Love Child (TV series)

Love Child
Genre Drama
Created by Sarah Lambert
Directed by
Starring
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Jo Rooney
  • Andy Ryan
  • David Taylor
  • David Maher
Producer(s)
  • Sue Seeary
  • Sarah Lambert
  • Tim Pye
Location(s) Sydney
Running time 48 minutes
Production company(s) Playmaker Media
Broadcast
Original channel Nine Network
Picture format PAL (576i)
Audio format Stereophonic
Original run 17 February 2014 – present
External links
[channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/lovechild Website]

Love Child is an Australian television drama series that follows the lives of staff and residents at the fictional Kings Cross Hospital and Stanton House in Sydney in 1969. The drama was created by Sarah Lambert and was first broadcast on the Nine Network on 17 February 2014. The series 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 season on 2 March 2014.[2] The series was renewed for a third season on 23 February 2015.[3]

Conception

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.[4] 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."[4] Love Child was created by Sarah Lambert.[5] It was directed by Geoff Bennett, Grant Brown, Shawn Seet and Shirley Barrett, with Tim Pye, Sue Seeary and Sarah Lambert serving as producers.[6]

Writers

The series was written by Sarah Lambert, Tim Pye, Kym Goldsworthy, Cathryn Strickland, Giula Sandler, Matt Ford and Liz Doran

Casting

The main cast for the series was announced on 8 April, along with the announcement of the show with Jessica Marais, Jonathan LaPaglia and Mandy McElhinney being announced as the starring three. Marais stars as Joan Miller, a smart and sophisticated midwife who returns home from London to take a job at the Kings Cross Hospital. LaPaglia stars as Dr Patrick McNaughton, a charismatic head of obstetrics at Kings Cross Hospital. McElhinney stars as Frances Bolton, the tough matron who also controls the running of Stanton House, a home for unwed pregnant young women.[7] 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 blond, Gracie Gilbert as Annie Carmichael, a heavily pregnant lady and Miranda Tapsell as Martha Tennant, an Aboriginal girl.[8]

Ryan Corr will not be returning for as a main cast member in season 2 but will make an appearance.[9][10]

Matthew Le Nevez, Lincoln Younes and Marshall Napier will be join the cast for season two as Jim, Chris Vesty and Gregory, respectively.[11][12][13][14][15][16]

Leah Purcell will play a key character in the second half of season two.[11]

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

  • Maya Stange as Eva McNaughton (8 episodes)
  • Ryan Johnson as Phillip Paige (5 episodes)
  • Ben Lawson as Colin Ryan (3 episodes)

Guest cast

  • Aileen Beale as Saleswoman Mark Foy's (episode 3)
  • Lucy Wigmore (episode 3)

Season Ratings

Season # of Episodes Timeslot Season
Premiere		 Season
Final		 Peak
Audience
(millions)		 Average
Audience
(millions)
1 8 Monday 8:40 pm 17 February 2014 7 April 2014 1.59 1.46
2 8 Tuesday 8:40 pm 5 May 2015

Episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2015 Logie Awards[17] Most Popular Drama Program Love Child Pending
Most Popular Actress Jessica Marais Pending
Mandy McElhinney Pending
Most Popular New Talent Harriet Dyer Pending
Miranda Tapsell Pending
Most Outstanding Newcomer Harriet Dyer Pending
Miranda Tapsell Pending
Golden Nymph Awards[18] Best Drama Series Love Child Pending
Best Actor in a Drama Series Jonathan LaPaglia Pending

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Second season for Love Child". InterMedia. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Renewed: Love Child". TV Tonight. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Nine announces new drama". TV Tonight. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "LaPaglia's been landed with a Love Child". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Completed – by year". Screen NSW. September 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Filming begins on Love Child". TV Tonight. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "Love Child reviewed". Playmaker Media. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Love Child" (PDF). Screen Australia. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Vnuk, Helen (10–16 May 2014). "Matt is in Love". TV Week (Bauer Media Group) (19): 97.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Tozer, Gabrielle (26 Jul – 1 August 2014). "TV Insider". TV Week (Bauer Media Group) (30): 9. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ↑ "Matthew Le Nevez joins Love Child". TV Tonight. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Lincoln Younes is leaving Home and Away and moving to Love Child". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Lincoln Younes". ShowCast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Matthew Le Nevez". ShowCast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "Marshall Napier". ShowCast. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  17. ↑ Willis, Charlotte (22 March 2015). "Here's the full List of 2015 Logies nominations". news.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  18. ↑ Knox, David (21 April 2015). "Aussie dramas nominated at Monte Carlo TV festival". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 April 2015.

External links

See also