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Love Child (TV series)

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Love Child
GenreDrama
Created bySarah Lambert
Directed by
Starring
Opening theme"Love Child" by Diana Ross & the Supremes
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series4
No. of episodes36 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jo Rooney
  • Andy Ryan
  • David Taylor
  • David Maher
Producers
  • Sue Seeary
  • Sarah Lambert
  • Tim Pye
Production locationSydney
Running time48 minutes
Production companyPlaymaker Media
Original release
NetworkNine Network
Release17 February 2014 (2014-02-17) –
4 July 2017 (2017-07-04)

Love Child is an Australian drama television series that follows the lives of staff and residents of the fictional Kings Cross Hospital and Stanton House in Sydney, starting in 1969 and continuing into the 1970s.

The program was created by Sarah Lambert and was first broadcast on the Nine Network on 17 February 2014. The program is based on the real-life forced adoption in Australia for which former Prime Minister Julia Gillard offered a national apology to those affected in 2013.[1] Love Child was renewed for a second series on 2 March 2014.[2] The series was renewed for a third series on 23 February 2015.[3] The series was renewed for a fourth series on 8 November 2016 at Nine's upfronts.[4]

In December 2017, Love Child was cancelled after four series.[5]

Background

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On 8 April 2013, the Nine Network announced a new drama project from Playmaker Media named Love Child, an eight-part drama series by the creators of House Husbands.[6] Joint heads of drama at Nine, Andy Ryan and Jo Rooney, stated "Love Child is a compelling and uplifting series that will appeal to every generation. The stories of young women and men fighting an unjust system are as relevant today as they were in the colourful and liberating world of Kings Cross in 1969."[6] Love Child was created by Sarah Lambert.[7] It is directed by Geoff Bennett, Grant Brown, Shawn Seet and Shirley Barrett, with Tim Pye, Sue Seeary and Sarah Lambert serving as producers.[8] The series is also written by Lambert, Pye, Kym Goldsworthy, Cathryn Strickland, Giula Sandler, Matt Ford, Liz Doran and Vanessa Alexander.

Casting

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Jessica Marais, Jonathan LaPaglia and Mandy McElhinney were announced as the main cast members in April 2013. Marais stars as Dr Joan Millar, a smart and sophisticated trainee obstetrician who returns home from London to take a job at the Kings Cross Hospital. LaPaglia stars as Dr Patrick McNaughton, the charismatic head of obstetrics at Kings Cross Hospital. McElhinney stars as Frances Bolton, the tough matron who runs Stanton House, a home for unwed pregnant young women.[9] The remainder of the cast was announced on 11 February 2014, with Ryan Corr as Johnny Lowry, a 60s flower child; Ella Scott Lynch as Shirley Ryan, a Russian socialite; Sophie Hensser as Viv Maguire, a country girl; Harriet Dyer as Patricia Saunders, a ditzy blonde; Gracie Gilbert as Annie Carmichael, a strong-willed mother determined to get back her baby; and Miranda Tapsell in her Logie award winning debut role as Martha Tennant, an Aboriginal girl who was also adopted.[10]

Corr did not return as a main cast member in season two but made a guest appearance.[11][12] Matthew Le Nevez, Lincoln Younes and Marshall Napier joined the cast for season two as Jim, Chris Vesty, and Gregory respectively.[13][14][15][16][17][18] Leah Purcell played a key character in the second half of season two.[13] Jonathan Lapaglia did not return for the fourth season.[19] Dan Hamill joined the cast along with Matt Day, Danielle Catanzariti, Darcie Irwin-Simpson, Sophia Forrest and Ronan Keating.[20]

Cast and characters

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Main

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Notes

  1. ^ Ryan Johnson was credited as main cast for the 5 episodes he appeared in during season 1

