RFDS (TV series)

Last updated

RFDS
Also known asRFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service
Genre Drama
Created by
Written by
  • Ian Meadows
  • Claire Phillips
  • Adrian Russell Wills
  • Jon Bell
Directed by
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes16
Production
Executive producers
  • Mark Fennessy
  • Carl Fennessy
  • Julie McGauran
Producers
  • Imogen Banks
  • Sara Richardson
Production location Broken Hill
Production company Endemol Shine Australia
Original release
Network Seven Network
Release11 August 2021 (2021-08-11) 
present

RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service is an Australian drama television series which centres around the lives of workers for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Commissioned by the Seven Network and produced by Endemol Shine Australia, it began airing on 11 August 2021. [1] [2] [3] The series was renewed for a second season in June 2022 to commence screening on 15 August 2023. [4] [5] On 18 August 2024, the series was renewed for a third season. [6]

Contents

Production

Production on RFDS commenced in 2020. The series is written by Ian Meadows and produced by Imogen Banks for Endemol Shine, executive produced by Mark and Carl Fennessy for Endemol Shine Australia and Julie McGauran for Seven. [7]

The series was due to begin production in Broken Hill in March 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the series was temporarily suspended. [8] Production resumed in August 2020 along with announcement of more cast members including Emma Hamilton, Ash Ricardo, Kate Mulvany, Rodney Afif, Jack Scott and Sofia Nolan, with newcomers Thomas Weatherall and Ash Hodgkinson. [9] The first promotional trailer for the series was released in July 2021. [10]

In June 2022, David Knox of TV Tonight reported the series had been renewed for a second season, which was broadcast in 2023. [11]

In October 2023, the series was renewed for a third season. [12] In August 2024, it was announced filming will take place in South Australia including locations such as Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges, the Port Augusta RFDS Base and regional surrounds, which will double for Broken Hill as the real Broken Hill airport and RFDS base are being currently upgraded. [13] [14]

Cast

Episodes

Season 1 (2021)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAustralian viewers
11"Episode 1"Jennifer Leacy Ian Meadows 11 August 2021 (2021-08-11)604,000 [16]
22"Episode 2"Jennifer LeacyIan Meadows18 August 2021 (2021-08-18)513,000 [17]
33"Episode 3" Jeremy Sims Claire Phillips25 August 2021 (2021-08-25)465,000 [18]
44"Episode 4" Jeremy Sims Claire Phillips1 September 2021 (2021-09-01)472,000 [19]
55"Episode 5"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows & Adrian Russell Wills8 September 2021 (2021-09-08)427,000 [20]
66"Episode 6"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows & Jon Bell8 September 2021 (2021-09-08)396,000 [20]
77"Episode 7"Jennifer LeaceyClaire Phillips15 September 2021 (2021-09-15)417,000 [21]
88"Episode 8"Jennifer LeaceyIan Meadows22 September 2021 (2021-09-22)417,000 [22]

Season 2 (2023)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAustralian viewers
91"Episode 1"Jeremy SimsIan Meadows15 August 2023 (2023-08-15)378,000 [23]
102"Episode 2"Jeremy SimsClaire Phillips & Ian Meadows22 August 2023 (2023-08-22)392,000 [24]
113"Episode 3"Rachel WardMagda Wozniak29 August 2023 (2023-08-29)375,000 [25]
124"Episode 4"Rachel WardKodie Bedford5 September 2023 (2023-09-05)307,000 [26]
135"Episode 5"Adrian Russell WillsAdrian Russell Wills12 September 2023 (2023-09-12)283,000 [27]
146"Episode 6"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows19 September 2023 (2023-09-19)324,000 [28]
157"Episode 7"Jeremy SimsClaire Phillips26 September 2023 (2023-09-26)299,000 [29]
168"Episode 8"Jeremy SimsUnknown4 October 2023 (2023-10-04)279,000 [30]

Reception

Ratings

RFDS: Australia viewers per episode (thousands)
SeasonEpisode number
12345678
1604513465472427396417417
2378392TBD
Source: Audience measurement performed by OzTam [31]

Season 1 (2021)

No.TitleAir dateOvernight ratingsConsolidated ratingsTotal
viewers
Ref(s)
ViewersRankViewersRank
1"Episode 1"11 August 2021604,00012101,00010705,000 [16]
2"Episode 2"18 August 2021513,00015116,00010632,000 [17]
3"Episode 3"25 August 2021465,00014100,00011565,000 [18]
4"Episode 4"1 September 2021472,0001598,00010570,000 [19]
5"Episode 5"8 September 2021427,00016109,0009536,000 [20]
6"Episode 6"8 September 2021396,00019118,00011514,000 [20]
7"Episode 7"15 September 2021417,00019132,00011549.000 [21]
8"Episode 8"22 September 2021417,00017124,00012542,000 [22]

Season 2 (2023)

No.TitleAir dateOvernight ratingsConsolidated ratingsTotal
viewers
Ref(s)
ViewersRankViewersRank
1"Episode 1"15 August 2023378,00013104,00010482,000 [23]
2"Episode 2"22 August 2023392,00014392,000 [24]
3"Episode 3"29 August 2023

Home Media

It was announced by Via Vision Entertainment in June 2024 that they would be releasing the RFDS Season one & two on DVD in one collections.

