Something in the Air (2000)

A stranger arrives in Emu Springs. Who is he? Whoever he is, it's clear he's not impressed with the local radio station 3ES where Ryan is in the chair and station manager Helen Virtue is enchanted with the rhythms of the Tango.

Emu Springs is in a flurry after the collapse of the Poppet Head - the beloved and long-standing symbol of the district's mining past, throwing into doubt major planned events.

Stuart smooths things over with Julia while Harry discovers he has something of a soulmate in the old storekeeper, Len Taylor.

Helen sacks Tom, but the damage has been done. Doug instructs Helen to get Tom back. He's good for business. When Harry learns that Len has 'spun a yarn' about early Oz Rock, he is not concerned. He's found a new friend in Emu Springs.

When Stephanie Bennett, a Melbourne journalist, visits Emu Springs, Tom Dooley fears she's out to get him. As Doug and the media-shy Julia prepare for an interview with Stephanie, Megan manages to gain an attachment to the crew.

Tom Dooley decides that the radio station is no longer safe if he is to avoid Stephanie, and Megan discovers that journalists have their own brand of creative interpretations.

Tom Dooley returns to work only to be confronted by a rabidly determined Stephanie Bennett. Unhappy with the direction his breakfast show is taking and fearing professional embarrassment, Tom reclaims his breakfast spot.

Tom shatters Stephanie's chances of success by inveigling his way into the hearts of the county-folk, but Stuart and Len soon bring him down to earth.

Inspired by Tom's rhetoric, and with his father's blessing, Joe decides to take a risk on a new investment strategy for the farm by changing to fine wool production. The trouble is, he neglects to inform Sally of his grand plans.

Sally and Joe's relationship is on a communication roller coaster ride with Sally's disillusionment over her husband's inability to confide in her and Joe's disappointment at his wife's lack of trust in his judgement.

Len finds solace in the bottle as he struggles to cope with the news that he is dying. Mon seeks to mend the rift between Len and their absent son, Wayne. Stuart is being mysterious about plans for the pub. Tom digs his heels in about keeping the new announcers' chair which forces Helen's hand and she hatches a scheme to teach him a valuable lesson. There's war in the Sabatini household over Joe's decision to invest in fine wool sheep.

There are winners and losers when Stuart introduces the pokies to Emu Springs. It's payback time for the recalcitrant Tom over the chair issue. Len surrenders to Mon's gentle persuasion and agrees to co-operate in the treatment of his condition. Although the question of their son, Wayne, remains unresolved. Joe and Sally reconcile over the investment opportunity debacle. Harry and Jason further their advertising careers.

Helen, Harry, Len and Mon each have a different perspective on the discovery of the gold and bones, and each has trouble keeping the find to themselves. It's not long before the news spreads and Dr Eva reveals the bones aren't human. The feud between Tom and Stuart hots up when Tom announces on air that he's been ripped off. Bonnie reveals her presence during Father Brian's show 'Fess Up' - and an intriguing conversation develops, culminating in her taking flight.

After Tom narrowly avoids colliding with Dr Eva's rail trolley, he uses the airways to vent his road rage. He challenges her right to use the line and her professional approach as a doctor. Dr Eva comes to the station to confront him over this. Instead of the apology he's expecting, Tom gets an insult. The war is on. Tom goes out of his way to check up on her professional credentials. And what he finds out surprises him. She doesn't seem to have any. When he broadcasts this fact to Emu Springs, the small town becomes divided. Meanwhile things in Helen's home life are also pressing; Harry is evasive of work at school and Joe is obsessed with his new stud ram who refuses to mate with his ewes. Just what is the problem?

Emu Springs is a pressure cooker. Joe is frustrated by the non-performing ram who won't reproduce. Harry has been asked to write an essay on his life but nothing's coming. After the death of his dad, his life seems empty. He looks to inspiration from Helen , but she is too busy dealing with the war between Tom and Dr Eva. He goes to Len for help and inadvertently becomes party to an act of betrayal. The footy team has decided, because of Len's ill health, to drop him as coach. Outwardly Len takes the news with courage and anger but he is devastated. Harry tries to cheer him up with some of Dr Eva's healing oils. Despite the writ Dr Eva has issued against Tom, he continues informing his listeners about Eva's absence of qualifications. Dr Eva is concerned her patients will lose confidence in her. But when Len collapses it is Dr Eva who Mon turns to for help.

Tom continues his persecution of Dr Eva. Mon takes matters into her own hands by trying to enforce his pedestrian mode of transport. Dr Eva finally comes clean and shows Helen her registration papers. Joe and Sally try alternative methods to inspire Gary the ram, but to no avail. Julia is forced by public attention to swap the rams. Harry is caught up with the problems of life and goal umpiring, whilst Stuart and Ryan are sheepish about their involvement in getting Len sent to hospital with an attack.

Tom apologizes on air to Dr Eva sporting a rooster peck. He has to swallow his pride and present himself to her for an injection before lockjaw sets in. Joe and Sally are delighted, the new ram's a beauty. They share with Julia a drunken long celebratory lunch. Helen has a visit from Harry's teacher about his inspired cartoon work, and Harry ends up doing the dance of his father with his mother - the tango.

When Doug announces the sales of 3ES to the staff, they are divided, leaving Helen to take some drastic action in a last ditch effort to impede the sale. Meanwhile, Megan commences her late night music show, adopting much of Tom's 'intimate' style, and is flattered when she attracts the attention of Sean, one of her listeners.

As a last ditch effort to avoid the sales of 3ES, Helen takes some drastic action. Julia also voices her disapproval and Doug is left between a rock and a hard place. Sean's pestering continues but Megan devises her own creative solution. Joe is out of action due to a football injury, which increases Sally's workload, while Julia offers her assitance in running the general store, which allows Mon to visit Len without losing business.

The football team are rocked by Len's strange behaviour, and like the rest of the town are further devastated by his latest announcement. Sean confronts Megan about her 'public and private face', while Sally makes a small confession to Joe.

Mon and Len's son Wayne returns home to a less than enthusiastic welcome from his father. However, after Wayne stands his ground, Len finally relents and allows him to train with the Emus, where he reveals his awesome prowess as a footballer - impressing everyone, especially Megan.

When Mon tells Wayne that Len has emphysema, the need to make up with his father is brought into sharp focus, but made difficult by the fact that these two men are peas in a pod. Eventually, in their own way, they reconcile.

The town is in mourning for Len on this, the day of the funeral. Wayne is trying to shepherd his mother through her grieving, but Mon is very much in denial, even to the extent that she determinedly opens the store. Finally, after an outburst with Father Brian, she and Wayne have an authentic conversation about Wayne's relationship with his Dad. Harry and Helen, too, begin to face Warwick's death; Helen for the first time acknowledging the positives of her relationship with Warwick. Tom and Megan hold the fort at the station during the wake, and Tom bluffs his way through a detailed agricultural conversation - by the skin of his teeth. At Len's wake, Harry surprises everyone by playing a tape that Len made just before his death, while Helen slips home and makes her own, private peace with Warwick. Finally, Mon is alone, and it finally hits her. The morning finds her still sitting on the porch, wrapped in a blanket, wondering how on earth she's going to face the day.