Okay. I'm just going to have to get over the fact that Claire is gone...and nothing is going to bring her back. The rest of the cast of McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season have moved on, so I should, too. Having watched and reviewed the previous three seasons of Australia's favorite outback drama, I wasn't particularly looking forward to this fourth season, after they killed off my favorite character: headstrong, gorgeous McLeod daughter Claire (Lisa Chappell). But, being a professional, I put that aside, and looked at Season Four with an objective eye.

And to my surprise, I was immediately drawn back into this tightly written, marvelous-looking soap. With the loss of Claire gradually but finally fading into the background after the first one or two episodes, McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season settles into a superior sudser with an emphasis on frustrated love affairs and the challenges of running an outback cattle ranch in Southern Australia. While earlier seasons focused primarily on the differences between the two McLeod sisters (Claire the tough, no-nonsense rancher; Bridie Carter's Tess, the former city feminist still learning the cattle ranch ropes), with the loss of Claire, the Tess character finally comes into her own, taking center stage in the large supporting cast.

SPOILERS ALERT!
Fans of the show know that Tess has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Nick Ryan (Myles Pollard), co-owner of Drover Run's adjacent farm, Killarney (along with his brother Alex, played by Aaron Jeffery). In this fourth season, the main story arc features this tortured affair, with the added confusion of Tess' former fiancé, Dr. Dave Brewer (Brett Tucker), coming back to compete for Tess' affections. And while I never paid much attention to Carter on the show, I must say that she's quite good this season, noticeably evolving Tess into a layered, emotionally complex character. As with every season of McLeod's Daughters, there's always an undercurrent of stress and drama surrounding the running of the ranch (poisoned feed, drought, land rights, cattle and sheep deaths), and with Claire gone, all of the responsibility now rests solely on Tess' shoulders. Refusing to let a man help her out, Tess is constantly assaulted by forces from without and within; if it's not a dam built to shut off her water (by boyfriend Nick, when he's angry with her), it's a battle to keep straight in her mind who she really wants: Dr. Dave or Nick (a dilema put to good use in the hallucinogenic/dream sequence episode, Game of Chance).

And with this potentially rich character, Carter runs the emotional gambit and is very affecting. And maybe even a little dreamy, like Chappell's Claire. There were a couple of times, when the cinematographer came in tight on Carter, where an unsuspecting viewer like myself felt a little bit of the heat that use to come off Chappell whenever she wore those britches and sleeveless t-shirts. Complimenting Carter in the looks department is new co-lead Simmone Jade Mackinnon, who plays Stevie, best friend of Claire's who now is part owner of Drover's Run. Patterned after the Claire character (Stevie's a rough-and-tumble rodeo rider and all-around hellcat), Mackinnon's Stevie was obviously brought in to try and replicate some of the dynamics of the old Claire/Tess relationship, but the differences in the characters makes for some interesting new interplay. Whereas the Tess character was often times seen as an "outsider" to Drovers (having come from the city), now she occupies the settled, "boss" role, while Stevie, admittedly a co-owner, is more of a hired hand, taking orders from Tess (something Claire would never do). There's a subsequent undercurrent of tension (Tess is frequently put out by Stevie's reckless ways) that doesn't mirror the old Tess/Claire relationship so much as expand on it.

Mackinnon's Stevie is a much more vulnerable character than Claire ever was, too, frequently breaking down into tears when she thinks of her little girl who grew up believing Stevie was her aunt, and not her real mother (Mackinnon's good at getting across the vulnerable side of Stevie's seemingly impenetrable exterior). Certainly in the romance department, Stevie's frequently unsuccessful forays are in line with most of the women on McLeod's Daughters. Like most examples of traditional "women's soaps," love is either unrequited or seriously flawed (either by past experiences, or current obstacles of money or social position), and they're no different "Down Under." The "build-up" is everything on McLeod's Daughters. If the show was designed by and for men, characters would be constantly going at it in the bushes because frankly, what the hell else is there to do out there in the outback? But since McLeod's Daughters concerns independent women (in a traditional soap framework), made for romance-starved TV viewers, rarely if ever do relationships even get to an elevated physical state before imploding through paranoia, misunderstandings, and plain-old arbitrary plot devices. A lot of soul-searching eye contact, and maybe a hungry, stolen kiss here and there make up most of McLeod's Daughters, and the predominantly female audience seems to like it just that way.