TitleFormatEp#DiscsRegion 1 (USA)Region 2 (UK)Region 4 (Australia)Special FeaturesDistributors
RFDS (Season One)DVD8221 December 2021NonePBS
RFDS (Season Two)DVD829 April 2024NonePBS
RFDS (Season One & Two)DVD1644 September 2024NoneVia Vision Entertainment

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2022 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Steve PeacockeNominated [32]
Most Popular Drama Program RFDSNominated
Most Outstanding Drama Series Nominated

Related Research Articles

<i>Australian Survivor</i> Television series based on the reality show Survivor

Australian Survivor is an Australian adventure reality game show based on the international Survivor format. Following the premise of other versions of the Survivor format, the show features a group of contestants, referred to as "castaways" as they are marooned in an isolated location. The castaways must provide food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves. The contestants compete in various challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination. The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted off the island by their fellow castaways. The final castaway remaining is awarded the title of "Sole Survivor" and the grand prize of A$500,000.

<i>The Farmer Wants a Wife</i> (Australian TV series) Australian television series

The Farmer Wants a Wife is an Australian reality television series based on the British reality show Farmer Wants a Wife. The first eight seasons, hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski, aired on the Nine Network between 2007 and 2012, with a ninth season, hosted by Sam McClymont broadcast in 2016. A tenth season aired on the Seven Network when the series was revived for the second time in 2020.

<i>The Amazing Race Australia</i> Australian adventure reality game show

The Amazing Race Australia is an Australian adventure reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Following the premise of other versions in the Amazing Race franchise, the show follows teams of two as they race around the world. Each season is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in foreign areas, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel by air, boat, car, taxi, and other modes of transport. Teams are progressively eliminated at the end of most legs for being the last to arrive at designated Pit Stops. The first team to arrive at the Finish Line wins a grand prize of A$250,000.

The Celebrity Apprentice Australia is an Australian reality television series which aired on the Nine Network. Based on NBC's The Apprentice, it first aired on 24 October 2011 and originally featured Mark Bouris, the founder and chairman of Wizard Home Loans and Yellow Brick Road, as the chief executive officer (CEO).

<i>First Dates</i> (Australian TV series) Australian TV series or program

First Dates is an Australian reality dating television show. The format is based on a British program of the same name. The first four seasons previously aired on Seven Network and were narrated by Sam Mac. The fifth season aired on Network 10 and was narrated by Tommy Little. The sixth season is set to return to Seven in 2024.

Family Food Fight is an Australian reality competition television series that aired on the Nine Network from 30 October 2017 until 11 December 2018. The series saw diverse and multi-generational Australian families go head-to-head in high-pressure cooking challenges inspired by real home cooking and family food traditions to win an ultimate prize of $100,000.

<i>Travel Guides</i> (TV series) Australian television series

Travel Guides is an Australian travel series which premiered on the Nine Network on 14 February 2017. The series follows groups of ordinary Australians who take on the job of travel critics who experience the same week-long international and domestic holidays, and review the same accommodation, cuisine, and local sights.

Love It or List It Australia is an Australian TV series, based on the Canadian program of the same name, which began airing on LifeStyle on 27 September 2017. The series is hosted by Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker. It is produced exclusively for Foxtel by Beyond Productions.

<i>Paramedics</i> (Australian TV series) Australian television series

Paramedics is an Australian factual television series that looks at the everyday working of paramedics in Victoria, and is narrated by Australia actor Samuel Johnson.

The eleventh series of the Australian cooking game show MasterChef Australia premiered on 29 April 2019 on Network 10. It was the final season where Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston served as judges.

<i>Ambulance Australia</i> Australian factual television series

Ambulance Australia is an Australian factual television program on Network 10 that follows the New South Wales and Queensland Ambulance Services, from the Triple Zero Control Centres to paramedics on the road. It is based on the original UK factual series Ambulance.

<i>Five Bedrooms</i> Australian TV series

Five Bedrooms is an Australian comedy-drama television series, which first screened on Network 10. The eight part series premiered on 15 May 2019, at 8:40 pm. In the United States, the series started streaming on Peacock on April 15, 2020.

Lego Masters is an Australian reality television show based on the British series of the same name in which teams compete to build the best Lego project. It is hosted by Hamish Blake and judged by Lego designer Ryan "The Brickman" McNaught. The series premiered on 28 April 2019 on Nine Network.

