Skyways

Relatively (or relevantly, not sure which is the better descriptor) short-lived Aussie television series that encapsulates the comings and goings of a fictitious group of airline personnel. A sort of "Home and Away" for the mile-high club!

Soapie that sucked and it didn't take the viewing public overly long to let the makers know that! Starred some well known and better-known-later stars such as Tina Bursill, Joanne Samuel (Mad Max), Carmen Duncan and Claudia Karvan, but the series never really hit it big although some 159 episodes were eventally screened.

If you ever get the opportunity to catch an abridged re-run sometime, make sure you have a dinner date that night.

I do agree to a certain point, yes .. Skyways was cheap & tacky maybe (i agree) but some people really like these kinda soaps for all there own reasons. Speaking for myself (as a born Aussie now living in Holland) the first time i saw it i was totally hooked to Skyways (and i am not a soap person, believe me). But this series did have a charm all of its own somehow... At the time (mid 80's) it was shown on the UK satellite channel "Sky Channel" (which was on cable-TV at the time here in Holland) and believe me: i did not want to be disturbed when this cult-show was on... But cult it is, and 25+ years later it still has a cult status all of it's own, so whenever you have a chance to watch this again somewhere (which will never happen !) just watch it and enjoy! :-).

I caught an episode of this woeful series during an early morning bout of insomnia. It was excruciating to see such appalling acting involving lines that must have been written by someone with a third grade education and delivered by 'actors' (and I use the term in its loosest possible sense) who were so bad they were embarrassing. People say that Australia used to produce some fine television series but I am afraid that the memory is playing tricks. We produced excrement and this is a prime example. It makes "Plan 9 From Outer Space" look professional.

Purportedly about the loves, lives and intrigues of the personnel of an airline, the closest it comes to getting off the ground is the repeated stock footage of an aircraft taking off each time there is a pause for a commercial break. All other scenes are in a studio and involve sets that are as cheap as they are unconvincing. Judging by the number of episodes that were made, we Australians prove once again that we will watch the most abysmal rubbish simply because it is Australian!

OK, I have to admit I enjoyed the classic Australian drama of the Sullivans... a portrait of a Melbourne family during the 30s and 40s... but this particular show (Skyways) is a disgraceful montage of clichés and poorly written characters. I have no doubt this program contributed largely to the downfall of the Australian television industry. Consisting of mystifying close-ups, seemingly random cutaways, and disjointed scenes, the production seems nothing more than a collaboration of pantomime artists. Yet to speak of the actors involved in this particular production as those of pantomime is an undeserved compliment. To put it nicely, this is a very early Australian effort at drama, that while perceived by a person of today could never be considered to be of any value, may have had some obscure value to the sheltered inhabitants of Australia many years ago (perhaps 30 years ago, maybe more). Steer clear of this if you don't want to be annoyed by weak and pathetic performances and plots.