Drama: RETURN TO EDEN
From The Encyclopedia of Series, Pilots & Specials 1974-1984 (Volume II), edited by Vincent Terrace.
Published by New York Zoetrope, N.Y., 1985.
"An Australian-produced miniseries that charts a woman's revenge against the man who tried to kill her - her husband. The story begins with the wealthy, twice-married Stephanie Harper marrying Greg Marsden, a famous tennis pro. When Greg meets and falls in love with Jilly Stewart, Stephanie's friend, he plots to destroy his wife. During an alligator hunt, Greg pushes Stephanie off the boat and mistakenly believes Stephanie is killed by a gator. Stephanie, however manages to survive and is nursed back to health by a recluse who finds her half dead and disfigured, in the swamps.
Eventually plastic surgery transforms Stephanie into a new woman. Posing as Tara Welles, a model, Stephanie returns to Eden (her mansion, now occupied by Greg and Jilly) to seek revenge on her murderous husband and his mistress Jilly. The adult-oriented series relates her efforts to achieve her goal."
CAST LIST:
Stephanie Harper/Tara Welles: Rebecca Gilling
Greg Marsden: James Reyne
Jilly Stewart: Wendy Hughes
Dan Marshall: James Smilie
Joanna Randall: Olivia Hamnett
Kathy Basklain: Patricia Kennedy
Dave Welles: Bill Kerr
Bill McMaster: Peter Gwynne
Philip Stewart: Johnny Lee
Marty: Charles McCallum
Sarah Harper: Nicole Pyner
Dennis Harper: Jayson Duncan
Christopher: Charles Lathalu Yunipingli
Sam: Steve Djati Yunipingli
Joe Reeder: Paul Sonkilla
Bea: Jamie Blain
Lissie: Sheila Kennedy
Sandy Dell: Ken Goodlet
Lisa: Jennifer Navin-Smith
Suzi: Jackie Byrne
Estelle Rutherford: Benita Collings
Cameraman: Robert Wilde
Anchorwoman: Brenda Scallon
TV Reporter: Maurice O'Laughlin
Minister: Alan Russell
Reg: Tony Blackett
Max Harper: Cedric Myers
Doctor: Hudson Fawcett
Sgt Tim Gully: Harry Jervis
Producer: Hal McElroy, Michael Laurence
Director: Karen Arthur
Music: Brian May
Writer: Michael Laurence
Art director: Stephen Amezdroz
Photography: Dean Semeler
Syndicated
6 hrs (total) [including allowance for advertisements]
10/84 [date first shown in the U.S.]
Episodes: 3
Descriptions & reviews:
(from E! Online): "This Australian film is a thrilling story of passion, betrayal and revenge set amid the high-powered worlds of high fashion and professional tennis."
"Aussie mini-series hauls out all the clichés in this tale of a wealthy ugly duckling who survives a murder attempt by her husband, alters her appearance, and comes back for revenge. Satisfying for soap opera buffs."
"...a disastrous Aussie Dallas rip-off...The bit everyone remembers in this derided mini-series was REBECCA GILLING fighting an obviously rubber crocodile in a billabong, but then she had plastic surgery, became a fashion model, goes after her husband who starts killing everyone..."
A synopsis from Australia On The Small Screen 1970-1995, by Scott Murray.
Published by Oxford University Press Australia, 1996.
"Stephanie Harper, left a fortune by her father, marries Greg Marsden, a Wimbledon champion. Rogue that he is, he immediately starts sleeping with Jilly Stewart, Stephanie's supposed best friend. At Eden, Stephanie's property in the Northern Territory, Greg attempts to murder Stephanie by shoving her into a crocodile-infested river. Unbeknownst to Greg, Stephanie survives, returns to Sydney and has a plastic surgeonn, Dr Dan Marshall, make her a new face and body. She then sets about getting Greg to fall in love with her all over again. He does and they return to Eden. When Jilly arrives, Stephanie reveals the truth and a fight breaks out. Jilly wounds Greg, who then dies escaping in a plane. Stephanie falls in love with her plastic surgeon."
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