| McLeod's Daughters | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
 Season 3 DVD | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 30 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nine Network |
| Original release | 12 February – 29 October 2003 |
| Season chronology | |
The third season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 12 February 2003, and concluded on 29 October 2003, with a total of 30 episodes.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1 | "Fairy Tale, Ending" | Karl Zwicky | Chris McCourt | 12 February 2003 | |
Claire is home from her stint in hospital, but it's far from easy for the single mum-to-be. She has to face the truth about her baby's father, the lies she and Alex have concocted, the fact that Drover's has stayed afloat without her instruction... and on top of that, Alex is involved in a chopper crash. First appearance of Brett Tucker as Dave Brewer | ||||||
| 46 | 2 | "Better the Devil You Know" | Karl Zwicky | Vicki Madden | 19 February 2003 | |
| Alex and Claire's secret brings one family together and brings another to the brink. Tess and Liz clash over the lie – each with their own family's best interests at heart – while Jodi arrives home with a secret of her own. | ||||||
| 47 | 3 | "The Road Home" | Bill Hughes | Giula Sandler | 26 February 2003 | |
| After months of searching, Becky finally finds out what happened to Brick. She and Jodi discover the horrible truth after Becky is led to Brick in a dream. | ||||||
| 48 | 4 | "An Affair to Forget" | Bill Hughes | Christina Milligan | 5 March 2003 | |
| It seems Sally is taking advantage of Nick's absence in town by inviting a stranger over to Wilgul. Claire warns Tess against putting her nose in, but she just can't resist. | ||||||
| 49 | 5 | "Put to the Test" | Richard Jasek | Alexa Wyatt & Robert Armin | 12 March 2003 | |
| A careless prank on the groom threatens to put a stop to the impending nuptials of Jodi and Alberto. Meanwhile, Claire's expanding waistline is causing her all kinds of problems! | ||||||
| 50 | 6 | "The Wedding" | Richard Jasek | Jeff Truman | 19 March 2003 | |
| The Wedding Day is here and nearly everything that can go wrong does go wrong. But for one couple, it will be a day to remember- for all the right reasons! | ||||||
| 51 | 7 | "Gone to the Dogs" | Cath Roden | Ysabelle Dean | 2 April 2003 | |
| When Becky and Jake are forced to steal a horse, they find new depths to their relationship. Alex is dismayed when Claire starts buying up old nags from the sale yards. | ||||||
| 52 | 8 | "The Ghost of Things to Come" | Cath Roden | Denise Morgan | 9 April 2003 | |
| Claire discovers a hidden treasure which brings back fearful memories of her mother and unleashes the fear that she too will die in childbirth. | ||||||
| 53 | 9 | "House of Cards" | Karl Zwicky | Chris McCourt | 23 April 2003 | |
| A thirtieth wedding anniversary is no protection for Liz, when Harry, suspicious about Claire's baby, discovers an even bigger lie. | ||||||
| 54 | 10 | "Three Little Words" | Karl Zwicky | Dave Warner | 30 April 2003 | |
| Alex struggles with the truth about his family as Harry tries to win his son back the only way he knows how. Sally comes to the realisation that her relationship with Nick is going nowhere and she makes a heartbreaking decision. | ||||||
| 55 | 11 | "Repeat Offenders" | Bill Hughes | Chris Hawkshaw | 7 May 2003 | |
| An old friend of Tess' makes a visit to Drover's Run, planning to portray the lives of the woman in her next article. Becky and Meg clash over Jake's appointment as Killarney's new overseer. | ||||||
| 56 | 12 | "Sins of the Father" | Bill Hughes | Shane Brennan & Giula Sandler | 14 May 2003 | |
| Jake's true identity is revealed after his father and brother turn up wanting him to come home. Whilst weaning Phoenix from Blaze, Claire starts to realise that the lie about her baby isn't right and cannot last. | ||||||
| 57 | 13 | "Jokers to the Right" | Cath Roden | Margaret Kelly | 21 May 2003 | |
| Sandra Kinsella is back and her meddling brings Alex and Claire to the brink. Will they go their separate ways and end their lie? | ||||||
| 58 | 14 | "Chain Reaction" | Cath Roden | Jeff Truman | 28 May 2003 | |
| After Jodi tears up a chain letter, things start to go wrong at Drover's Run. As Dave shares his grief with Tess, Alex and Claire start to mend their wounds- despite Sandra's presence. | ||||||
| 59 | 15 | "The Awful Truth" | Chris Martin-Jones | Chris McCourt | 4 June 2003 | |
