The episode opens with Mike saving the life of a baby and his father. As Mike is praised by his crew for being a hero, Maxine pushes him to make a decision about the CO’s position. He is not happy with the candidate CO list she has provided so creates his own list, putting a familiar name on top.

Hammersley heads for a boat sending a Pan Pan call (one step down from a May Day). The survey vessel has found something that opens up the mystery for this episode of ‘Sea Patrol’. The mystery leads them to a fishing trawler captained by Derek Cavanaugh (Martin Sacks).

Confusion in regards to the the list of potential COs causes Kate to request a transfer off Hammersley. Mike tries to speak to her about it but she refuses to take his call. Whilst Kate has a few drinks with the crew, Mike, alone, falls into the hands of the bad guys.

With Mike AWOL, Kate must take command of Hammersley in a desperate search to find him. As the crew zeros in on Mike’s possible location, an explosion rocks the RHIB. Body parts are subsequently found floating in the water.

The crew members must come to terms with the loss of their CO but they vow to put their feelings on hold until they apprehend the men responsible.

This emotion-packed episode does not tie up all the loose ends that some might have hoped for; but it does point to them being addressed in Series 5.

Ian Stenlake and Lisa McCune are simply brilliant in this episode. In Mike, Ian superbly portrays the courage and bravery of a man fighting a seemingly unwinnable battle for his life. But it is Lisa’s turn to truly shine. She has the opportunity to demonstrate her vast range of dramatic talent and her performance – particularly in the second half – is first-rate. What she manages to convey in scenes with virtually no dialogue is incredible. The last six minutes of Series 4 is very powerful stuff.

The other notable performance comes from Martin Sacks. I know many people are expecting some sort of ‘Blue Heelers’ reunion with him and Lisa but despite wonderful performances from both of these fine actors, this is definitely not Maggie and PJ Mark II.

Episode 16 is fantastic on all levels. Great action, (mostly) solid guests and believable, consistent performances from all the Hammersley crew.

When I sat down to watch Episode 16, I had decided to finish off my review with a wrap up of the series and rate my favourite episode. Episode 9, Dutch Courage, was the frontrunner for this honour. But after watching the season finale half a dozen times or so, this is the one that I have loved the most. Series 4 has been amazing on so many levels and is by far my favourite series yet. I’ll be pre-ordering the DVD soon.

I am really looking forward to Series 5 and hope these fan reviews will continue next season. I want to thank Hal and Di McElroy for having the faith in me (and also sea-patrol.com) to deliver these reviews. It’s been a bumpy ride, but I think the reviews have evolved into something special. We really are lucky to have producers who not only demonstrate loyalty to the fan site with exclusive news and information, but take the time to respond to all the fans who contact them. It is a very unique situation and demonstrates the dedication and love these producers have, not only for their own show, but for the people who watch it week after week.

As we already learned in Episode 15, Bomber leaves the Hammersley. All the best to Kirsty Lee Allan who is off to make it big in LA. I also want to use this opportunity to ask people to give Bird a fair go. It looks like she’ll be around for Series 5, and I believe she deserves more of a chance than many are willing to give her. We have not only survived, but thrived following the loss of three much-loved crew members; I’m sure we can survive the loss of another one.

The tension building between 2Dads and Bomber last week continues into this episode.

During the storm, Hammersley tracks down a distress signal. When the rain stops and the sun shines, our crew comes across the debris of the vessel and a lone survivor with a strange story.

RO is grumpy because of issues with his radio equipment. He frustrates his crew mates as he single-mindedly attempts to discover the problem.

Hammersley returns to the area where they think the yacht sunk – but they’re not the first to arrive. An ex-navy salvager and the yacht owner’s brother are found brawling over the suspected site. This leads to an even stranger mystery.

After Kate receives a phone call from Lara, the woman found floating in the wreckage, Kate organises to meet her. Hoping to find some answers, Kate is only left with more questions. Although ‘Sea Patrol’ continues to battle to prove that it isn’t a police drama, someone needs to solve mysteries and I actually find the mystery tone of episodes quite enjoyable.

