| Season Number: | 5 |
| Bgcolour: |
|
| Num Episodes: | 22 |
| Network: | Seven Network |
| Prev Season: | Season 4 |
| Next Season: | Season 6 |
The fifth season of Packed to the Rafters, an Australian drama television series premiered on 17 April 2012 on the Seven Network.[1] There were 22 episodes. The Seven network put the series on hiatus again on June 19, 2012, after 10 episodes, despite previously promising that viewers would see a full season run. The show returned on 29 January 2013 with episode 11, accompanied by an increase in viewers compared to previous episodes of the season.
Packed to the Rafters was renewed for a fifth season with production on the episodes beginning from October 2011.[2] Hugh Sheridan, who played Ben Rafter, filmed his final scenes for the fifth season in February 2012, before leaving the show.[3] Angus McLaren, who played Nathan Rafter, took some time off during the fifth season and returned mid season in the 100th episode.[4]
Hugh Sheridan, who plays Ben Rafter, announced on 15 May 2012 that the fifth season would be their last season of Packed to the Rafters as a main cast member. Their final episode aired 5 February 2013, the series 100th episode. Sheridan returned for two episodes in season six.
See also: List of Packed to the Rafters episodes.
Ratings for season five were significantly lower compared with previous seasons, attributed to two hiatuses during season four by the Seven network and competition from the Nine Network's The Voice. However, upon returning with episode 11 in 2013, the ratings once again increased.
| Episode | Title | Original airdate | Viewers1 | Nightly Rank | Weekly Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 5-01 | "Answering the Call" | 17 April 2012 | 1.384 | 7 | 17 | |
| 2 5-02 | "Great Expectations" | 24 April 2012 | 1.418 | 5 | 16 | |
| 3 5-03 | "The Power of Words" | 1 May 2012 | 1.355 | 6 | 19 | |
| 4 5-04 | "The Things We Do for Love" | 8 May 2012 | 1.405 | 6 | 13 | |
| 5 5-05 | "Judgment Day" | 15 May 2012 | 1.422 | 5 | 12 | |
| 6 5-06 | "Secret Fears" | 22 May 2012 | 1.459 | 5 | 18 | |
| 7 5-07 | "The Great Escape" | 29 May 2012 | 1.534 | 2 | 11 | |
| 8 5-08 | "Unwritten Rules" | 5 June 2012 | 1.369 | 5 | 17 | |
| 9 5-09 | "A Kiss is Just a Kiss" | 12 June 2012 | 1.590 | 3 | 9 | |
| 10 5–10 | "Letting Go" | 19 June 2012 | 1.557 | 2 | 11 | |
| 11 5–11 | "The Right Time" | 29 January 2013 | 1.613 | 2 | 4 | |
| 12 5–12 | "Life's Surprises" | 5 February 2013 | 1.762 | 2 | 6 | |
| 13 5–13 | "Filling the Void" | 12 February 2013 | 1.533 | 2 | 10 | |
| 14 5–14 | "Bad Habits" | 12 February 2013 | 1.533 | 2 | 10 | |
| 15 5–15 | "Moments of Clarity" | 19 February 2013 | 1.559 | 2 | 5 | |
| 16 5–16 | "Displacement" | 26 February 2013 | 1.609 | 2 | 6 | |
| 17 5–17 | "Keeping Step" | 5 March 2013 | 1.582 | 2 | 7 | |
| 18 5–18 | "That Heady Rush" | 12 March 2013 | 1.568 | 2 | 7 | |
| 19 5–19 | "Got What It Takes" | 19 March 2013 | 1.562 | 3 | 10 | |
| 20 5–20 | "Weathering the Storm" | 26 March 2013 | 1.411 | 1 | 3 | |
| 21 5–21 | "Free to Choose" | 9 April 2013 | 1.372 | 3 | 14 | |
| 22 5–22 | "Rewriting History" | 16 April 2013 | 1.619 | 3 | 10 |
1 Viewer numbers are based on preliminary OzTAM data for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth combined.