Water Rats

Re watching nearly 25 years later. They just don't make shows like this anymore. Beautifully filmed. Superbly acted and directed.

Hooked since day one and hope that one of our national carriers completes the series. A great import that can hold its head high. This is a series that catches your attention and doesn't need a pile of special effects to keep your interests alive. The characters are believeable and admirable. Long live the "RATS".

I must say, I loved this show - it was very much an Australian show of its time. Everything from its stories that would always build up to end-of-season climaxes to the dodgy eighties-alike guitar music, let's not forget any 'love' scenes with Colin Friels where the turned blue... But if you have to admire some great stories and some excellent performances from Colin Friels, Catherine McClements and later on Steve Bisley in the leads roles of Frank Holloway, Rachel Goldstein and Jack Christie respectively. In Ireland it is currently being repeated and is bringing back a lot of good memories and I just hope it gets released on DVD other here soon.

• Leigh O'Gorman

I know that "Water Rats" was over a while ago now in Australia, but it's playing here at the moment and I'm completely hooked to it. It's entertaining, the stories are usually well written and keep the interest until the final credits, and the characters seem and act like real people not just some stereotypes you throw in to make an action-police show. My favorite is Rachel Goldstein. I like the personal stories of all the characters too.

I have to admit that another reason why I love this show so much is the beautiful sceneries of Sydney. I've heard that one of the aims was to attract more tourists to Sydney, and I wasn't surprised to hear that it worked.

I missed the first 2 seasons, but I got to see the re-runs of the first 2 and the rest of the TV series until it was finished. I found it quite a good show with strong storyline formats. It gave me an idea of what the Sydney Water Police does on a daily basis. (Of course, some a bit over dramatic with personal issues and the sorts, still overall great!) It was saddening when a main character was murdered 2 years before it was taken off the air. Upon the death of Goldie, I watched the ratings plummet a bit as Water Rats fumbled without Goldie/Catherine McClements. Dee Smart did her best to fill in the huge shoes McClements left behind, but it wasn't enough to keep it buoyed any longer.