Kate realises that the sunken boat must hold special significance to be causing so much havoc. This leads to Dutchy venturing out alone to the wreck on a snorkelling investigation. When he doesn’t report back to the ship at sailing time, the crew head for the sunken yacht and find an injured Dutchy with a big surprise.

Hammersley is led to an island where they suspect their targets might be hiding. On-going radio issues cause the crew on the island to be cut off from the ship and an unwell Dutchy causes further problems.

Certain events in this episode leave Kate emotionally torn and fed up with complicated matters of the heart. All the men in her life seem to think that you can help who you fall in love with. She is left experiencing internal anguish.

This penultimate episode of Series 4 is the catalyst for the events of the Finale.

This episode again is well rounded with great action and drama. It gives a chance for many crew members to shine. Of note are Conrad, Lisa and Nikolai who continue to deliver great performances each week. Kristian, also, is fabulous as the temperamental RO, oblivious to what is going on around him.

To die-hard viewers, this is an unmissable episode that is sure to send shockwaves through the fan-base.

Bomber’s attitude changes after being reprimanded for her actions. She also attracts a firm warning that may jeopardise her promotion to Leading Seaman. With Bomber in the ship’s bad books, 2Dads emerges to offer support and assist in getting her professional life back on track.

After Hammersley escorts a suspected FFV into international waters, it lies in wait to see how long it takes for the intruding vessel to return to Australian waters. A new FFV crosses the line and brings with it an interesting find – one I don’t think we’ve seen before on ‘Sea Patrol’.

2Dads urges Bomber to volunteer for the team escorting the vessel back to port. This, he suggests, will give her a chance to redeem herself. Much to the duo’s chagrin, Kate stays onboard to observe Bomber’s leadership skills.

We see simmering tension between 2Dads and Bomber. Their playful exuberance, however, leads to Kate being seriously injured. With Bomber and 2Dads fighting to keep Kate alive, the FFV crew gains the upper-hand.

In scenes reminiscent of Episode 12, ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, Bomber feels out of her depth and has to use all her First Aid skills to help a listless Kate.

After Hammersley boards another FFV in search of the missing crew, Swain and Dutchy discover what they think is the key to Kate’s illness. However, with no crew to question, they can’t actually help her.

Back on the other FFV a power-struggle erupts between crew members. Bomber uses the confusion to her advantage, but with a gun battle going on above and below decks, she has to watch her back.

Some people think Kirsty Lee Allen’s Bomber has gone a bit ‘soft’ this series. This episode gives her a chance to remind us of that feisty, kick-butt Bomber we’ve all enjoyed in the past.

Nikolai and Lisa also give great performances in this episode, helping Kirsty to shine. Kristian is also strong, wearing sunglasses for the bulk of the episode and, in Bomber’s absence, having to help Bird on galley duty.

The guest actors accents continue to inhibit some of the performances, but for the most part, they are believable.

‘Live Catch’ is a well-rounded episode, with some great action, storytelling, and light humour. Bomber fans will be pleased with an ever evolving Bomber. Although the story focuses on foreign fisherman, it incorporates some unique elements and is enjoyable overall.

After RO’s assistant comes down with an illness, a radio operator is crash posted to Hammersley. The new sailor turns out to be an old mate of 2Dads.

This episode focuses on an aspect of the Navy’s work that I think should fall into the spotlight more often: piracy. The reality of pirates is an ongoing concern to the shipping community and, fortunately, a great platform for drama.

It seems 2Dads hasn’t yet learned the lesson of probability. He again finds himself in financial and personal strife thanks to poker. When some men pursue him to settle an outstanding debt, 2Dads’ mate, Fraser, comes to his aid and also offers a solution to his money woes.

