What do you get when you put a pub, a psycho and a serial killer in one street? Aussie drama E Street.
The residents of rough, inner-city suburb Westside was the setting for one of Australia’s most dramatic TV series, E Street.
Beginning in January 1989 and running until 13 May, 1993, E Street took real-life drama and – borrowing from quite a few famous stories like Bonnie & Clyde, The Thornbirds and Westside Story – it went on to become one of the most-watched TV series of the early nineties and launch several careers.
And who can forget Bruce Samazan's dimples...
When we first meet the residents of Westside's E Street (actually called Eden Street but the cool locals call it E Street because that's, you know, cooler) we quickly learn that not all is as well as it seems on the surface.
We have the Patchetts, one of the most prominent families in Westside and owners of local watering hole, Patchetts.
Rival drama Richmond Hill was cancelled to make way for E Street, which tried to be a grittier, more dramatic version of the now defunct Aussie drama.
In all fairness, Richmond Hill was like A Country Practice with infidelity...E Street would appeal to a younger audience and do it's best to push the envelope when it came to storylines.
And did I mention Bruce Samazan's dimples?
E Street ran for 404 one-hour episodes and in those days, Australian soap operas were on twice a week for an hour. That is, until E Street wrapped up. It was the last show to air in this way.
The creator of the show was Forrest Redlich, a former writer on A Country Practice. He modeled E Street after the show. Both were based on a police station, a doctor's surgery and a pub and both shared many of the same cast members.
The Patchett family is made up of dad, Ernie, son Chris and Aunty Vi. Chris' high school sweetheart is Lisa Bennett, however you soon get a sense they are outgrowing each other. Lisa's good friend, Wheels is in a wheelchair. Love a creative nickname.
They GET IT ON, but soon split, despite this very Nine and a Half Weeks bathtub scene.
So Wheels robs a bank and goes on the run with Sheridan. They fall in love, become pregnant and eventually surrender. It's very Bonnie & Clyde.
Local authorities try and hunt them down and kill them.
But by then they have escaped to the Maldives. Awwwww.