Ep 2. Ducks On the Pond

Ducks On the Pond is the second episode of the first season of the Australian television drama series McLeod's Daughters. The episode follows the lives of Claire and Tess McLeod, two half-sisters who have reunited after the death of their father Jack McLeod, a wealthy cattleman. The sisters have never met each other before, and they both inherit Drovers Run, a large cattle property in the Australian outback.

In this episode, Tess and Claire are trying to settle into their new roles as owners of Drovers Run, but they are facing challenges from every direction. First, there is the issue of Claire's husband Peter, who is a city boy and is having a tough time adjusting to farm life. Then there is the matter of the farm itself, which is facing financial difficulties due to a prolonged drought.

The episode opens with Tess and Claire waking up early in the morning to check in on the farm's water supply. They encounter a group of ducks paddling in the shallow pond, which prompts Tess to have an idea for a new business venture. She suggests that they turn the pond into a tourist attraction by setting up a duck hunting season, much to the disapproval of Peter and Claire.

Meanwhile, the farm is also dealing with a crisis involving their cattle. The drought has made it difficult for the cattle to find enough food to eat, and they are starting to become sick and weak. Tess and Claire decide that they need to bring in extra help to manage the situation, and they reach out to a local farmhand named Dave Brewer.

At the same time, tensions are rising between the sisters as they deal with the stress of running a farm and try to define their roles in the partnership. Claire is more practical and business-minded, while Tess is more creative and impulsive. Their differences are highlighted when Tess goes ahead with her plan to set up the duck hunting season without consulting Claire first.

As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that the duck hunting season is a disaster. Not only do the ducks fail to show up, but the hunters end up causing damage to the farm. This leads to a confrontation between Tess and Claire, where they argue over their different approaches to running the farm. In the end, they come to a compromise and decide to focus on other ways to earn money for the farm.

Overall, Ducks On the Pond is a tense episode that explores the challenges faced by two newly-discovered sisters as they try to make a life for themselves in the Australian outback. The episode is notable for its strong performances by the cast, particularly the two leads, and for its realistic depiction of life on a cattle farm during a drought.