Charge, too, proposes a solution to 2Dads’ problems. It’s great to see Charge and 2Dads’ ongoing friendship surface; that it isn’t just a friendship portrayed in ‘Brotherhood of the Sea’ for the convenience of one storyline. Charge really has taken 2Dads under his wing. It looks like everything is working out for Charge as well – he has found true love online. About time Charge!

Our producer duo, Hal and Di McElroy, makes a cameo appearance as stock market traders. While they’ve disclosed that they feel they shouldn’t give up producing, if someone was waving a gun my face, I don’t think I’d give a brilliant performance either! I found it hard to look past the fact that they’re the producers; I caught myself thinking that maybe this was actually a behind-the-scenes video where Lisa McCune was renegotiating her contract for next year?

In this episode there’s also a hint of the tricky situation 2Dads got himself into in Episode 2, and it seems he might not be quite as grown up as we had come to believe. It is fabulous to see that 2Dads really must battle to change his ways. It makes for a more realistic storyline than someone seeing the light and changing overnight.

As the story comes to a close, 2Dads must question all his on board friendships and figure out who he can really trust.

A touch of the Mike and Kate situation surfaces as Mike heads off to dinner with Maxine. Kate is clearly not impressed.

Clayton Watson is notable as Fraser. Although some of his dialogue is a tad stilted, his performance is very believable and he plays well off Nikolai.

Nikolai Nikolaeff has really stepped up since last year. He continues to improve and contains more surprises each episode.

With the mini series story arc gone, I feel the show is able to explore the characters more effectively. This enables Sea Patrol to deliver solid character driven drama without the distraction of having to address an ongoing story arc. I believe the program has been better served with this year’s changes.

‘Soft Target’ is a well rounded episode and I’m sure viewers will enjoy the character struggles contained within.

Many episodes of ‘Sea Patrol’ focus on only one or two crew members. But this episode allows more characters to shine and the show feels more balanced for it.

Hammersley is tasked with supplying medical aid to islands near Papua New Guinea. The humour we always enjoy is present as the episode opens but soon we are led to serious scenes that are vaguely reminiscent of the coup from Series 2.

Swain is front and centre in this episode, with his medical skills being put to the test yet again. He is forced to rely on every medical, naval and interpersonal skill he possesses as he earnestly works with Dutchy to keep a little boy alive. They are required to transport the child through the jungle for a rendezvous with Hammersley.

Dutchy again steps into the action role with ease, but he also shows a softer side and proves he has learned some tolerance. Cooler heads prevail, and it’s nice to see that Dutchy, like much of the crew, is evolving. That said, if you step out of line, Dutchy is a force to be reckoned with.

Bird falls ill after returning from a medical drop on an island and Bomber, in Swain’s absence, must use all her medical skills to keep the ‘gap girl’ alive. This job, however, proves too critical for Bomber. The HMAS Hammersley sets sail for a rendezvous with HMAS Newcastle in order to utilise the services of its Doctor. But still no one is the wiser as to the nature, or source, of Bird’s serious malady. It’s a race against time to save Bird from the mystery illness. The Navy pulls out all stops to help Bird.

Remote Area Nurse (RAN) Sarah played by Sara Gleeson (City Homicide, Blue Heelers) causes problems for Swain. Despite what I’m guessing is a bad attempt at some form of (non)accent (it sounds like a mish-mash of Aussie, English and South African), she actually plays a good character and I love the drama she creates for Swain.

Some people object to most episodes putting a crew member in jeopardy, but it nevertheless makes for solid drama. And this episode raises the jeopardy stakes for more than one crew member.

2Dads may have crucial information to help save Bird’s life. But is it already too late? In this we see a more mature 2Dads; it seems his last few run ins with Kate may have actually had a positive impact on him.

Although this episode has some negative aspects, for the most part it maintains the overall quality we’ve been enjoying this series.

Conrad, Matt and Nikolai give strong performances, which really show up some of the below par guest performances.

With a good balance of action and character drama, everyone should find a good episode with ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.