This fourth season of McLeod's Daughters is jam-packed with new, interesting story lines and character twists and turns. There's the potential relationship between Stevie and Alex (of course, headed off for various reasons). Meg (Sonia Todd) and Terry (John Jarratt) move off Drovers in search of a new life in Melbourne. Kane (Craig McLachlan), the hunky, mysterious garage mechanic, enters into an on-again, off-again affair with Stevie (with emotionally devastating results, naturally). Tess' cousin Jasmine (Edwina Ritchard) arrives for the first time on Drovers - and piquing Alex's interest. Stevie's daughter Rose (Basia A'Hern) shows up at Drovers, and of course, the wedding we've all been waiting for: Nick and Tess. But what's the horrible surprise in store for both of them when Nick's ex-girlfriend Sally shows up?

As with every previous season of McLeod's Daughters, this fourth season looks about as good as a series can, with spectacular on-location photography aided by a convincing production design. Scripts are tight and nicely balanced among the large cast, and the various directors keep all the plot points bubbling along smoothly. In other words, Season Four is another typically entertaining collection of episodes in the highly addictive McLeod's Daughters series.

Here are the 32, one-hour episodes of the eight-disc box set, McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season, as described on their hardcase back covers:

DISC ONE:

Episode 75 - Out of the Ashes
Six months after Claire's death, Tess throws herself into her work in order to follow her dream for Drovers. Alex has also been avoiding the reality of life without Claire by spending time in the rodeo circuit.

Episode 76 - Double Dealing
Terry becomes fed up with constantly being ordered around by Sandra, and threatens to quit. He soon finds himself out of work when Harry calls his bluff.

Episode 77 - Jack of All Shades
Tess and Stevie are surprised when a stranger, Jack Blake, appears, claiming that Jack McLeod is his father. Tess is thrilled by the idea of a new family member, now that Claire is no longer with them.

Episode 78 - Day of Reckoning
When Harry offers Alex and Nick a partnership in Killarney after his death, the boys become more determined than ever to save their farm. This troubles Sandra as she feels her relationship with Harry will be put in jeopardy.

DISC TWO:

Episode 79 - Great Expectations
Terry is still having no luck finding work and feels close to slipping off the edge. Also, concerns over Harry's health force Sandra, Nick and Alex to work together and form a truce.

Episode 80 - Game of Chance
Dave returns after some soul searching and must now compete with Nick for the affection of Tess. The two fight and Tess tries to separate them with disastrous consequences for both.

Episode 81 - When Sparks Fly
Tess is angered when she learns Nick has gone ahead with a contract for intensive farming at Killarney. Fueled by ideas of revenge, she decides to blow up Nick's van.

Episode 82 - Show of Love
Alex is taken by surprise when his first love, Tracey Morrison, arrives at Killarney. For Stevie, the arrival stirs feelings of discontent as she can't help but compare her life to Tracey's.

DISC THREE:

Episode 83 - Father's Day
After a fight between Harry and Bryce, Alex tells Bryce they no longer need his help. Before Bryce leaves he gives Alex a check, hoping to make up for lost time. Harry is happy to see Bryce go, and he and Sandra plan a romantic evening.

Episode 84 - Flesh and Blood
Jodi and Meg are at each other's throats over Charlotte's custody battle. Terry acts as the go-between and manages to repair the bridge between mother and daughter.

Episode 85 - Fool For Love
While tracking a squatter on Drovers, Stevie finds the mysterious stranger to be her ex-husband, Jarred. Stevie is floored when she learns that her divorce was never official and she is still married.

Episode 86 - Make or Break
Nick and Tess learn that Jodi has been kidnapped and come to her rescue. After saving Jodi, Tess and Nick realize it's time to their relationship back on track.

DISC FOUR:

Episode 87 - Second Chance
When Meg's sister, Celia, arrives, the two have a falling out over their conflicting lives. This argument is the last straw for Meg and when she is offered a job in Melbourne, she makes the painful decision to accept it.

Episode 88 - Call Me Kate
With Meg and Jodi preparing to leave, Tess and Stevie decide to hire Kate Manfredi, and old boarding school friend of Jodi's. Meanwhile, Sandra has an announcement of her own - she's pregnant.

Episode 89 - Desperate and Dateless
The Bachelor and Spinsters Ball is one of the major social events on the county calendar. Jodi, Tess, Stevie and a reluctant Kate dress-up and hit the road, eager for a good night out.

Episode 90 - Magnetic Attraction
Stevie's daughter, Rose, turns up unexpectedly and she is unprepared to deal with a rebellious teenager. She also is faced with the daunting task of revealing that she is really the girl's mother and not her Aunty Stevie.

