TV Week
5th February 2000
When a deranged man plants a series of bombs at All Saints, heroic Dr Mitch Stevens makes a romantic proposal to his injured girlfriend.
For all the dedicated and hard working staff of All Saints Western General hospital, it’s another busy day in their very busy lives.
Dr Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson) is trying to drag reluctant staff nurse Von Rya (Judith McGrath) to the medical centre for her latest lupus check up. Mitch’s girlfriend, physiotherapist Rose Carlton (Joy Smithers), is tending her patients, and a teenage leukaemia sufferer named Alex is one of many patients in for their latest check up.
Then, within seconds, the medical centre is turned into a scene of chaos as an explosion rips through the building.
A distraught man, hellbent on revenge for the death of his friend at the hospital, has planted a bomb, and the doctors and nurses of All Saints must fight against time to save lives.
So beings the first episode of the new season of the Seven Network’s All Saints, heralding a year of no-holds-barred action and personal storylines involving birth, death and everything in between.
“This is such a full-on episode, with so much happening from the first moments,” Erik says. “Everyone pulled out all the stops and just went or it. It took 10 days of filing, but they were an amazing 10 days.”
Although Rose escapes the blast with minor injuries, which Mitch is able to patch up, he makes a second dash back to the bomb site to search for his other love, Sister Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker), whose whereabouts are unknown.
And then comes the big moment – amid the mayhem, Mitch proposes to Rose!
“Everyone finds their lives hanging in the balance, and its a crisis situation.” Erik reveals. “For Mitch, everything in his life has become very significant.
“Against the background of destruction, it becomes very clear to him what will make his life complete. The marriage proposal to Rose is a big leap, but it’s what he wants.”
For Joy, the engagement signals a more active role in All Saints, and she’s delighted.
“It’s such a good working environment,” she says. “There are also many ways that Rose’s relationship with Mitch can go.
“It dawns on her in the aftermath of the bomb blast that Mitch still feels something for Terri, and that’s something Rose is just going to have to come to terms with.
“She realises that while she may not be the love of his life, Mitch really wants to marry her,” Joy continues. “Let’s just say this leaves Rose a little confused!”
Will they ever make it up the aisle?
“If they get there, it will have been a rocky road to the altar, Erik promises. “It will be a case of busy some rice, but don’t take it out of the packet just yet!”
Bana’s the bad guy!
In the first episode of All Saints for 2000. Eric Bank reprises his guest role of Rob Biletsky, a man so enraged by the death of his friend Marty that he returns to the hospital to tach its staff a lesson by planting bombs in the musical centre.
“He’s not a happy fella,” Eric says. “Rob has been angry for quite some time, so what you see in this episode is the culmination of a long ruse during. He blames everyone for what happened to Marty.
“Rob appears to calm and unassuming, helping out with the rescue that no one suspects he’s responsible for the carnage going on around them.”
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