7. The Sullivans
November 1976 March 1983On air: 6 years 4 monthsEpisodes: 1,114 The first episode of The Sullivans was set in 1939, three days before the outbreak of World War 2 - the day the lives of an average middle-class family from the leafy Melbourne suburb of Camberwell would change forever. Initially the show was given thirteen weeks to prove itself before the beginning of the 1977 TV season and almost immediately it was a ratings success. It was said to've had the largest budget of any Australian serial up to that time, so production values were high and, as a result, period detail was near-perfect. When The Sullivans began, it featured twice as many supporting characters as there were members of the conjugal Sullivan family, but for the first couple of years the show remained primarily focused on how the outbreak of war had affected the family. As the war progressed and various members of the original Sullivan clan were killed off or went missing it became more of an ensemble cast, with supporting characters playing a greater role in proceedings. By 1978 it was #3 in the ratings. They declined a little after mother Sullivan, Grace, was killed off in 1979 but respectable viewing figures were maintained for another three years. The show's 6 years and 4 months on-air mirrored the actual length of World War 2, allowing the family's life in a post-war environment to be examined for a short time leading up to the final episode. There had allegedly been talk of a continuing series along those lines, but lead actor Paul Cronin's decision to leave put an end to any plans for an ongoing series.