The Keepers (Australian TV series)

The Keepers is an 1984 Australian drama television series created by Noel Price and starring Bill Hunter and David Cameron as Fisheries and Wildlife officers.[2]

The Keepers
Genre
Created by
  • Tracey Robertson
  • Nathan Mayfield
Written by
  • John Reeves
  • Ian McFadyen
  • Catherine Millar
Directed by
  • Noel Price
  • Kevin James Dobson
Starring
ComposerGreg Sneddon
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes9
Production
ProducerNoel Price
Running time50 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
Release5 April 1984 (1984-04-05)[1]

Synopsis

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Fisheries and Wildlife officer Jack Wolfe new assistant Rick Zammit. Follow the personal and professional lives of the two mismatched Keepers.[1]

Production

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Most of the series was shot on location in the Dandenong Ranges. The show's crew used multiple tricks to fake the killing of the wildlife that Fisheries and Wildlife officers want to protect including frozen ducks and a diseased deer that had been recently culled.[3]

Cast

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Reception

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Garrie Hutchinson of the Age wrote "The good things are the performances of gruff Bill Hunter enthusiastic David Cameron and the calm Catherine Wilkin as Aggie, the den mother of animal and human alike. The storylines, and the writing in general, suffer because they have to be about some Big Issue."[4] Barbara Hooks of The Age states "The Keepers is pleasantly diverting drama. competently scripted and performed and appealingly photographed. It's timely in its subject mater, informative but careful to avoid sermonising. I'll be tuning in for more."[5] Brian Courtis, also from The Age finishes his review "So what made it so special? Superb performances from all in the cast. a tight and witty script, refreshing camera angles, Greg Sneddon's music ... and Noel Price, the man who put it together."[2]

In the Sydney Morning Herald Jenny Tabakoff described it as "nice" saying "It's well acted, well scripted, socially aware but, despite a modicum of excitement, it makes pleasant rather than compelling viewing."[6] The Sydney Morning Herald's Elizabeth Riddell was critical of the show calling Wolfe a bully and said the script was "developing into one long exercise in truculence and petulance?"[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tension at work in show about wildlife officers", The Canberra Times, 2 April 1984
  2. ^ a b Courtis, Brian (6 April 1984), "Price is right for the ABC", The Age
  3. ^ Hooks, Barbara (5 April 1984), "How wildlife crew beat the 'shooting' problem", The Age
  4. ^ Hutchinson, Garrie (19 April 1984), "All characters great and small", The Age
  5. ^ Hooks, Barbara (29 March 1984), "Keeping up the interest", The Age
  6. ^ Tabakoff, Jenny (2 April 1984), "Animals and the bush carry The Keepers", The Sydney Morning Herald
  7. ^ Riddell, Elizabeth (15 April 1984), "Can The Keepers hold you?", The Sydney Morning Herald
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