After a recreational dive off The Great Barrier Reef goes wrong and one of the Hammersley crew is lost, Charge is convinced that the dive operators are not just lax with their safety procedures, but downright suspicious too. However, Charge’s conspiracy theories don’t score him any points with the crew.

There has been criticism from some quarters that Charge doesn’t deliver good character drama. But I think this episode highlights the fact that he can. ‘Brotherhood of the Sea’ is probably Charge’s biggest episode to date. While it may not show him in an altogether different light, it perhaps shows him in a brighter one.

As the search continues, Charge investigates his suspicions. After a body part is found in the water, Charge is convinced one of his conspiracy theories is on the money. But his crew mates think the culprit is more likely a freak shark attack than further negligence by the recreational dive company.

The story certainly starts at a slower pace than most episodes; however, as the episode comes to a close, the action picks up considerably. Some of the Hammersley crew who have been ordered to steam a freighter home find themselves fending off an attack. This leads to a great gun battle above and below decks.

John Batchelor does an amazing job as Charge in this episode. It’s fantastic to see the spotlight fall on him again; it seems like he’s the one left in the background far more often than is fair. Some of his early scenes feel a bit out of character, but I think he’s just evolving – like many of our crew this series. His best scene is probably with Mike and Kate as he persuades them to investigate a suspicious boat.

Nikolai and Kirsty both have a little less to work with in this episode, but also do a great job.

Guest actors in this episode, Tim Campbell and Jason Dundas, are also worth mentioning. I’ve found the guest performances this series to be of more consistent quality than in previous series. I think this comes from the guest characters being better thought out and written more three-dimensionally. I’ve also found a marked improvement in the casting of guest actors compared to in the past. A more convincing collection of supporting characters results in a more convincing show all round.

Although the story’s premise is one we’ve seen before, it does highlight an all too common problem in Australia – and one that consistently puts us under the glare of international media.

If you can watch through a bit of a slow start, the mystery and ending are well worth the wait. ‘Brotherhood of the Sea’ is a good episode.

The Hammersley is tasked with assisting a remote community after a flood. Some light humour is present as the crew loads the ship with supplies. Since the Kate and Dutchy ‘thing’ has been resolved, it seems Kate might be eyeing Dutchy off.

A May Day call sees Hammersley embroiled with cattle rustlers. As they rescue survivors from the water, it becomes apparent that all is not well with RO and the result is Bomber almost losing her life (again!).

RO is reprimanded for not being a team player. Bomber tells RO he should be more like Dutchy. This leads poor RO on something of a crusade to prove he is a team player. RO seems a bit out of character in this episode, however Kristian’s performance stays of high quality, thus making the story seem more plausible.

2Dads is up to his old tricks, playing pranks on poor Bird. After Bird turns the tables on him, he takes his pranking to the next level. This lands 2Dads in serious trouble with Kate. It seems it may just be time for him to grow up.

In the local port Bird runs into her ex-boyfriend. It seems they did not part on the best of terms. This episode gives Danielle Horvat the chance to step up her performance. Unlike most of our seasoned actors, it has taken Danielle longer to warm to her character.

Danielle’s Bird has left many people unimpressed, but in this episode she is provided with one saving grace: an emotional dialogue with Kate. Danielle does fantastic work in a beautiful, sensitive scene, and plays well off industry veteran Lisa McCune.

While many are quick to criticise Bird, I think we need to remember that she is only a ‘Gap Girl’ recruit. She’s trying her best and I think she just needs a fair-go. I’m sure when most people start in the Navy they have a hard time fitting in and learning the ropes.

Since Kate and Dutchy have sorted their differences, Mike and Kate return to the spotlight. They attempt to discuss their future – which is not easy with the crew never far away. I did find the Mike and Kate scenes a bit too rushed; a lot of important issues are resolved very quickly. But it has been a while since we have had some decent Kate and Mike interaction.

This episode continues to deliver in the action stakes. With Bird’s life in danger, RO is led on a nail-biting boat chase.