Recurring

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  • Maya Stange as Eva McNaughton (series 1–3)
  • Ben Lawson as Colin Ryan (series 1)
  • Ben O'Toole as Pete (series 1–3)
  • Lincoln Younes as Chris Vesty (series 2–3)
  • Jessica June as Tania (series 2)
  • Andrew Ryan as Simon Bowditch (series 2–4)
  • Marshall Napier as Greg Matheson (series 2)
  • Ian Bolt as Bob Flannery (series 1–2)

Guest

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  • Lucy Wigmore as Carol (series 1)
  • Aileen Beale as Mark Foy's saleswoman (series 1)
  • Charlotte Hazzard as Helen (series 3)
  • Anna Lawrence as Maggie Flanagan (series 3)
  • Jessica Donoghue as Faye (series 2–3)
  • Helen Thomson as Eleanor (1 episode)
  • Susan Prior as Geraldine Donnelly

Episodes

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Main article: List of Love Child episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1817 February 2014 (2014-02-17)7 April 2014 (2014-04-07)
285 May 2015 (2015-05-05)23 June 2015 (2015-06-23)
31020 June 2016 (2016-06-20)1 August 2016 (2016-08-01)
4102 May 2017 (2017-05-02)4 July 2017 (2017-07-04)

Ratings

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Season Episodes Season
premiere 		Season
finale 		Peak audience
(millions) 		Average audience
(millions)
1 8 17 February 2014 7 April 2014 1.59[21] 1.47[22]
2 8 5 May 2015 23 June 2015 1.15[citation needed] 1.07[23]
3 10 20 June 2016 1 August 2016 1.01[citation needed] 0.92[24]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee Result
2015 Logie Awards[25] Most Popular Drama Program Love Child Nominated
Most Popular Actress Jessica Marais Nominated
Mandy McElhinney Nominated
Most Popular New Talent Harriet Dyer Nominated
Miranda Tapsell Won
Most Outstanding Newcomer Harriet Dyer Nominated
Miranda Tapsell Won
Golden Nymph Awards[26] Best Drama Series Love Child Nominated
Best Actor in a Drama Series Jonathan LaPaglia Nominated
2016 Logie Awards[27] Best Drama Program Love Child Nominated
Most Outstanding Drama Series Love Child Nominated
Best Actress Jessica Marais Won
Supporting Actress Harriet Dyer Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Forced Adoption Practices | Department of Social Services, Australian Government". 29 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Second season for Love Child". If Magazine. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Renewed: Love Child". TV Tonight. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Nine's Upfronts 2017". TV Tonight. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Axed: Love Child". TV Tonight. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Nine announces new drama". TV Tonight. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  7. ^ "LaPaglia's been landed with a Love Child". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Completed – by year". Screen NSW. September 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Filming begins on Love Child". TV Tonight. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Love Child reviewed". Playmaker Media. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Love Child" (PDF). Screen Australia. 8 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  12. ^ Vnuk, Helen (10–16 May 2014). "Matt is in Love". TV Week. No. 19. p. 97.
  13. ^ a b Tozer, Gabrielle (1 August 2014). "TV Insider". TV Week. No. 30. p. 9.
  14. ^ "Matthew Le Nevez joins Love Child". TV Tonight. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Lincoln Younes is leaving Home and Away and moving to Love Child". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Lincoln Younes". Showcast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Matthew Le Nevez". Showcast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Marshall Napier". Showcast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  19. ^ "Jonathan LaPaglia out of Love Child". TV Tonight. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  20. ^ "Ronan Keating joins Love Child in cast overhaul". TV Tonight. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  21. ^ Ratings, TV (1 January 2015). "TV Ratings: Drama". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  22. ^ Ratings, TV (1 January 2015). "TV Ratings: Average Audience". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  23. ^ "TV Ratings: Average Audience 2015". Television.AU. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  24. ^ "TV Ratings: Average Audience 2016". Television.AU. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  25. ^ Willis, Charlotte (22 March 2015). "Here's the full List of 2015 Logies nominations". News.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  26. ^ Knox, David (21 April 2015). "Aussie dramas nominated at Monte Carlo TV festival". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  27. ^ Knox, David (8 May 2016). "2016 Logie Awards: Winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
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