Sylvania Waters (TV series)

• Noeline Baker, mother of Paul, Joanne and Michael
• Laurie Donaher, Noeline's partner of 13 years, father of Mick and Stephen
• Paul Baker, Noeline's eldest son from a previous relationship, who doesn't get along with Laurie
• Dione Baker, Paul's pregnant girlfriend, who gives birth to his son, Kane and who he later marries
• Michael Baker, Noeline's youngest son from a previous relationship, the show's narattor
• Mick Donaher, Laurie's son from a previous relationship, racing enthusiast
• Yvette Donaher, Mick's wife, mother of Kristy and Lisa
• Alan and Pat, Noeline and Laurie's neighbours and drinking buddies
• Annette Galetta, Noeline's sister (misidentified in promotional material as Pat){{Cite web|url=https://thecommercialgallery.com/uploads/a2a881152f2a5e9d62e8820e.pdf|title=Reality Check: Watching Sylvania Waters|website=The Commercial Gallery|access-date=4 Oct 2024}}

{{Episode table |background=#4dc9eb |overall=5 |title=20 |airdate=16|episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Episode 1

|AltTitle=It’s More Drama Living in this House than Living Out of It{{#tag:ref|Although episodes originally aired without titles, they were given them by Anna Lawrenson in a gallery retrospective in 2009, based on quotes from each episode.|group="nb"}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|7|21}}

|ShortSummary = Michael introduces us to his family, his mother Noeline and her long time partner Laurie, who live in a million dollar waterfront mansion in the Sydney suburb of Sylvania Waters. The couple started out with nothing, and after building a successful business, now spend their weekends on their boat Blasé, drinking with friends. In contrast, Michael's brother Paul lives in a rented dilapidated house, with his heavily pregnant girlfriend Dione. At the end of the episode, Noelene and Laurie announces their plans to get married in Monaco with their neighbours Pat and Alan by their side.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Episode 2

|AltTitle=Let Bygones Be Bygones

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|7|28}}

|ShortSummary = It’s Christmas, Michael is in the UK on a school football trip, and Paul's uneasy relationship with Laurie threatens to ruin the family festivities. However, they manage to patch things up. On Boxing Day, Noeline and Laurie watch the Sydney to Hobart yacht race with Mick, Yvette and their kids, and spend New Years Eve at Sydney Harbour.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Episode 3

|AltTitle=They’ve Got to Learn to Save

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|8|4}}

|ShortSummary = Noeline finally visits Paul and Dione at their home, and is horrified by their living conditions. Laurie and Mick consider becoming joint owners of an expensive racecar, however his doctor has major concerns about his health and wants him to change his lifestyle. While he is overseas, Michael's school report arrives, and Noeline confronts him for his poor results when he finally returns home. At the end of the episode, Dione checks into hospital to be induced.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Episode 4

|AltTitle=Oh My God – Hello Beautiful

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|8|11}}

|ShortSummary = Fresh from the hairdresser, Noeline arrives at the hospital with a bottle of Dom Pérignon as Dione gives birth to Paul's son, Kane. The family later comes together for Mick and Yvette's daughter Lisa's third birthday. Noeline unleashes on Michael for refusing to wash his hair, and continues to berate him for his bad school report. Laurie and Mick go ahead and buy the racecar.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Episode 5

|AltTitle=Laurie? Mate, He’s Overweight, a Drunk, Disorderly, Stresses Out...

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|8|18}}

|ShortSummary = As Laurie prepares for his physical to drive the racecar, Noeline forces him on a diet while he cuts down on his alcohol intake. Laurie fails the test initially, but goes to a different doctor and manages to pass the test with the help of a sedative. Mick finally races the new car on their racetrack, but a mechanical problem forces him out of the race, devastating the family.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = Episode 6

|AltTitle=Oh Laurie I’d Love to Show You a Photo, He was the Most Magnificent Thing I’ve Ever Seen

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|8|25}}

|ShortSummary = Noeline hosts a party for the girls with a muscular black male stripper as the entertainment, provoking mixed reactions from the men of the family. Dione discusses her sex life post pregnancy with her sister. Noeline and Laurie look into becoming foster parents through welfare agency Barnardos, however the rest of the family are skeptical.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Episode 7

|AltTitle=For God’s Sake Laurie, He Can Have a Bloody Party

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|9|1}}

|ShortSummary = Laurie and Michael fight over Michael’s birthday party plans. Eventually, the party is cancelled, and the family gather for a smaller celebration at the house instead. Paul and Dione plan their wedding.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title = Episode 8

|AltTitle=I Haven’t Got Enough Money to Buy a Friggin’ Tube of Toothpaste, Let Alone Go Out and Get Pissed

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|9|8}}

|ShortSummary = Dione pressures Paul to get his buck's party organised, but he is more concerned with his financial situation. The family watch the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on television and give their opinions. Noeline and Laurie have second thoughts about becoming foster parents, and enlist neighbour Alan to help deal with Michael's rebellious behaviour.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title = Episode 9

|AltTitle=Sometimes I Think I’d Be Better Off in a Mental Asylum

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|9|15}}

|ShortSummary = Noeline is stressed because of the tensions between Laurie and her children, and gets into the habit of drinking eight bourbon and cokes a night. She begins to consider if she has a drinking problem.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|Title = Episode 10

|AltTitle=I’d Leave, I Couldn’t Handle Him, if I Was You, I Couldn’t Live with Him

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|9|22}}

|ShortSummary = Noeline stops drinking bourbon on weekdays, and decides to give up smoking, which provokes more fights with Laurie, who is skeptical of her sobriety. Paul spends his buck's nights with his mates at home, while Dione stays all night in Kings Cross until 5am on her hen's night with the girls.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 11

|Title = Episode 11

|AltTitle=She’s Just the Best Chick I’ve Met

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|9|29}}

|ShortSummary = Paul and Dione get married, while Noeline has second thoughts about eloping in Europe with Laurie.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 12

|Title = Episode 12

|AltTitle=I Think She Loves Everything About Me

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|df=yes|1992|10|6}}

|ShortSummary = Laurie and Noeline spend the day at the races. On Mother's Day, Noeline and Laurie host a farewell gathering, where Noeline breaks into tears after newlyweds Paul and Dione arrive and start bickering. Noeline and Laurie fly off to Europe, and are considering selling up and moving north to Queensland when they get back from their trip to escape the drama.

|LineColor = #4dc9eb

}}

}}

;Notes

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/sylvaniawate/sylvaniawate.htm Encyclopedia of Television]
• [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Number%3A301487;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 Sylvania Waters at the National Film and Sound Archive]

Category:1992 Australian television series debuts

Category:1992 Australian television series endings

Category:1990s Australian reality television series

Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming

Category:Television shows set in Sydney

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