TV SERIES

Number 96

Drama · Comedy

Number 96 was a popular Australian soap opera set in a Sydney apartment block that ran from 13 March 1972 – 11 August 1977.Storylines of the series explored the relationships of the residents of a small, inner-city apartment block named Number 96, after its fictional street address, 96 Lindsay Street, Paddington (actually 81-83 Moncur Street, Woollahra). Stories focused on topics such asracism, drug use, rape, marriage problems, adultery and homosexuality, along with more prosaic romantic and domestic storylines. The building's two ground floor businesses - a delicatessen and a chemist (later to become a wine bar) - along with a nearby launderette, provided venues for the various characters to meet. The show featured a multiracial cast, had frequent nude scenes, and featured a long-running gay male relationship that drew no particular interest from any of the show's other characters. It is believed that the series was the world's first to include a portrayal of a gay couple as normal people fully accepted by and integrated into their community.