Series synopsis
Water Rats is an Australian crime drama television series that premiered on Nine Network on February 12, 1996. It ended on August 7, 2001. It was created by Tony Morphett. It stars Peter Bensley, Toni Scanlan, Raelee Hill and Catherine McClements.
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001.
Premise
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Peter Bensley as Jeff Hawker
- Toni Scanlan as Helen Blakemore
- Raelee Hill as Tayler Johnson
- Catherine McClements as Rachel Goldstein
- Jay Laga'aia as Tommy Tavita
- Scott Burgess as Dave McCall
- Colin Friels as Frank Holloway
- Aaron Jeffery as Senior Constable Terry Watson
Supporting cast
- Sophie Heathcote as Senior Constable Fiona Cassidy
- Manu Bennett as Joseph Lipinski
- Brett Partridge as Gavin Sykes
- Steve Bisley as Jack Christey
- Bill Young as Chief Inspector Clarke Webb
- Dee Smart as Alex St. Clare
- Diarmid Heidenreich as Matthew Quinn
- Rebecca Smart as Donna Janevski
- Allison Cratchley as Emma Woods
- Aaron Pedersen as Michael Reilly
- David Baldwin as Captain Anderson
- Rebekah Elmaloglou as Christina Mangano
Guest cast
- Allison Cratchley as Emma Woods
- Aaron Pedersen as Michael Reilly
- David Baldwin as Captain Anderson
- Rebekah Elmaloglou as Christina Mangano
- Kieran Darcy-Smith as Craig Castle
- Peter Phelps
- Anne Tenney as Gail Hawker
- Sonia Todd
- Tara Morice
- Ron Haddrick as Felix Friedman
- Abe Forsythe
- Lex Marinos as Bellamy
Episodes
This series spans 6 seasons with 177 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 26 | February 12, 1996 | August 19, 1996 |
| Season 2 | 26 | February 10, 1997 | August 4, 1997 |
| Season 3 | 31 | February 9, 1998 | September 1, 1998 |
| Season 4 | 32 | February 16, 1999 | October 12, 1999 |
| Season 5 | 36 | February 22, 2000 | November 14, 2000 |
| Season 6 | 26 | February 6, 2001 | August 7, 2001 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dead in the Water (1) The Sydney Water Police investigate a fatal bombing on a charter ferry while trying to locate other explosive devices that may still be located in the harbour. The Nemesis crew scrambles to recapture a murder suspect who escapes custody. Kevin Holloway, Frank's younger brother, joins Homicide and is partnered with Frank's good friend Knocker Harrison. A man claiming to have the missing bomb takes hostages on a passenger ferry. Frank and Rachel stake out a yacht to catch a scantily clad burglar. A diver dismissed from duty dives the site of the ferry wreck to locate the fourth bomb in order to eliminate the hijackers threat. Frank's older brother Jimmy is released from prison two years after Frank put him away as part of a drug bust. |
February 12, 1996 |
| 2 |
Dead in the Water (2) A charter boat with children on board explodes. The water police speed to the rescue, but are too late to save a 13-year-old girl. The hunt is on for the arsonist responsible. |
February 12, 1996 |
| 3 |
Ghost Ship An abandoned ship arrives in Sydney waters from Thailand. It's a Marie Celeste-style mystery - except for a dog on board, some scorched bones and a heap of ashy remains. |
February 19, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Recalled to Duty Back on deck after having shot her fiancé corrupt copper, John ""Knocker"" Harrison dead, is Detective Rachel ""Goldie"" Goldstein, reacting snappily to being dubbed ""Gunner Goldstein"" by a colleague with an unhealthy interest in what it's like to kill someone. Dave McCall is at the receiving end of a spear from a sunken and booby-trapped car, loaded with stolen gold ingots. Goldie and Frank Holloway investigate a bouillion robbery. The ""Nemesis"" crew are looking after a prisoner, a former Olympic rowing champion. |
February 10, 1997 |
| 2 |
Closed Circuit A light plane crashes in Sydney Harbour and the divers have the task of pulling out the dead bodies.A gun-shy Goldie tries to come to terms with her problem. |
February 17, 1997 |
| 3 |
Import / Export (1) When the owner of an Import/Export company is blown up by a bomb down at the wharves, the detectives have to find out who is responsible. Frank wants to get better acquainted with the widow. Fiona Cassidy leaves the Water Police. |
February 17, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
As Fast As You Can Franks second ex-wife, Liz Robinson, seeks his help and protection from a blackmailer who has photos of her having cocaine snorted from her naked belly. Tayler Johnson and Gavin Sykes have to deal with some prisoner escapee. |
February 9, 1998 |
| 2 |
The Gingerbread Man frank and Rachel investigate when both Liz Robinson's husband Lioyd Menzies and the ransom of $ 1.000.000 disappear. Tommy Tavita becomes attached to a little boy, Buster who tries to sail home to New Zealand |
February 9, 1998 |
| 3 |
For Old Time's Sake Liz is almost run down in front of Frank, and fearing for her safety following her husbands murder in prison, he suggests that she stay with him. Tommy's relationship with Rhonda comes to a tragic end. |
February 16, 1998 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Fair Cop The Water Police are plagued by a series of hoaxes and it is up to Frank and Goldie to determine who and what they can trust. |
February 16, 1999 |
| 2 |
A Woman of Substance When a man is nailed to a tree by his neighbour, Holloway and Goldie discover his wife has vanished. |
February 23, 1999 |
| 3 |
Double Blind When a homeless kid is trapped in a pylon in the harbour, the Water Police are horrified to discover a dead body floating in the water beside him. While Blakemore makes it her responsibility to ensure the homeless boy is taken care of, she begins to develop a relationship with the boy's lawyer, Gillian Swain. Meanwhile the Detectives unravel the mystery of the body found the pylon. |
March 2, 1999 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
A Day to Remember The series resumes on a spectacular note with a helicopter crashing into an overcrowded pleasure boat. The fatality list is long but two survivors are trapped on the sinking craft unable to be moved. Meanwhile, on shore, Mary Coustas (without the Effie frightwig) is a troubled survivor and knows more than she is saying. There is a scramble for clues as the detectives Jack Christey and Alex St Clare track down the cause of the chopper's crash and ponder why the pilot has a bullet wound in his neck. It's a good yarn and the drama, as Tommy Tavita and his mates work to save the trapped souls, is tense. |
February 22, 2000 |
| 2 |
Obsession (1) A torched yacht, two bodies, two men missing. Who is dead, who is alive and who did it? |
February 29, 2000 |
| 3 |
Pay the Piper (2) Christey's gun is stolen from his house. An ex-con is found, shot dead by a police revolver and Christey is set up as the prime suspect for murder. |
March 7, 2000 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Domino A water police operation on a container wharf results in a death, leaving each of the Rats to deal with their culpability and guilt. |
February 6, 2001 |
| 2 |
It Happened One Night Christey's investigation into a series of yacht explosions takes him north to a beachside community, where he meets a beautiful female cop with an agenda of her own. |
February 13, 2001 |
| 3 |
High Roller Jack Christey's new relationship is tested when one of the Rats is taken by a serial killer. |
February 20, 2001 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Nine Network |
|---|---|
| First aired | February 12, 1996 |
| Last aired | August 7, 2001 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Tuesday |