Seven goes retro after dark

The Seven Network have recently delved into their video vaults for DVD releases of shows such as Sons And Daughters, A Country Practice, Blue Heelers and All Saints, but this week seem to be giving some less-famous titles an airing in late night timeslots.

From a time when cute furry animals were TV fiction rather than today’s TV “reality” or “factuality”, Young Ramsay was the story of 30-ish vet Peter Ramsay (John Hargreaves, pictured with co-star Barbara Llewellyn) who had decided to leave his job in the city to go to a small veterinary practice in the country. Intended as a family series it was a distant cry from the usual cop dramas or the soapie The Box to come from Crawford Productions, although the company had previously produced a children’s drama Solo One in the mid-’70s. Young Ramsay ran for two seasons, screening between 1977 and 1980, and also featured Vic Gordon, Serge Lazareff and Louise Howitt.

Seven’s other late-night offering is a much more recent series, Marshall Law from 2002, which marked actress Lisa McCune‘s first TV role since leaving Blue Heelers, the series which earned her four TV Week Gold Logies. The series told the story of two sisters, played by McCune and Alison Whyte (Frontline), both working in the Magistrate’s Court. Marshall Law also included another former Blue Heelers cast member, William McInnes, and Jane Hall who is now in Neighbours. The series was launched as a pseudo Ally McBeal-type drama, but despite its strong cast, it failed to grab ratings and was cancelled after one year.

Seven’s screening of these retro titles follows the regional WIN network’s late-night/early-morning screenings over the past year or so of former Crawford classics such as Matlock Police, Skyways, Carson’s Law and Division Four.

Further reading:
TV Eye (Young Ramsay)
Australian Television Information Archive (Marshall Law)
Young Ramsay. Tonight (Thursday morning) 1.10am, Seven*
Marshall Law. Thursday night/Friday morning 12.20am, Seven*

* Melbourne. Other areas check local guides