Packed To The Rafters

Dave Rafter was looking forward to a 'second youth', alone again with his wife Julie, after daughter Rachel and lately successful son Nathan's marriages and 'immature' adult son Ben moved out - to help next-door Greek neighbor mate Nick 'Carbo' Karandonis house-sit his parents' home, only neither knows how to run a househol

Dave still finds his new situation stressing: barely can he cope with giving up his electrician job, or the fact that his wife dumps her father on him - the father wanders through their house as silent as a ghost, only Dave finds out his 'unmanly' secret.

Ben enjoys living 'free' without his parents, despite the empty fridge and total mess. Realizing nurse Melissa is a guy-like house-mate only makes her more attractive, so mates Ben and Nick are suddenly rivals - parading macho and undressed - while warning each-other she's off-limits.

Nathan Rafter recounts how, in the past 18 months, his dreams seem to have come true and then fall apart again. First Sammy Westaway becomes his date and lover, then she turns out to be the daughter of real estate baron Tony Westaway, ideal for a young agent like him.

Julie worries incessantly about the financial strain of supporting the entire family as Dave struggles to get referrals for his electrical contracting business. Meanwhile, Ben is uncomfortable with keeping a secret about Rachel from his family.

After grandpa finds a dirty tape, Rachel tells him how she instantly fell for Daniel Griggs at her first job in advertising. At first he charmed the whole Rafter family but soon proved to be a hopeless substance addict - Rachel doesn't quite manage to break up with him

Nathan Rafter hid the invitation to his rich father-in-law's 50th birthday party from his 'humble' suburban family. When it gets out, everyone blames him. Nathan's wife Sammy insists on organizing the party instead of her mother Trish. Nathan's mother Julie, finally with a reason to dress up worries she has nothing fit to wear.

Ben's drunken one-night stand with Melissa threatens to destroy their potential relationship and so to give her space he seduces Lauren but she turns out to be just what he didn't need. Meanwhile, Dave's past catches up with him when he sees a television interview with his former band mate Steve Wilson and Carbo develops a crush on Chrissy.

Dave Rafter had been willing to forget about his 'once promising' rock career, but Steve Wilson who continued playing after their sole hit, asks him along for a one-time-only easy tour, which he accepts impulsively.

Carbo keeps courting Julie's colleague Chrissey Merchant and must babysit his own sister's kids - Agysilas proves quite a handful for him and Ben. Hotel guest Nick Leigh, investor Venderbergh's man, makes Sam jump through hoops to set her bumbling straight, then courts her

Julie plans a quality time weekend away in an old-fashioned beach cabin with Dave, grandpa and the 'kids'. Nathan 'can't get away from work' so he can have the house alone with Sammy, but she ruins this rare chance by nagging him about leaving his cellphone on and walks out.

Shortly before Christmas Dave wants more quality time for Julie and him, so he enforces domestic chores roster. Alas that exposes everyone to a practical breakdown, a mysterious stench and Rachel's macrobiotic 'cooking'; to her amazement next door proves housekeeping can work well, even with kid brother Ben and his cahoot Nick.

The Rafters feel their bodies let them down. Ben is ashamed an armed hold-up made him literally piss his pants, yet the suggestion of therapy is even scarier. Dad Dave's dental maintenance costs $6,000 but he can't afford without accepting a job with his ex-colleague Warney.

Sick of not getting anytime alone, Nathan and Sammy arrange a romantic rendezvous at a vacant property but are discovered by Nathan's boss Carl who promptly fires him.

Nathan continues his search for a job opportunity in property and finds out that his old colleague Damien has been bad-mouthing him. Ben goes on jury duty and meets Cat and ends up bringing her back to meet Carbo and Melissa but Mel doesn't take to her at all.

Rachel tries to move on with her life after George gives her an inspiring boom but gets mixed results but it does net her a potential new older mate. After appointing Nathan as his new manager to sort out his work life Dave finds that it is not running as smoothly as he had hoped.

Ted ventures back into the dating world but goes a little too far with his double dates. Dave becomes concerned about Rachel's new man Rob as Rachel gets to know Rob's two sons and Kat arouses suspicions from Chrissie and Melissa but Ben takes her side. Will it be to his detriment?

Ben faces a gut-wrenching dilemma. Should he tell Melissa the truth about his drunken night with Kat? He talks to Kat who promises not to tell Melissa but can he trust her especially when Kat and Mel start to become friendly?

Rachel's boyfriend Rob's enthusiasm for playing happy families startles Rachel and causes her to break up with Rob. Will Ben get another chance with Mel after fate puts her back in his path and Julie has concerns about her health which doesn't help when Carbo's mother Rita suggests it could be the start of the menopause.

Julie's hormones are playing havoc with her usual ability to give sound advice to her family. Ben decides to declare his love to Mel on national television with comic results and Rachel reveals that she is moving out to live with her best friend Libby - but is this really the best decision?

As Julie remembers her mother's anniversary along with Ted and the family Nathan tries to re-connect with Sammy on their first wedding anniversary. But later Julie is in for a huge shock and it is Ted that takes the brunt of her shock but he mistakenly thinks it's because she doesn't like his new lady friend Marjorie.

Dave and Julie tackle the shocking news that Julie is to become a mum for the fourth time. But the risks at Julie's age causes grave concern for Dave and he urges her to think about it as he'd rather have her than not have her