‘Rawhide’ is not the strongest episode to date but overall it does work – even in spite of the coincidences. It’s also an episode Danielle Horvat desperately needs so she can demonstrate more emotional depth and prove her character has a third dimension.

Kristian Schmid’s performance also makes ‘Rawhide’ enjoyable viewing. We continue to see parts of Dutchy’s backstory surface too.

A little revelation at a time makes for far better storytelling than a character arriving and just blurting out their life history. The character of Dutchy is a perfect case in point.

In my reviews I have frequently sung the praises of Conrad and Lisa for the portrayal of their characters. In this episode they don’t miss a beat. The spotlight falls squarely on the duo and their performance, not unexpectedly, steps up to the next level.

Conrad’s acting in this episode is brilliant as we finally get a window into Dutchy’s emotional state. I dare say that Lisa’s acting is on par with what she did in ‘Blue Heelers’ to win 10 Logies. Conrad and Lisa share many fantastic scenes and it’s thoroughly enjoyable to watch them in action.

We all know Dutchy is carrying some baggage. Now it’s time to learn the nature of his baggage – and why Kate is unwittingly a part of it.

This tension plays out against the backdrop of Hammersley’s search for grog runners who escaped with some of the Hammersley’s guns and radios.

As Flynn investigates what went wrong on a routine boarding, suspicion falls on Dutchy. RO is sure Dutchy froze, giving the machete wielding bandit time to get the upper-hand.

2Dads is out to prove RO wrong, which leads to some funny scenes involving Dutchy’s recently awarded medal.

The search leads them to a local dry community, Port Johnson. As the Hammersley docks, some of the crew heads into town to investigate.

Dutchy follows a lead that again lands him in hot water. It seems the Navy is not the only party interested in the grog running. A local sergeant, played by John Waters (All Saints, Underbelly) takes charge of the investigation.

With Dutchy on the verge of a Captain’s Table, Kate follows him to keep him out of trouble. But things are not as they seem.

The plot is a little predictable in places but the underlying story is quite topical. Police everywhere battle to keep dry communities dry; this story highlights their constant struggle.

With very believable dialogue, Conrad and Lisa absolutely own this episode. Their acting takes another giant leap. Character drama, action and thematic relevancy are all delivered in this episode.

John Waters plays a very convincing local sergeant. He reminds me of Sergeant Croydon in the early days of ‘Blue Heelers’. He has a stern attitude – relaxed only by being a local copper – and knows the ins and outs of the town he polices.

The visual style and editing I recently praised are also evident in this episode. ‘Sea Patrol’ has not only evolved, but is convincingly maintaining the high quality we’ve enjoyed lately.

‘Sea Patrol’ should continue to receive praise for tackling stories relevant to contemporary Australian society.

‘Dutch Courage’ is simply unmissable. The growing Dutchy fan-base is sure to skyrocket after this episode!

We’ve been waiting and the writers have finally delivered: A Swain centred episode with Bird as his sidekick.

Knocker White also makes an extended appearance in this episode. The subject of a permanent CO for the Hammersley is brought up but Kate is not pleased with how the discussion ends.

Kate and Dutchy have a few strong scenes together. Dutchy again proves he is a bit of a loose cannon. He doesn’t appear to take much notice of the XO’s orders when they’re alone but he continues to impress the rest of the crew – especially the girls.

Kate demonstrates to Dutchy the benefits of sometimes using the soft approach in intelligence gathering. Lisa and Conrad again display fantastic chemistry.

A boat load of refugees causes some mystery for the crew as they try to work out where they’re headed. Uncharacteristically, Swain attacks the master of the vessel after making a sickening connection. Matt Holmes delivers in this simple scene and he continues to throughout the episode.

As the crew searches for an organ trader operating in the region, Swain and Bird are ordered to take the refugees back to Darwin. Some awkward dialogue shows that Danielle Horvat isn’t fully at ease with her character yet.