DISC FIVE:

Episode 91 - Every Breath You Take
The weekend of Stevie and Alex's rodeo school has finally arrived and they are excited by the prospect of turning their fresh faced students into stars. Unfortunately, their inexperience causes the lessons to not run as smoothly as planned.

Episode 92 - My Brother's Keeper
A minor car accident at the truck-stop brings Stevie and Kane Morgan together for the first time. Stevie, at fault, is smitten by this handsome stranger when he tells her not to worry about the damage to his car.

Episode 93 - Saturn Returns
Tess laments that she hasn't achieved any of her goals. Stevie hints that there is still time to fix her relationship with Nick, but Tess decides to avoid this emotional issue altogether and concentrate on studying.

Episode 94 - Friendly Fire
Kane's relationship with Stevie and Alex strains their friendship. Each competing for Kane's attention (Alex as a friend, Stevie as a lover), they have no idea that Kane is using both of them to his own advantage.

DISC SIX:

Episode 95 - Secrets and Lies
Madly in love with Nick, Tess decides to turn traditional courtship on its head and ask him to marry her. To her surprise, Nick shocks Tess with a proposal of his own.

Episode 96 - For Love or Money
Stevie is happy about Tess and Nick's engagement. Her happiness is short-lived however when she spots an all-too-familiar face from her past. Vin Riley has come looking for her and, more specifically, for the opals he believes are rightfully his.

Episode 97 - Dangerous Waters
While Tess and Nick work to set up a pump in the dam, Tess loses her engagement ring. Nick dives to retrieve it, but he's under so long that she begins to panic. She's relieved when Nick eventually resurfaces, but the fright stays with her for days.

Episode 98 - Where There's Fire
When the Gungellan CFS is called out to a fire at local farmer Barry Davies' place, Nick lets Jodi take control. She and Nick discover the fire was deliberately lit. When Barry is questioned he says he remembers seeing a young man running away from the house after the fire.

DISC SEVEN:

Episode 99 - Trembling on the Brink
After an earth tremor, the cattle are skittish and an underground water pipe has become blocked on Drovers Run. Tess deals with that while Stevie spends the day with Alex on wedding chores, including picking up Tess' new veil.

Episode 100 - This Moment Forward
One day before the wedding and Nick's mother, Liz, strikes a discordant note. Nick is happy to see his mother and Tess is happy to play along, but for all her protestations of joy, Liz still has a few bombshells to deliver.

Episode 101 - Something to Prove
Tess and Nick are on their honeymoon and Stevie is determined to prove she can run the property on her own. To make matters worse, as Stevie accidentally loses ten thousand dollars, Kate mistakenly cuts through the telephone cables.

Episode 102 - My House is Your House
The Drovers girls have a tough time adjusting to Nick as the new "Man of the House," and when Dave makes a career-threatening mistake, love, loyalty, and family ties are called into question.

DISC EIGHT:

Episode 103 - A McLeod Daughter
Past passions are whispering around the hall of Drovers Run as Tess' cousin Jasmine arrives with her father's ashes, as well as a few family secrets.

Episode 104 - The Things We Do For Love
Alex helps Jasmine McLeod overcome her fear of riding and in the process finds himself falling in love with her.

Episode 105 - Love Interrupted
Nick's ex-girlfriend, Sally, arrives with the news that she is pregnant with his child. Nick and Tess are devastated as they had plans to start a family of their own.

Episode 106 - Twice Bitten
Stevie suspects Kane is not as straight as he makes himself out to be, while more surprises from Sally are set to change Tess and Nick's lives forever.

The DVD:

The Video:
The anamorphically enhanced, 1.78:1 widescreen image for McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season is incredibly sharp and detailed, with perfectly matched colors and absolutely no compression issues.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 2.0 stereo audio mix for McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season is okay, but I'd like to see a little more oomph. And the lack of subtitles or close-captioning isn't helpful, either.

The Extras:
There are no extras for McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season.

Final Thoughts:
I frankly wasn't interested in another season of McLeod's Daughters without Lisa Chappell, but after watching the 32 episodes in this fourth season, I was hooked all over again on this expertly written and produced Aussie soap opera. Superior dramatics all the way, with gorgeous lensing and a terrific ensemble cast -- exactly what an escapist TV soap should be. I highly recommend McLeod's Daughters: The Complete Fourth Season.