The twelfth series of the Australian cooking game show MasterChef Australia, also known as MasterChef: Back to Win and MasterChef Australia: Back To Win, premiered on 13 April 2020 on Network 10. It is the first series to feature series four winner Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo serving as judges, after the departure of Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston in the previous season. This series involves former high-achieving contestants from the past eleven series of MasterChef Australia, returning for another chance at the title of 'MasterChef' and a prize of A$250,000.

<i>House Rules</i> season 8 Australian reality television series

The eighth season of Australian reality television series House Rules, also known as House Rules: High Stakes, began airing on 6 April 2020. The series is produced by the team who created the Seven reality show My Kitchen Rules. This season was hosted by former judge Jamie Durie and Abbey Way.

<i>Big Brother</i> (Australian TV series) season 12 Season of Big Brother Australia

Big Brother Australia 12, also known as Big Brother 2020, was the twelfth season of the Australian reality television series Big Brother. It began airing on 8 June 2020 on the Seven Network. It was the first season of the show to air on the Seven Network after it bought the rights to the series in 2019, following a six-year absence. The show was originally screened on Network Ten, then the Nine Network. Sonia Kruger returned as the host of the show.

SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins, also known as SAS Australia, is a reality quasi-military training television programme based on the original British SAS: Who Dares Wins that is broadcast on Seven Network since 19 October 2020. Upon release of the first season, the show's name was changed to simply SAS Australia. The series features four ex-Special Forces soldiers acting as the directing staff (DS), with Ant Middleton as the chief instructor.

The Dog House Australia is an Australian factual observational television series that matches dogs to new owners and is based on the British television series of the same name, which premiered on Network 10 on 12 October 2021.

The Twelve is an Australian television drama series on Fox Showcase. The series is produced by Ian Collie, Rob Gibson and Ally Henville, with executive producers Michael Brooks and Hamish Lewis and Liz Watts. The series was renewed for a second season in June 2023. The second series aired on 11 July 2024.

The twelfth season of the Australian competitive cooking competition show My Kitchen Rules, with the motto Share the love, premiered on the Seven Network on 7 August 2022.

References

  1. "Upfronts 2019: Seven: Big Brother, Matt Preston & Gary Mehigan, RFDS". TV Tonight. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  2. Fowler, Bella (23 October 2019). "MasterChef's Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan to team up with MKR rival". news.com.au. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  3. "Airdate: RFDS". TV Tonight. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  4. "RFDS Season 2 | Royal Flying Doctor Service". www.flyingdoctor.org.au. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  5. "Returning: RFDS". TV Tonight. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  6. "Third season of RFDS commences production in South Australia". SAFC. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  7. "Justine Clarke, Rob Collins and Stephen Peacocke to star in new Channel Seven drama RFDS". TV Black Box. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  8. Knox, David (8 March 2020). "RFDS halts production". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  9. Knox, David (3 August 2020). "Cameras roll on RFDS in Broken Hill". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  10. Knox, David (6 July 2021). "RFDS: promo". TV Tonight . Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  11. Knox, David (19 June 2022). "Renewed: RFDS". TV Tonight . Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  12. Knox, David (18 October 2023). "Upfronts 2024: Seven network". TV Tonight . Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  13. Knox, David (18 August 2024). "RFDS moves to South Australia for third season". TV Tonight . Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  14. Laidlaw, Kyle (18 August 2024). "Channel 7 Drama 'RFDS' Takes Flight in South Australia for Third Season". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  15. "Seven Network ramps up spending on revamped 2020 schedule". if.com.au. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  16. 1 2 Knox, David (12 August 2021). "Wednesday 11 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  17. 1 2 Knox, David (19 August 2021). "Wednesday 18 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  18. 1 2 Knox, David (26 August 2021). "Wednesday 25 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  19. 1 2 Knox, David (2 September 2021). "Wednesday 1 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Knox, David (9 September 2021). "Wednesday 8 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  21. 1 2 Knox, David (16 September 2021). "Wednesday 15 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  22. 1 2 Knox, David (23 September 2021). "Wednesday 22 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  23. 1 2 Knox, David (16 August 2023). "Tuesday 15 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  24. 1 2 Knox, David (23 August 2023). "Tuesday 22 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  25. Knox, David (30 August 2023). "Tuesday 29 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  26. Knox, David (6 September 2023). "Tuesday 5 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  27. Knox, David (13 September 2023). "Tuesday 12 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  28. Knox, David (20 September 2023). "Tuesday 19 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  29. Knox, David (27 September 2023). "Tuesday 26 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  30. Knox, David (5 October 2023). "Tuesday 4 October 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  31. https://oztam.com.au
  32. Knox, David (15 May 2022). "Logie Awards 2022: nominees". TV Tonight . Retrieved 7 June 2023.