Against the Wind poster
Seen it?

Against the Wind

TV·1978–1978·1 season, 13 episodes·Seven Network·Drama·1h·Created by Bronwyn Binns

Not streaming in your region — see every region's options

Against the Wind was a 1978 Australian television mini-series. It is a historical drama portraying both the British rule of Ireland, and the development of New South Wales and Australia. The producers were Bronwyn Binns, Ian Jones and Henry Crawford. The directors were George T. Miller and Simon Wincer. The scriptwriters were Bronwyn Binns, Ian Jones, Peter Kinlock, Tony Morphett, Paul Davies and Cliff Green. Jon English won the Logie Award in 1979 for "Best new talent" for his role in the miniseries as "Jonathan Garrett". The complete series is now available on DVD in Australia, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands in PAL format. It is also available in North American format.

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01Against the Wind S01E02The Wild GeeseS01E02 · 8.0Mary is onboard a convict transport ship on route to Australia and Polly, a streetwise convict in charge, makes Mary life harder. Ensign Grenville gives Mary a chance to escape the prison below, but he is furious when she turns down his offer. This leads him to what revenge which backfires when Mary cuts a soldier in self-defence. Worse is to come though when there is talk of a mutiny.
  2. 02Against the Wind S01E03A Question of GuiltS01E03 · 8.0A concerned Doctor ensures that Mary is given a good chance in the colony by being assigned to Captain Wiltshire. He sends Jonathan to escourt her back, himself a convict serving his sentence. Polly decides that she isn't going to let just any man choose her, so she does the work and snags Will Price, an Innkeeper.
  3. 03Against the Wind S01E04The Flogging ParsonS01E04 · 8.0The men are forced to work very hard at their labour. Jonathan befriends a wiley fellow convict Dinny O'Byrne.

Castfull cast & details

Jon EnglishJon EnglishJonathan GarrettMary LarkinMary LarkinMary MulvaneKerry McGuireKerry McGuirePolly McNamaraWarwick SimsWarwick SimsEnsign GrevilleHu PryceHu PryceJonas PikeGerard KennedyGerard KennedyDinny O'ByrneFrederick ParslowFrederick ParslowCaptain WiltshireBryan BrownBryan BrownMichael Connor

Episodes by season

Season01Episode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode13Episodes1978Aired 7.8Season avg
  1. S01E01Against the Wind S01E01The Seeds of FireSeptember 12, 1978 6.0Mary and her boyfriend Michael are harrassed by British soldiers while out walking. In repsonse to the troops taking over a nearby farm, Mic
  2. S01E02Against the Wind S01E02Season's bestThe Wild GeeseSeptember 12, 1978 8.0Mary is onboard a convict transport ship on route to Australia and Polly, a streetwise convict in charge, makes Mary life harder. Ensign Gre
  3. S01E03Against the Wind S01E03A Question of GuiltSeptember 19, 1978 8.0A concerned Doctor ensures that Mary is given a good chance in the colony by being assigned to Captain Wiltshire. He sends Jonathan to escou
  4. S01E04Against the Wind S01E04The Flogging ParsonSeptember 19, 1978 8.0The men are forced to work very hard at their labour. Jonathan befriends a wiley fellow convict Dinny O'Byrne.
  5. S01E05Against the Wind S01E05An Agreement Between Officers and OthersSeptember 26, 1978 8.0Mary meets up again with Polly, a fellow captive on the long sea voyage to the colony, who now works at the local inn. Jonathan learns to re
  6. S01E06Against the Wind S01E06A House on the HillOctober 3, 1978 8.0Mary, who had originally planned to return to Ireland, decideds to stay in the Colony and marry Jonathan after seeing his house and land.
  7. S01E07Against the Wind S01E07The Tree of LibertyOctober 10, 1978 8.0Work on the land is hard and there is talk of an uprising among the convicts and Jonathan, against Mary's will, wants to help them.
  8. S01E08Against the Wind S01E08When Kings Go Forth to BattleOctober 17, 1978 8.0The uprising has begun but the convicts are tricked and betrayed. The British troops are too powerful and the uprising has failed.
  9. S01E09Against the Wind S01E09The Farmer's FriendOctober 17, 1978 8.0Dinny, although wounded, escapes the slaughter and hides at Jonathan's house. Meanwhile, their old adversary, Ensign Greville has taken over
  10. S01E10Against the Wind S01E10A Matter of Life and DeathOctober 24, 1978 8.0Dinny finds an Aboriginal wife and, as he is a wanted man, has to live rough in the bush with her. Mary gives birth to a son. Dinny is spott
  11. S01E11Against the Wind S01E11The Spirit of EnterpriseOctober 24, 1978 8.0Crops are bad at Jonathan's farm and the military want to take advantage of this and buy the crops off his farm from him. Jonathan finally h
  12. S01E12Against the Wind S01E12The Whip HandOctober 31, 1978 8.0Jonathan and Will, Polly's husband, start their own illegal distillery. But when this is discovered , Will is fiercely punished.
  13. S01E13Against the Wind S01E13The Windfall SummerOctober 10, 1978 8.0Ensign Greville uses Mrs Wiltshire's affection for him to gain power in the Colony. Jonathan is sentenced to 6 months jail for writing a let

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Shows like Against the Wind all similar shows

The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.

  1. 01Drama·Action·Science-FictionArrow2012–2020·The CWAfter a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific.7.4Compare
  2. 02Drama·Crime·ThrillerTrue Detective2014–presentStreaming on HBO MaxTouch darkness and darkness touches you back.8.1Compare
  3. 03Drama·Action·Science-FictionThe Flash2014–2023·The CWStreaming on NetflixAfter a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma.7.5Compare
  4. 04Drama·Action·SupernaturalSupernatural2005–2020·The CWStreaming on Amazon Prime VideoThis haunting series follows the Winchester brothers as they crisscross the lonely and mysterious back roads of the country in their '67 Chevy Impala, hunting down every evil supernatural force they encounter along the…8.3Compare
  5. 05Drama·Comedy·CrimeFargo2014·FXStreaming on HuluFargo is a seasonal anthology crime drama with some dark comical elements, inspired by the film Fargo written by the Coen brothers.8.6Compare
  6. 06Drama·CrimeChicago P.D.2014–present·NBCStreaming on Amazon Prime VideoDistrict 21 of the Chicago Police Department is made up of two distinctly different groups.8.0Compare

Head-to-head pick any opponent

Stack Against the Wind's full episode-rating history against a rival, on one chart.

Against the Wind vs ArrowFull episode chartAgainst the Wind vs True DetectiveFull episode chartAgainst the Wind vs The FlashFull episode chart

Keep exploring top shows

ShortcutThe essential episodes

Short on time? The pilot-to-finale shortcut, only the episodes that matter.

MatchupCompare with another show

Two shows' episode ratings on one chart — settle it.

NetworkBest Seven Network shows

More from the same network, ranked by rating.

GenreBest drama shows & films

The top of the drama pile, across both mediums.