The River Kings

Zippy mini-series that spans a generation of hardship happiness and hope.

Inevitably a powerful and emotional tale of a young boy growing to manhood along the banks of Australia's great Murray River. The latter provides the gritty backdrop to the lives of the Hofner family, young Shawn in particular, as in his young adult years he struggles to save the family from poverty and further misfortune.

Beautifully rendered, the audience shares in the family's sadness, humor and unexpected drama. Robert George brilliantly adapted the screenplay from the original novel by Max Fatchen. This is the type of series that Australia does so well and it was a major ratings winner during its original screening. An edited "movie version" is available in some countries on video, but not to my knowledge on DVD as yet.

The first time i watched this series I was really young and it was on ABC around lunch time and I would sit down and watch it with my grandma! I now am a steamer enthusiast and have watched the series again at school (now a few years ago too) For the past few years I've been trying to get hold of a copy because its been my fav TV mini series of all time.

The series studies a young man growing up in the Australian Outback along the Murray river, his family life isn't good and he escapes to the river where he gets a job on the lazy jane, a paddle steamer (played by the Akuna Amphibious). The rivalry of the river trade era, a forgotten period of time in Australian history puts the lazy Janes against the lady mabel (PS Industry)

I'd give it five stars!