The moral centre of A Country Practice was Dr Terence Elliott. He was initially joined in his hospital practice by young city slicker Simon Bowen, who fell for vet Vicky Dean. The young couple were a hit with viewers, who loved the playful banter between the two and the "will, they, won't they?" question mark over their romance. Another well loved couple from the early days were nurse Brendan Jones and his outspoken and passionate wife Molly. Molly's death was one of the most talked about storylines in Aussie TV history, something that is still remembered by viewers today, over twenty years later.
It could be argued that when the show lost its two golden couples, Simon and Vicky, and Brendan and Molly, it never again reached the heights of those early episodes. New characters came into the show and many, though, did prove to be extremely popular - most notably Georgie Parker as Lucy Gardiner.
Police sergeant Frank Gilroy and his wife Shirley provided both drama and comedy for the show. This middle-aged couple were also incredibly popular with viewers, who were stunned at Shirley's death in a plane crash. The actress who played Shirl, Lorrae Desmond, inisisted that her character's death take place off screen, as she didn't think viewers would be able to cope seeing Shirley die.
Comic relief on the show was courtesy of an outstanding and memorable trio of actors, playing "Cookie", Bob and Esme. A starring role also went to Fatso, undoubtedly the most famous wombat in TV history.
When the show finished in 1993 it was picked up by another network and a new version, with only a few original characters, began a year later. It wasn't a success and was quickly cancelled.
Click here for a list of main cast members
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