Episode guide
Packed to the Rafters: Season 3
22 episodes · premiered Jun 29, 2010
The third season of Packed to the Rafters, an Australian drama television series, began airing on 29 June 2010 on the Seven Network. The season concluded on 16 November 2010 after 22 episodes. The third season aired Tuesdays at 8:30 pm in Australia and averaged 1,894,000 viewers. The season was released on DVD as a six disc set under the title of Packed to the Rafters: The Complete Season 3 on 20 April 2011. The third season follows the Rafters as they adjust to life with a new baby and face their toughest test yet, the sudden and tragic loss of a loved one. For Julie and Dave, there's the financial stress of being a one-income family, the sense of being pulled in a hundred directions by the needs of their adult children, and the strain placed on their marriage as the stress and exhaustion of caring for a baby takes hold. Rachel, the eldest Rafter child, struggles to find balance between her high-flying new job and her relationship with Jake; Ben, recently and blissfully married to Melissa, is trying for kids until a heartbreaking accident shatters his world; and Nathan is agonisingly estranged and ultimately divorced from his wife Sammy. Add to the mix, new family members Coby and Dave's father, Tom, and life for the Rafters has never been more packed.
- Episode 1: The Blank Page Jun 29, 2010 Julie recovers in hospital after the birth of baby Ruby, ruminating on how life is like a blank page at birth, while her adult children experience how blotted that page can become…
- Episode 2: Saturday Night, Sunday Morning Jun 29, 2010 Julie's confidence as a mum takes a beating when baby Ruby resists Julie's attempts to breastfeed. Exhausted by lack of sleep, Julie eventually admits defeat - and in doing so, discovers…
- Episode 3: To Tell Or Not To Tell Jul 6, 2010 Dave's dilemma over whether to reveal that his birth-father is alive leads to a roadtrip to meet his mysterious other family. With all seemingly at peace in the Rafter house, Dave wrestles…
- Episode 4: A Good Husband Jul 13, 2010 Love is in the air, with Ben plagued with unexpected doubts about his ability in the sack, while a miscommunication between Dave and Julie in the bedroom department sends her into a frenzy…
- Episode 5: The Invisible Man Jul 20, 2010 Ted struggles with feeling old and worthless after a girl gang attack and the death of a neighbour. Returning from a movie, Ted and Chel become involved in a teenage girl gang's vendetta…
- Episode 6: Home Matters Jul 27, 2010 Rachel's dream of moving in with Jake is thrown into jeopardy by the unexpected return of Alex. Rachel's forced to deal with the fallout when Alex reacts badly to the many changes that…
- Episode 7: Simple Needs Aug 3, 2010 Julie is forced to expand her inevitable focus on the needs of her new baby to include the more complex needs of the other members of her family. Julie has been uncharacteristically…
- Episode 8: Rites of Passage Aug 10, 2010 Nathan is forced to question his motives for wanting to donate a kidney, triggering a crisis of confidence. Will he be able to put his demons to rest and in doing so, save Chel's life?…
- Episode 9: The Price of Parenthood Aug 17, 2010 Someone's watching the Rafter House - and the surprise culprit leads to Dave and Nathan meeting Dave's dad Tom in prison for the first time. There's a strange noise in the night and Dave…
- Episode 10: Out of the Comfort Zone Aug 24, 2010 Ben is forced to step outside his comfort zone when a moral stand clashes with workplace politics. Ben's troubles begin when Melissa reveals she isn't keen on starting a family for years…
- Episode 11: Lessons in Happiness Aug 31, 2010 Rachel rides the ups and downs of happiness, struggling to find it in the frenetic pace of life. But will her choices have future repercussions for her relationship with her family and…
- Episode 12: Moments of Truth Sep 7, 2010 Nathan faces a life-changing moment of truth - the operation to donate a kidney to beloved grandmother Chel. With only three days to go until the transplant procedure, Chel's need to put…
- Episode 13: Live and Let Live Sep 14, 2010 Julie explores the principle of "live and let live" as she and others struggle to implement the philosophy in various areas of their lives. A possum has taken up residence in the Rafter…
- Episode 14: Know Yourself Sep 21, 2010 Dave struggles with unfamiliar emotions that threaten to engulf the easy-going father and husband he has always been. Dave Rafter prides himself on being easy going and uncomplicated. He…
- Episode 15: Don't Go There ! Sep 28, 2010 Ben begins to feel like the victim in a horror film who always goes where the audience knows he shouldn't as he begins to question Melissa's commitment to being a parent. Don't go there!…
- Episode 16: When Worlds Collide Oct 4, 2010 Rachel's relationship with Jake is pushed to breaking point when her work and personal lives collide. For Rachel, work is a world of pain. Colleague Liam is undercutting her at every turn…
- Episode 17: Spark of Life Oct 12, 2010 Ted returns from with renewed spark from a rejuvenating break, only to find all is not well with his family. Due to work and money pressures, Julie and Dave are snapping at each other and…
- Episode 18: Between the Covers Oct 19, 2010 A wild night in Kings Cross teaches Nathan not to judge a book by its cover. Nathan's journey begins with a surprising revelation - he's enjoying reading "Pride and Prejudice." The novel's…
- Episode 19: Breathe Oct 26, 2010 Rachel takes a crash course in remembering to breathe as she juggles a toxic workplace and an estranged boyfriend. Something's got to give... Desperate to see each other, Jake arrives in…
- Episode 20: Perfect Bubble Nov 2, 2010 Certain perfect bubbles in the Rafter world all burst in the most unexpected and confronting ways. Newly unemployed Rachel is seeing the world in a new light - as her oyster. But first…
- Episode 21: Rest In Peace Nov 9, 2010 The Rafter family say an emotional farewell to Melissa. Dave is determined to shelve his own battle with depression, but as tensions build, he finds himself exploding inappropriately in…
- Episode 22: One Day At A Time Nov 16, 2010 With Christmas and Ruby's first birthday fast approaching, the Rafter family struggle to get back on track. Dave is struggling with his own demons. Julie gently convinces him to give…