Plot: What’s it about?
After the death of their father, sisters Claire (Tammy McIntosh) and Tess (Kym Wilson) were left to run their family’s ranch, Drover’s Run. When their father Jack was alive, the family was living in hard times, as Jack struggled to keep up with payments to the bank. Tess returned to the family home with bad news of her mother’s death and her presence caused some tension, but Jack wanted her to stay. Even as he died, he told Tess that she wasn’t alone in life and now, she and Claire are in charge of Drover’s Run. The idea of these two women running such a large ranch has locals wondering how soon it will close down, but despite their differences, the sisters plan to give it their best shot. They have to earn the respect of the other workers and prove to themselves they can do it, but that won’t be a simple process. Can they save the ranch, even as they battle their own personal issues, or is everyone right about their slim chances of success?
I started watching McLeod’s Daughters when the third season was released, so I wasn’t up to speed on the details of the series. I’ve now gone back to fill in the blanks, so naturally, I watched the first season. McLeod’s Daughters is a blend of soap opera and family drama, but it works. I rarely watch shows of this kind, but the writing is good and the performances follow suit, so this isn’t the usual soap opera stuff. Going back to this first season, I was able to see the show’s roots and appreciate the episodes from the third season more, since I knew how the storylines began. McLeod’s Daughters has a lot to cover in this first season, as the framework for all the major characters and storylines are kicked off, but the exposition is well handled. The pace is a touch slow, but the show is never dull and later in the season, there is less exposition. Some shows take a while to build steam, but McLeod’s Daughters is good right from the start. This first season is solid television and if you’re a fan of family oriented dramas, then McLeod’s Daughters: The Complete First Season is well recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. Great work from Koch on this season, as the shows look great. The prints have no debris or grain to mention, which allows for a very crisp, razor sharp visual presence, so fans will be quite pleased. The show’s bright colors stand out and look terrific here, with no evidence of smears or other problems. The contrast balance is smooth and well executed also, which means black levels look excellent and no detail loss is to be seen. Not much else I can say in this section, as these episodes just look terrific.
Audio: How does it sound?
This show’s main audio element is the dialogue and as such, the soundtrack doesn’t always showcase a lot of depth or presence, but it does have moments to shine. The show takes place on a ranch, so you’ll hear the expected noises, nature and otherwise. The assorted ranch sound effects and general atmosphere don’t always live up to a high level, but overall, it sounds good. As far as dialogue, I found vocals to be flawless, no volume or harshness issues in the least.
Supplements: What are the extras?
An interesting inclusion is the McLeod’s Daughters television movie, which is great and is considered by some to be superior to the show itself. I won’t argue either way, as both are well made and having the movie here adds a lot of value to this release. This release also includes a behind the scenes featurette, as well as interviews with prominent crew members.
