time, it is very eighties when shows like Dallas and Dynasty were riding high in the ratings. An awful shame it didn't continue.
A few months back I emailed Hal McElroy at his own website about how much I enjoyed Return To Eden and asked whether if it would ever come back again. Although he thanked me for enjoying it, he said and I quote "There are no plans for any more ....."
The show was scheduled to return for a second season and as a result the final scenes of the last episode ended with a cliffhanger. However the show had gone over its budget in certain areas and was ultimately deemed too expensive to continue in production, also unfortunate was a slump in the shows initial high ratings. A last minute decision by the network resulted in the shows cancellation.
Sources have reported that the falling viewing figures were the primary reason for the show being axed, this is not strictly true, Return To Eden was very popular worldwide, despite lacklustre ratings in Australia. As mentioned earlier it was an expensive show to produce and needed to reach a healthy ratings level to allow it to continue, unfortunately interest in the series waned toward the end of its first season and this eventually sealed its fate.
When it was decided to syndicate the series worldwide a small number of the cast were contacted to return to the series, pun intended, as it was discovered the show would be turned down for syndication because the series ended on a cliffhanger which had no resolution. Series Stars Rebecca Gilling, Peter Cousens and Peta Toppano were recalled and scenes were quickly written to explain most of the major story lines.
In the original final scenes Dennis is hit on the head by an unseen assailant shortly after having an argument with Cassie. Stephanie discovers Jake is Greg's brother and Jilly inadvertently shoots him by accident intending to kill Stephanie. Jilly subsequently frames Stephanie for the murder.
In the re-edit these scenes were retained, the action then continued to show Dennis awake but tied up. A stranger arrives and we learn that his name is Chris and he's Stephanie's long lost son, that he's a photographer and that he witnessed the shooting at Eden when Jilly shot Jake and has the pictures to prove this. Chris releases Dennis who persuades him to go to meet his Mother and they go to see Stephanie at the jail just as Jilly arrives to taunt Stephanie about the Trial. The police seize Jilly and Stephanie is released. This re-edited final episode was never shown in Australia, until several years later when the show was re-run. It had been shown in Europe first in a syndication package before being shown at least twice in Australian re-runs.
Return To Eden is a very enjoyable escapist type of soap opera and much better plotted than its American cousins. Its also more funnier and OTT, and not afraid to poke fun at itself. One of the best eighties Aussie soaps ever, a shame it only lasted the one season.
Unfortunately for buyers of the official DVD release, the final episode is the original run episode and not the re-edited version with the extra final scenes, instead finishing on the original cliffhanger. This is evident on viewing the set from the different scroll Worldvision logo at the end of the credits. There are also no subtitles available. Instead just all of the beautifully filmed, well acted twenty two episodes of the show with no special features. Peta Toppano is magnificent as the scheming Jilly. A role you can tell she relished. Rebecca Gilling brings an air of class and glamour as the main heroine of the series. Daniel Abineri and James Smillie are brilliant counterpoints. One young and handsome, the other older, good looking but wiser. Eden is very well cast. The music too (composed by Brian May, the man is a legend) is a treat and brilliantly complements the visual exotic locations of Sydney. Its great to hear the closing theme music without a network announcer spoiling it by talking over it!
Could it ever come back? I wish it would, it would be great to Return To Eden!!! However viewed now it is very much a product of its time, it is very eighties when shows like Dallas and Dynasty were riding high in the ratings. An awful shame it didn't continue.
A few months back I emailed Hal McElroy at his own website about how much I enjoyed Return To Eden and asked whether if it would ever come back again. Although he thanked me for enjoying it, he said and I quote "There are no plans for any more ....."