I saw a talk show in December 2019 that had most of the cast of "Packed to the Rafters". They were discussing Amazon bringing a continuation series to Amazon streaming. Well, I was there for that! Filming was, of course, delayed due to COVID. "Back to the Rafters" is finally here and I binge watched all 6 episodes. The entire original cast were there, with the exception of Jessica Marais. She was replaced by Georgina Haig, whom I found a lot better. She's a lot more mature and softer. Not as brittle.
No one has really changed, except Ted afflicted with Alzheimer's. Michael Caton, you rule!
Julie still thinks she knows all and can fix everything. Just want to shake her.
Dave, I like Dave. He is correct. You can't live your life for your kids. Before you had 'em, you had a life. Of course, J & D got married at like 18 when she got pregnant. So, they didn't have much a of life before kids.
Ben is still the non listener. All about him and what he wants. Takes after Julie, I think. He can get to be a pushy and a pain. If I had liked Cassie, I would have felt bad for her. But, as my grandmother said to my mom and her sisters, "None of you have a buttonhole for a mouth". Wise words.
Nathan, the woe is me boy. Nothing works out for Nathan. He likes to run, but maybe he has found an anchor after all in this series.
Now for Ruby. Super irritating. Now that kid needs a huge time out. If a second season is in the works, less of Ruby. Can't stand her. Not that she doesn't have valid points about the environment, but the way the writer's put it forth for her is very irritating.
Carbo hasn't changed. Nothing new there.
Retta, I'd like to see more of her, not just in one episode.
Edward is cute and not irritating.
Cassie, why? She and Ben just do not gel. I think that a different actress would have been better. There was no chemistry.
Tessa, loved her and the earth mother vibe she gives off.
Donna, she's changed a bit and I like it. She likes to have a little fun now.
Paddo was a nice addition. A gentle spirit and good that Dave has someone to relate with.
I watched all of the original series last year between TubiTV and Hulu. I enjoyed the first couple of seasons more than the later ones, except for Jessica Marias. She just grated on me. I liked the fact that the first couple of seasons didn't have more than a couple of dramas going on in each episode. Then, the dramas increased within each episode. Those full grown kids just being stupid, wasteful, nonchalant, inconsiderate and just plain idiots was hard to watch sometimes. But, I continued watching to see how things turned out for some of the characters, not all of them.
This continuation isn't bad and I'm glad that they have moved part of the story to another place, but lose Ruby, the bratty kid, tone down Julie's efforts to run everyone's life, make Ben address his it's all about me issues, make Nathan be ok with who he is, make Rachel a warrior (she is half way there) and Dave, he is the only one with some common sense in the sea of Rafter's. He can stay the way he is.