Continuity wise, it would be nice to hear Swain talk about his wife and daughter, but unfortunately we don’t get a glimpse. At least not in this episode.

A hint of 2Dads and Bomber surfaces. She is thinking about promotion and 2Dads is prepared to help her. I’ve found Nikolai Nikolaeff’s performance somewhat hindered by this slightly unusual pairing. I’m not against the pairing, I just feel that the character development we saw early on takes a step back as he acts like a teenager. But I guess his path is a rocky one.

Swain is thrown into the murky world of organ trading and must draw on all his skills and instincts. One life is lost, and it seems a Hammersley crew member may be next. It’s a race against time.

I love Swain and I’m so glad he is finally at the centre of a story. He’s cool, calm and collected under pressure. Similarly, Matt navigates his way through the story with ease and again proves what an asset he is to ‘Sea Patrol’. Matt is great at delivering character driven drama, as well as action. The result is compelling viewing.

‘Sea Patrol’ has really raised the bar this season. Not only are the stories and acting more refined but the actual issues being tackled are more sophisticated and topical.

‘Universal Donor’ is a terrific episode, with brilliant character driven drama and action. Matt Holmes gives a faultless performance which makes the episode just that much more special.

The problem with doing a story like this is that it has to steer clear of becoming too political. Producers can easily fall into various traps and provoke debate that takes away from the central story. At the end of the day, the illegal fishermen are human, just like the crew of Hammersley. ‘Sea Patrol’ is to be applauded for doing such justice to this very relevant story.

The opening is one we’ve seen before. Hammersley is chasing an FFV. But this time it’s someone they’ve come across before. The master of the FFV taunts RO via the radio. Poor RO was wounded last time they met. As the crew make jokes at RO’s expense, RO convinces himself that he needs to be on the boarding party. This is personal.

‘Sea Patrol’ often battles to prove it’s a character based drama but this episode undoubtedly succeeds at doing so. We feel for the crew as they search for a crew member who is suspected of committing suicide. The crew is drawn closer as they battle to work out why the crew member may have done this.

This powerful drama includes a short but very moving scene with Mike and Kate, who blame themselves. The story also provides a chance for Dutchy to reveal some emotion. Out of anger, Kate dismisses and belittles him. But he is truly hurting and blaming himself.

We finally get a glimpse into what makes Dutchy tick. Again the scenes between Conrad and Lisa feel very real. They have an unbelievable chemistry on screen, which makes for great viewing. Hal, Di and the writers must be pleased that they plotted out this rocky road for Dutchy and Kate because Conrad and Lisa deliver week after week.

Bird again has to ask questions of the crew to find out what is going on. This continues to be a great educative device for the audience. My feeling that Bird is underused persists as she ends up in the background once again. I’d really like to see her step up and be counted.

Kristian shined as RO in Episode 5, ‘Paradise Lost’, and he actually delivers an even finer performance in this episode. RO learns a very real lesson in humility whilst staying true to the essence of his character.

After a dog attack, RO is scared he has rabies and attempts to confront his fears head on. This eventually lands him in trouble with an old adversary to whom he has become oddly indebted. The altercation for RO is very confronting. He is not a people person by nature but on a small and smelly fishing boat he has to learn to work with strangers. No ComCen to hide in here.

As the dog dies, and the master of the FFV becomes ill, Robert fears the worst. He needs to get back to the Hammersley. However, he’s not exactly in a position to bargain.

Guest actor Lap Phan plays the master of the FFV very authentically. There is a hint of some awkward dialogue, but this is understandably driven by anger. He’s annoyed and very upset with the navy.

In Series 1 I didn’t really warm to RO. I started to enjoy him in Series 3 as he provided so much humour. But since ‘Paradise Lost’ and now ‘Shoes of the Fisherman’ I think RO has really started to evolve. Kristian delivers a great performance every time the spotlight falls on him. I hope we get to see Kristian shine again before the series is over.

This episode is fantastic. Although still shying away from heavy action, the character driven plot is thought provoking and very refreshing.