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 didn’t expect to ever be watching an Australian soap opera, but here I am, with McLeod’s Daughters. I had never heard of this show, but a little research revealed that this is quite a popular series. Not just in its native Australia either, but even in the United States, McLeod’s Daughter has an impressive base of fans. Now I have never seen the first two seasons, so I went blind into the third season. I am sure this means I have missed out on numerous important moments, so of course, I probably didn’t pick up on everything as well as I could have. Even so, I was able to catch up on some of the more crucial elements and connect with the characters, so the show isn’t hard to get into. The case calls the show “Dallas down under,” but this is more natural character work, not the stereotypes and outlandish plot devices from a show like Dallas. The bonds of friendship, family, and romance are all explored, so there are always a few plot strands in motion. I had fun with this third season of McLeod’s Daughters and I think fans of well crafted soap opera style dramas will love the show.
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?
This release includes no bonus materials.