| Harry is back in town and up to his old tricks. Sandra Kinsella's influence continues to spread, but just which Ryan man is she manipulating this time? | ||||||
| 60 | 16 | "Seeing the Light" | Chris Martin-Jones | Ysabelle Dean | 23 July 2003 | |
| The appearance of mysterious Min Min lights over Drover's Run coincides with events that will alter the course of Claire & Tess' life forever. | ||||||
| 61 | 17 | "A Slight Interruption" | Karl Zwicky | Elizabeth Packett | 30 July 2003 | |
| An emu plague interrupts life at Drover's Run. As Claire chooses to battle alone with her baby, Meg gets caught in a crossfire. | ||||||
| 62 | 18 | "Old Beginnings" | Karl Zwicky | Denise Morgan | 6 August 2003 | |
| Peter returns to Drover's Run during the naming ceremony of his and Claire's baby, leading to a very important decision. Tess and Dave set out on an impulsive trip to the altar, which has an unexpected result. | ||||||
| 63 | 19 | "Where There's Smoke" | Ali Ali | Chris Hawkshaw | 13 August 2003 | |
| As Claire discovers more about her new neighbour, Jodi is determined to prove herself at the Fire Service training weekend – but it's going to be far more difficult than she anticipated. | ||||||
| 64 | 20 | "Perfect Match" | Ali Ali | Jutta Goetze & Giula Sandler | 20 August 2003 | |
| Jake's ambitions with Storm Cloud threaten his relationships with Becky and Claire. Speed Dating doesn't provide Claire with a match, but an internet ad reveals a rather interesting perfect match. | ||||||
| 65 | 21 | "Let the Best Man Win" | Chris Martin-Jones | Chris Pearce & Alexa Wyatt | 27 August 2003 | |
| Both Nick and Alex practically fall over each other trying to win the affections of a newcomer to the district – but they are both in for a shock as the competition heats up. | ||||||
| 66 | 22 | "Majority Rules" | Chris Martin-Jones | Chris Hawkshaw | 3 September 2003 | |
| Claire is coaxed into running for the Gungellan Farmers Council by Vince, but she won't win if Sandra Kinsella gets her way. | ||||||
| 67 | 23 | "The Ties That Bind" | Karl Zwicky | Dave Warner | 10 September 2003 | |
| When Claire and Alex hit big smoke, a long-lost father is found and a hidden passion is finally ignited. Will Alex finally acknowledge his true feelings? | ||||||
| 68 | 24 | "One Step at a Time" | Karl Zwicky | Chris McCourt | 17 September 2003 | |
| Claire and Alex are still in Melbourne with Charlotte and making plans to extend their stay. At Drover's, Tess discovers a lump on her breast and fearing her mother's fate, tells no one...not even Dave. | ||||||
| 69 | 25 | "Time Frames" | Ali Ali | Katherine Thomson | 24 September 2003 | |
| Tess and Dave reach a crossroads, as her cancer scare reveals that Dave is not completely over grieving his wife Leanne. | ||||||
| 70 | 26 | "Body Language" | Ali Ali | Giula Sandler | 1 October 2003 | |
Drovers Run hosts the Regional Young Farmer of the Year Award and Becky is surprised to find herself competing with Jake. As the old spark between them returns, Becky is torn between the man she loves and Drover's Run. Final appearance of Jessica Napier as Becky Howard | ||||||
| 71 | 27 | "To Catch a Thief" | Chris Martin-Jones | Christina Milligan | 8 October 2003 | |
Surgery is not the only worry for Tess in this episode, as her fear and worry about cancer is compounded by the unsettling arrival of Claire's old friend, Stevie Hall. First appearance of Simmone Jade Mackinnon as Stevie Hall | ||||||
| 72 | 28 | "My Noon, My Midnight" | Chris Martin-Jones | Chris Hawkshaw | 15 October 2003 | |
| Joy at Tess' biopsy result soon turns to tragedy, when Claire, Tess and Charlotte are involved in a serious car accident and one sister must make the ultimate sacrifice. | ||||||
| 73 | 29 | "The Long Goodbye" | Karl Zwicky | Denise Morgan | 22 October 2003 | |
Tess is struggling with Claire's death and survivor guilt, but a surprise visitor may help when she needs it most. Final appearance of Lisa Chappell as Claire McLeod | ||||||
| 74 | 30 | "Turbulence" | Karl Zwicky | Lily Taylor & Sarah Smith | 29 October 2003 | |
| Tess is having a hard time getting along with Stevie. But when Charlotte's life is threatened, Tess and Stevie put aside their differences to save her. | ||||||
The third season of McLeod's Daughters was announced in June 2002, and went into production in September 2002. It was originally commissioned for 26 episodes, [2] [3] before being extended to 30 episodes.
