Possession (TV series)

Last updated

Possession
Genre Drama
Soap opera
Created by Reg Watson
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes52
Production
Production company Reg Grundy Organisation
Original release
Network Nine Network
Release14 January 1985 (1985-01-14) 
1985 (1985)

Possession is an Australian television soap opera made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network in 1985. It was the brainchild of the television producer, Reg Watson. The pilot was written by Bevan Lee [1] and executive produced by Don Battye.

Contents

The series began with a convoluted espionage incident that uncovered the interpersonal dramas and family secrets of several wealthy, powerful and glamorous women, their handsome young lovers, and long-lost children.

It was not a popular success and only ran to 52 episodes. [2] Production was cancelled in May 1985. [3] Director of publicity for Nine, Sue Ward said "We did a complete series. We just didn't take up the option of a second series because it didn't rate." [3] The later episodes played out in a late-night time slot due to low ratings.

Nine asked the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal to extend the local drama quota time past 10.00 pm to allow the network to move the low-rated series out of prime time and still have the episodes count toward their local drama content. When the tribunal agreed Nine moved Possession to a graveyard slot. [2]

Cast

Original cast members

Later additions

Reception

In 2020, Fiona Byrne of the Herald Sun included Possession in her feature about "long forgotten Australian TV dramas that made viewers switch off." [5] Summing up the show, Byrne stated: "In 1985 Channel 9 launched Possession, a soap about rich, conniving, scheming women, toy boys, love children, infidelity, plastic surgery, fights over inheritance, a secret agent and an assassination. It was promoted as a super soap, although its stars felt they were part of a high quality drama. The audience found it confusing and switched off. Highly-hyped it eventually limped to the end of its first and only season." [5]

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References

  1. Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p124
  2. 1 2 Mercado 2004, p.238.
  3. 1 2 Gemmell-Smith, Philippa (22 June 1985). "The Dispossessed: What happens when a soap opera bubble bursts". The Sydney Morning Herald . p. 189. Retrieved 27 March 2020 via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  4. "Possession – Nostalgia Central". 14 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 Byrne, Fiona (19 August 2020). "Truly terrible TV shows that flopped" . Herald Sun . Retrieved 4 October 2024 via Gale.