Packed to the Rafters - Season 3 - Eps 7: Simple Needs
Julie is forced to expand her inevitable focus on the needs of her new baby to include the more complex needs of the other members of her family. Julie has been uncharacteristically disconnected from the daily ups and downs of her family, focussing entirely on baby Ruby. But when Dave reveals the crushing news that he has been rejected as a kidney donor, Julie forces herself to re-engage – especially when she discovers the medical reasons why Dave has been rejected. Nathan has his own crushing news to deal with when Ben and Melissa reveal that wife Sammy never went to London and is ready and strong enough now to reconnect with the Rafters, and meet baby Ruby, all the while conceding that there is no future for her and Nathan. Initially angry at the deception, Nathan has his own secret – he has taken the first steps towards testing as a potential kidney donor, against his parents' – and Chel's – express wishes. The maturity and sensitivity he ultimately shows in dealing with Sammy's request, and his stoic acceptance that their marriage really is over, makes Julie rethink her position, and she convinces Chel that she will not stand in the way of her adult son taking the next step towards donation. Rachel is struggling with deep-buried jealousy towards baby sister Ruby taking all their parents' attention. An amused Jake calls her on it – and despite her denials, the truth rises. Rachel has always been Daddy's Princess – his little girl – and as much as it's ridiculous, she can't help but regret no longer having an exclusive claim to the title. When Carbo's attempts to discourage his teenage stalker Georgia fail, he panics over the potentially serious consequences of their internet flirtation – especially if the police get involved. With nowhere else to turn, Ben brings in the big guns, asking for Julie's help in persuading Georgia that this relationship can never be.
About Packed to the Rafters

Title: Packed to the Rafters
First Air Date: 2008-08-26
Last Air Date: 2013-07-02
Status: Ended
Rating: 7.7/10 (from 9 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 7
Total Episodes: 122
Network: Seven Network
Genres: Drama, Comedy
Production Companies: Spectrum Films
Synopsis
Packed to the Rafters is an Australian family-oriented television series which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show has continued on Tuesdays in this timeslot for its entire run. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and life issues, whilst also tackling serious social issues. The Logie award winning series was the highest rating to screen on the Seven Network in 2008, and the show has consistently been among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run in Australia. It was announced in TV Week that the sixth season of Packed to the Rafters would be the last, with Hugh Sheridan stating: "It's emotional letting go of Rafters – for all of us. It was such an amazing chapter in Aussie TV. I'm really proud we all came back together to send it off." The two-hour series finale of Rafters aired on 2 July 2013, which saw the return of Hugh Sheridan, Jessica Marais, Ryan Corr, Jessica McNamee and James Stewart. Rebecca Gibney said, "The cast, writers and producers have always said that we wanted to keep Rafters as one of the most-watched shows on TV. If we ever felt like we were losing too many cast members, we needed to end it on a high. We can say season six winds up an aspect of the Rafter family and there is a sense of finality to it."
Cast

Rebecca Gibney
Julie Rafter

Michael Caton
Ted Taylor

Erik Thomson
Dave Rafter

Zoe Ventoura

Angus McLaren
Nathan Rafter

Hugh Sheridan
Ben Rafter

Jessica Marais
Rachel Rafter

Jessica McNamee
Sammy Rafter

James Stewart
Jake Barton

Ryan Corr
Coby Jennings