The season saw the departure of two of its leading characters – Jessica Napier and Lisa Chappell. [4] Chappell was replaced with actress Simmone Jade Mackinnon in the role of Stevie Hall. [5]
On average, McLeod's Daughters received an audience of 1.50 million, and ranked at #6 for its third season. [6] Episode 28, "My Noon, "My Midnight" was watched by 1,705,000 viewers. [7]
The third season of McLeod's Daughters received four wins and six nominations at the 2004 Logie Awards. It also received one nomination at the 2004 AFI Awards.
Wins
Nominations
| Title | Release | Region | Format | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Third Series | 13 April 2005 |  Australia – R4 | DVD | [10] |
| McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Third Season | 14 August 2007 |  USA – R1 | DVD | [11] |
| McLeod's Töchter: Die Komplette Dritte Staffel | 22 March 2013 |  Germany – R2 | DVD | [12] |
McLeod's Daughters is an Australian drama television series created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton for the Nine Network, which aired from 8 August 2001, to 31 January 2009, lasting eight seasons. It stars Lisa Chappell and Bridie Carter in the leading roles as two sisters reunited after twenty years of separation, thrust into a working relationship when they inherit their family's cattle station in South Australia. The series is produced by Millennium Television, in association with Nine Films and Television and Southern Star. Graeme-Evans, Kris Noble and Susan Bower served as the original executive producers.
Tammin Sursok is a South African-born Australian-American actress, model and singer. She is best known for her roles on television as Dani Sutherland on Home and Away, Colleen Carlton on The Young and the Restless, and Jenna Marshall on Pretty Little Liars.
Lisa Irene Chappell is a New Zealand actress and musician. She is known for her roles as Chelsea Redfern in Gloss (1987–90), her acting debut, and as Claire McLeod in McLeod's Daughters (2001–03), a performance which earned her two Logie Awards, for Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Popular Actress.
The Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, commonly referred to simply as the Gold Logie, is an award presented annually at the Australian Logie Awards.
Simone Jade Mackinnon is an Australian actress. She is best known for role as Allie Reese on Baywatch (1999–2000) and Stevie Hall on McLeod's Daughters (2003–2009).
Bridie Carter is an Australian actress best known for her role as the main character of Tess Silverman McLeod on the television drama series McLeod's Daughters.
The fourth season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 11 February 2004 and concluded on 24 November 2004 with a total of 32 episodes. This is the first season to not feature Lisa Chappell as Claire McLeod and Jessica Napier as Becky Howard, as both actresses left the series in the third season. Becky left to be with boyfriend Jake and Claire McLeod died at the end of the third season.
The fifth season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 9 February 2005 and concluded on 23 November 2005 with a total of 32 episodes.
The sixth season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 15 February 2006 and concluded on 29 November 2006 after 32 episodes.
The seventh season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 7 February 2007 and concluded on 17 October 2007 with a total of 32 episodes.
The eighth and final season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 23 July 2008 and concluded on 31 January 2009 with a total of 22 episodes.
The second season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 27 March 2002 and concluded on 16 October 2002 with a total of 22 episodes. Created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, the format is produced by Millenium Television and Nine Films and Television for the Nine Network distributed by Southern Star Group.
The Silver Logie Most Popular Drama Program is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. It recognises the popularity of an Australian drama production.
The first season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 8 August 2001 and concluded on 22 March 2002 with a total of 22 episodes. Created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, the format is produced by Millennium Television and Nine Films and Television for the Nine Network distributed by Southern Star Group.
The Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award recognises the popularity of a presenter, co-host or judge of an Australian program.
The Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama Series is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award is given to recognise an outstanding Australian drama series. The winner and nominees of this award are chosen by television industry juries.
The Logie Award for Most Popular Actress is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award recognises the popularity of an actress in an Australian program. Commonly known as the Silver Logie for Best Actress, it has undergone several official changes of name. It was first awarded at the 19th Annual TV Week Logie Awards, held in 1977 when the award was originally called Most Popular Australian Lead Actress. It was later renamed Most Popular Actress and briefly Best Actress (2016–2017). For the 2018 ceremony, the award category name was reverted to Most Popular Actress.
McLeod's Daughters is a 1996 Australian television film, it aired on the Nine Network on 11 May 1996, which was Mother's Day. It remains the highest-rated telemovie of all time in Australia. The movie serves as a back door pilot for the later McLeod's Daughters television series.
The Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie is an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards. The award is given to recognise an outstanding Australian single drama, miniseries or telemovie. The winner and nominees of this award are chosen by television industry juries.