Honestly, if you haven’t seen it yet, brace yourself. A Place to Call Home season 5 isn't just another chapter in the Bligh family saga; it's the point where the show decided to stop playing it safe and started ripping hearts out. I’ve watched a lot of Australian period drama, and usually, there’s this comfort-food quality to them. You expect the beautiful vintage cars, the crisp linen suits, and the sweeping shots of the New South Wales countryside. But season 5? It felt different. It felt heavier.
The leap forward in time was a gutsy move by the writers. We jumped four years. It’s now 1958. The world is changing, and Inverness is struggling to keep up. Sarah Nordmann, played with that incredible, quiet intensity by Marta Dusseldorp, is no longer just the mysterious nurse who arrived on a boat. She’s a mother now. She’s a woman who has survived the unimaginable, yet the 1950s have a way of trying to bury people like her.
The 1958 Time Jump: More Than Just New Outfits
Most shows use a time jump to skip over boring bits. Here, the jump to 1958 serves a much darker purpose. We see the scars of the previous seasons starting to harden. George Bligh is dealing with the political reality of a country that is becoming increasingly conservative, even as the youth culture starts to bubble under the surface. It’s a weird tension. You have the older generation clinging to the post-war "decency" while the younger characters are basically screaming for some kind of liberation.
Elizabeth Bligh, portrayed by the legendary Noni Hazlehurst, undergoes one of the most fascinating transformations this season. Seeing her navigate a world where her influence as the matriarch is waning is genuinely painful to watch. She’s trying to be a better person—she really is—but her old instincts keep popping up. It’s that classic struggle of wanting to change but being trapped by decades of tradition.
Why A Place to Call Home Season 5 Hit Different
It wasn't just the politics. It was the visceral way the show handled trauma. Sarah’s Jewish heritage and her experiences during the war aren't just backstory anymore; they are the lens through which she views every threat to her family. When you watch A Place to Call Home season 5, you realize the show isn't really about a house. It’s about the displacement of the soul.
One of the most controversial arcs involves Regina. We all love to hate Regina, right? Jenni Baird plays her with such a delicious, venomous edge that you almost don't want her to find redemption. But season 5 forces you to look at her through a different light. Is she a monster? Probably. But she’s also a product of a system that discarded women the moment they stopped being "useful" or "sane." The scenes in the asylum are haunting. They don't shy away from the brutal medical practices of the era, like ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), which was used more as a tool of compliance than a cure.
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And then there’s James and Henry.
Their relationship is the heartbeat of the season for many fans. In 1958 Australia, being a gay man wasn't just a social taboo; it was a criminal offense. The sheer exhaustion on James’s face as he tries to live a double life is enough to break you. David Berry and Tim Draxl have this chemistry that feels so lived-in and weary. They aren't playing a "forbidden romance" trope; they’re playing two men who just want to exist without the constant fear of a police raid or social ruin.
The Reality of 1950s Australia
We often romanticize the fifties. We think of Grease or I Love Lucy. But for a show like this, the setting is a cage. This season leans heavily into the "White Australia Policy" and the systemic racism of the time. We see it in the way the town treats anyone who doesn't fit the Anglo-Saxon mold. It makes the "Place to Call Home" title feel incredibly ironic. For many of these characters, home is the least safe place they could possibly be.
The production design deserves a massive shout-out. The shift from the early 50s to the late 50s is subtle but intentional. The colors are slightly more saturated, the hemlines are changing, and the music is shifting from big band to something a bit more restless. It’s beautiful to look at, which makes the emotional violence of the plot points even harder to swallow. You’re looking at this gorgeous tableau of a dinner party at Ash Park, and meanwhile, everyone at the table is harboring a secret that could destroy their lives.
Key Plot Points That Defined the Season
- The Return of Regina: Her release from the institution sets off a domino effect of paranoia across Ash Park.
- Sarah’s Motherhood: Balancing her duty as a mother with her professional life as a nurse in a judgmental community.
- The Political Ambitions of George Bligh: Seeing how power corrupts even the "good" men.
- Anna’s Independence: Her struggle to find a voice as a writer in a world that just wants her to be a wife.
I remember watching the episode where the truth about certain characters starts to leak out. The pacing was frantic. Usually, this show takes its time—it lets the silence do the talking. But in season 5, the secrets are rotting. They have to come out.
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Addressing the Critics
Some people felt that A Place to Call Home season 5 went "too dark." There were complaints on forums that it lost the "heart" of the early seasons. I disagree. I think it grew up. You can't have a show about a woman who survived a concentration camp and then keep the tone light and airy forever. The darkness was always there; season 5 just had the courage to turn the lights off.
The conflict between Sarah and Elizabeth reaches a new level of maturity. It’s no longer just mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law. It’s two powerful women realizing they are the only ones who truly understand the cost of keeping the Bligh legacy alive. They become allies in a way that feels earned, not forced.
What You Should Do After Watching
If you’ve just finished the season or are planning a rewatch, don't just move on to the next show. There is so much history packed into these scripts.
First, look into the actual history of the 1958 Australian elections and the social climate of the time. It adds a layer of depth to George’s storyline that you might miss if you aren't familiar with the era’s specific brand of conservatism.
Second, pay attention to the lighting in the scenes at Ash Park. Notice how Sarah is often framed in doorways or behind glass. It’s a visual representation of her feeling like an outsider, even years after arriving.
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Third, listen to the score by Michael Yezerski. It’s haunting and uses motifs from the very first season to remind us that while time moves on, the past is never truly gone.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of Season 5
This wasn't just a bridge to the series finale. It was a statement. It challenged the audience to stop looking at the 1950s through rose-colored glasses. It’s a season about the high cost of "decency" and the bravery it takes to be authentic when the whole world is telling you to hide.
Practical Steps for Fans:
- Research the filming locations: Many of the exterior shots of Ash Park were filmed at Camelot, a historic house in Kirkham. It’s a real place you can visit (or at least view from the gates).
- Follow the cast's later work: Marta Dusseldorp and Noni Hazlehurst have continued to dominate Australian TV. Watching their more recent projects like Bay of Fires or The End shows just how much they brought to their roles in this series.
- Check out the "Behind the Scenes" specials: There are several interviews where the writers discuss the decision to jump to 1958. It provides a lot of context for why certain characters changed so drastically.
The brilliance of this season lies in its refusal to give easy answers. People are messy. They make terrible mistakes for what they think are the right reasons. And in the world of the Bligh family, those mistakes have a very long shelf life.