Packing up the family and heading to ‘Kingswood Country’

There are many television critics that dismiss the greatness of Kingswood Country as just another Till Death Us Do Part or All In The Family remake but what they are missing is a show that perfectly reflected the cultural change in mainstream Australia.

For five seasons and 89 episodes, Kingswood Country entered Australian households to share the lives of Ted, his wife Thel, and their children Craig and Greta. Originally the premise of the show was a featured sketch on The Naked Vicar Show, but producers saw potential in Ross Higgins’ character Ted.

The sitcom focused on close minded family man Ted who just wanted to watch TV, drink a few beers, and maybe read the latest Mandrake comic. All of this was outweighed by his love of his Holden Kingswood (“The Kingswood! You’re not taking the Kingswood! I’ve just glad-wrapped the aerial!”)

The show focused on the quick change in Australia’s culture and how some were not quick to embrace the new multicultural nature of the country. Many were quick to condemn the show for what they perceived to be low-brow sexist and racist humour, but the point of the character was to hold a mirror to those that shared the belief.

One similarity that the show did, unfortunately, share with Till Death Us Do Part was in the female lead decided she had enough of the show and left before the series concluded. In Kingswood Country Judi Farr who played Ted’s long suffering wife, Thel decided to leave the show. In the show is was explained that Thel was on an extended cruise and at the end sent word that she was leaving Ted and never coming back.

The show didn’t recover from her departure, and the show ended a season later. A spinoff series BullPitt! was made but only lasted one season.

Did you watch Kingswood Country? What was your favourite catchphrase from the show?