G.P. is an Australian television series broadcast by Australian Broadcasting Corporation, created by Sue Masters and produced by Roadshow, Coote and Carroll, the series aired for 8 seasons, spanning 318 episodes between 1989 and 1996.
Synopsis The series, screened on the ABC, is set around a fictional general medical practice, in the vein of the Seven Network serial A Country Practice. Whereas A Country Practice was set in a rural setting, G.P. was set at a clinic in an inner-Sydney suburb, and explored both the personal and professional lives of the general practitioners working together, and the other doctors and staff who worked there, as well as patients who attend the surgery.
History and popularity The series began on-air in March 1989, and while it initially failed to attract a major audience it went on to win numerous television awards (including the first Logie Award for an ABC-TV Drama in 15 years) and became the highest rating drama series on ABC-TV. G.P. ran for 8 seasons and a book about the series was written by producer Harvey Shore.
Cast
Main Actor Role Tenure Michael Craig Dr. William Sharp Seasons 1–7 John McTernan Dr. Robert Sharp Seasons 1–4 Michael O'Neill Dr. Steve Harrison Seasons 1–5 Sarah Chadwick Dr. Cathy Mitchell Seasons 1–2 Denise Roberts Julie Winters Seasons 1–7 Brian Rooney Michael Winters Seasons 1–3 (main),Season 4 (recurring),Seasons 5 & 7 (guest) Judy McIntosh Dr. Nicola Tanner Seasons 2–4 Marilynne Paspaley Dr. Tessa Korkidas Seasons 4–6 Tony Llewellyn-Jones Dr. Ian Browning Seasons 4–6 (main),Season 7 (guest) Damian Rice Dr. Martin Dempsey Seasons 6–7 Zoe Carides Dr. Sonia Kapek Seasons 7–8 Steve Bisley Dr. Henry King Seasons 7–8 Lenka Kripac Vesna Kapek Season 7 (recurring),Season 8 (main) Melissa Jaffer Dr. Maureen Riordan Season 8 Leah Vandenberg Dr. Yasmin Richards Season 8
Recurring Actor Role Tenure Peter Bryant Dr. Chris Wright Season 1 Theresa Wong Su-Lin Chenn Seasons 2–5 Dominic Elmaloglou Peter Browning Seasons 4–6 Janelle Owen Zoe Browning Seasons 4–6 Tracie Sammut Donna Browning Seasons 4–6 Sue Walker Eva Fowler Seasons 6–7 Penny Cook Beth Paige 1991, 8 episodes Peta Toppano Anna Carrelli 1989, 10 episodes Queenie Ashton Mrs Jessica Sculthorpe 1991–1992, 6 episodes John McTernan Robert Sharp 1989–1992, Seasons 1–4 Sarah Chadwick Dr. Cathy Mitchell 1989–1990x Seasons 1–2, 13 episodes
Character summary G.P. features 2 major characters, who run the clinic:
Mr. William Sharp (Michael Craig) In the beginning of the series Mr. Sharp is a part-time general surgeon with consulting rooms at the Ross St. Surgery owned by his nephew, Dr. Robert Sharp. As the series progressed he bought into the surgery with and started operating again at local public hospitals. William is characterised as a part of the 'old school' style of medicine. He can be quite forthcoming and stubborn in his opinions and is often at odds with his colleagues at the surgery. William served in World War II as a doctor and was a prisoner at the infamous Changi Prison. William drives a Jaguar and is very cultured with a great interest in and knowledge of music, poetry, food and wine.
Dr. Robert Sharp (John McTernan) Originally the owner of Ross Street Surgery, Robert lives in the upstairs level of the house. The surgery was his father's and Robert took it over and raised his own family there. Robert is a widower and has a son Andrew, who makes numerous appearances in the first few series of the show. Uncle William lives with Robert and has his consulting rooms in the surgery. Like his Uncle William, Robert is very cultured but is often the more rational, liberal and socially minded of the pairing. Midway through the series, Robert develops a brain tumor. He is operated on to remove the tumor and survives, only to suffer a heart attack and die in recovery.
Episodes
Season 1 (1989)
Season 2 (1990)
Season 3 (1991)
Season 4 (1992) # No. Title Original air date
Season 5 (1993) # No. Title Original air date
Season 6 (1994) # No. Title Original air date
Season 7 (1995) # No. Title Original air date
Season 8 (1996) # No. Title Original air date
International broadcasts G.P. has been shown in Canada on CBC Country Canada, a digital television station; and in New Zealand (on TV One and TV3), Jordan (on Channel 2), South Africa (Bop TV), Hong Kong (ATV World) and Ireland (on RTE1). In 2008 and 2009, ABC1 re-broadcast Series 3 onwards at 4:30am on weekdays.
In the UK, Central Independent Television, Thames Television and Border Television were the only contractors among the 14 members of the ITV Network to screen the programme for a short period. Thames started the show on Thursday 1 October 1992, screening on Thursdays and Fridays for half-hour episodes at 3.20pm until the end of the year. Central axed the show on Thursday 25 March 1993 and replaced it with Shortland Street. The programme was shown in a daily 3.20pm slot Tuesdays to Fridays and had the hour-long episodes split into two to accommodate the half-hour slot. This was a popular format for screening acquired Australian material as had been used with A Country Practice, E Street, Blue Heelers and HeadLand by UK broadcasters.
In 1994, the UK version of The Family Channel aired the series as half-hour editions during the week at 20:30–21:00 on Wednesday and Friday with the episode repeated as an hour long episode on Saturdays at 19:30.
Awards and nominations Australian Film Institute Awards YearNomineeAwardResultRef1993Bruce Best (for "Exposed")Best Episode in a Television Drama SeriesPeter Phelps (for "Exposed")Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television DramaDenise Roberts (for "Alone")Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama1994Peter Andrikidis (for "Double Bind")Best Episode in a Television Drama SeriesPeter Kowitz (for "Innocent Bystander")Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television DramaSigrid Thornton (for "Double Bind")Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television DramaKristen Dunphy (for "Double Bind")Best Screenplay in a Television Drama1996Peter Andrikidis (for "Ceremony of Innocence")Complete Post Award for Best Episode in a Television Drama SeriesPeter Andrikidis (for "Sing Me a Lullaby")Complete Post Award for Best Episode in a Television Drama SeriesPeter Andrikidis (for "Sing Me a Lullaby")First Australian Completion Bond Award for Best Achievement in Direction in a Television DramaMarton Csokas (for "Ceremony of Innocence")Village Roadshow Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television DramaClaudia Karvan (for "Sing Me a Lullaby")Beyond Television Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television DramaKatherine Thomson (for "Ceremony of Innocence")Crowley Management Award for Best Screenplay in a Television Drama
Australian Writers' Guild YearNomineeAwardResultRef1991Keith Thompson for "A General Malaise"Major AWGIE AwardKeith Thompson for "A General Malaise"TV series1993Katherine Thomson for "Shaking Hands with Time"TV series1994Michael Miller for "Exposed"TV series1996Tim Pye for "Where The Heart Is"TV series
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission YearNomineeAwardResultRef1992Bruce BestTV Drama Award
Logie Awards YearNomineeAwardResultRef1991Michael CraigMost Outstanding Actor1992John McTernanMost Outstanding ActorG.P.Most Outstanding Series1993Tracie SammutSpecial Recognition Award
References
External links
G.P. at the National Film and Sound Archive G.P. Episode List