The eleventh season of the long-running Australian medical drama All Saints began airing on 12 February 2008 and concluded with episode 40 on 25 November 2008.

Plot overview

The season opens by following up with the cliffhanger of the final episode of the previous season in which the ED is held at gunpoint by three intruders. The bomb set up by the intruders goes off, blowing up the Pathology lab.

Von has a traumatic experience on a house call in which she is harshly reminded of a time when was sexually assaulted thirty years ago. She faces up to this secret she has been carrying and tells Gabrielle.

Ann-Marie's health deteriorates she initially refuses treatment but Bart persuades her into doing so. As her battle against cancer becomes harder for her to fight, she discontinues treatment, leaving Bart traumatised. After arguing with her that treatment is the best option, Bart finally respects her decision. Ann-Marie passes away in Bart's arms in her apartment.

Frank's conflict with hospital administration continues. He makes a disparaging comments about hospital administration to the media in the aftermath of the bomb blast which nearly costs him his job. Oliver Marone uses Elizabeth Foy as a mole to try and get Frank to admit that he was the whistle-blower in the 'faulty bed' incident. At the pinnacle of the conflict Franks resigns as head of ED with Oliver pushing for Zoe to become the new head of the ED. A short time later, Oliver discovers how closely knit the ED team are and pleads that Frank returns to hold the ED together. Zoe leaves All Saints hospital for a position at St Angela's. Mike donates his kidney to his son. Erica disappears and is found murdered and Dan also disappears.

Mark Priestly's Death

Actor Mark Priestly, who played Dan Goldman on the show, took his own life on 27 August 2008. As a result the show's final two episodes had to be re-filmed. It is presumed that the nature of these episodes, in which Dan's on-screen girlfriend goes missing, led Dan to suicide. The Seven Network paid tribute with a video clip in the following episode, along with actor John Howard in a plea to all those suffering from depression to get help.

As a result of Dan's death, the on-screen girlfriend, played by Jolene Anderson was killed off the show as Jolene believed she could not go on playing the role. Dan's final episode was aired on November 18.

Controversy

The Seven Network faced potential legal action after the airing of episode 432, "Never Tell" on 27 May 2008. The episode suggested that children with Down Syndrome are a result of incestuous relationships, provoking advocacy group Down Syndrome Australia to lodge a complaint with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Australian Communications and Media Authority, insisting that major advertisers in the show's timeslot boycott it and asking for a public apology from Seven. In the episode, a brother and sister are told that their unborn child is at risk of developing Down Syndrome as a result of their sexual relationship - according to Down Syndrome Australia, there is no evidence to support such a claim:^[1]

Seven responded with an apology through a newspaper on 2 June.^[2]

Down Syndrome Australia rejected the apology on 3 June, saying that the Seven Network's response was insufficient.^[3]:

Episodes

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References

General

• Zuk, T. ''All Saints'' Series 11 episode guide, Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
• TV.com editors. ''All Saints'' Episode Guide - Season 11, TV.com. Retrieved 15 July 2008.

Specific

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