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. The second season commenced screening on 15 August 2023, and on 18 August 2024, the series was renewed for a third season and filming began in South Australia.

Contents

Synopsis

RFDS centres around the lives of workers for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia.

Cast

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. [2]

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. [3] 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. [4] The first promotional trailer for the series was released in July 2021. [5]

In June 2022 it was reported that the series had been renewed for a second season, which was broadcast in 2023. [6]

In October 2023, it was announced that the series would be renewed for a third season, [7] which commenced production in August 2024. [8] Filming started in South Australia, in Adelaide Studios as well as on location in the Flinders Ranges town of Quorn, the Port Augusta RFDS Base and regional surrounds, which will double for Broken Hill, as the real Broken Hill airport and RFDS base were being upgraded. [9] [10] [11]

Broadcast

Season 1 of RFDS began airing on 11 August 2021. [12] [13] [14]

It was renewed for a second season in June 2022, which commenced screening on 15 August 2023. [15] [16]

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 [17]
22"Episode 2"Jennifer LeacyIan Meadows18 August 2021 (2021-08-18)513,000 [18]
33"Episode 3" Jeremy Sims Claire Phillips25 August 2021 (2021-08-25)465,000 [19]
44"Episode 4" Jeremy Sims Claire Phillips1 September 2021 (2021-09-01)472,000 [20]
55"Episode 5"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows & Adrian Russell Wills8 September 2021 (2021-09-08)427,000 [21]
66"Episode 6"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows & Jon Bell8 September 2021 (2021-09-08)396,000 [21]
77"Episode 7"Jennifer LeaceyClaire Phillips15 September 2021 (2021-09-15)417,000 [22]
88"Episode 8"Jennifer LeaceyIan Meadows22 September 2021 (2021-09-22)417,000 [23]

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 [24]
102"Episode 2"Jeremy SimsClaire Phillips & Ian Meadows22 August 2023 (2023-08-22)392,000 [25]
113"Episode 3"Rachel WardMagda Wozniak29 August 2023 (2023-08-29)375,000 [26]
124"Episode 4"Rachel WardKodie Bedford5 September 2023 (2023-09-05)307,000 [27]
135"Episode 5"Adrian Russell WillsAdrian Russell Wills12 September 2023 (2023-09-12)283,000 [28]
146"Episode 6"Adrian Russell WillsIan Meadows19 September 2023 (2023-09-19)324,000 [29]
157"Episode 7"Jeremy SimsClaire Phillips26 September 2023 (2023-09-26)299,000 [30]
168"Episode 8"Jeremy SimsUnknown4 October 2023 (2023-10-04)279,000 [31]

Reception

Ratings

RFDS: Australia viewers per episode (thousands)
SeasonEpisode number
12345678
1604513465472427396417417
2378392TBD
Source: Audience measurement performed by OzTam [32]

Season 1 (2021)

No.TitleAir dateOvernight ratingsConsolidated ratingsTotal
viewers
Ref(s)
ViewersRankViewersRank
1"Episode 1"11 August 2021604,00012101,00010705,000 [17]
2"Episode 2"18 August 2021513,00015116,00010632,000 [18]
3"Episode 3"25 August 2021465,00014100,00011565,000 [19]
4"Episode 4"1 September 2021472,0001598,00010570,000 [20]
5"Episode 5"8 September 2021427,00016109,0009536,000 [21]
6"Episode 6"8 September 2021396,00019118,00011514,000 [21]
7"Episode 7"15 September 2021417,00019132,00011549.000 [22]
8"Episode 8"22 September 2021417,00017124,00012542,000 [23]

Season 2 (2023)

No.TitleAir dateOvernight ratingsConsolidated ratingsTotal
viewers
Ref(s)
ViewersRankViewersRank
1"Episode 1"15 August 2023378,00013104,00010482,000 [24]
2"Episode 2"22 August 2023392,00014392,000 [25]
3"Episode 3"29 August 2023

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2022 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Steve PeacockeNominated [33]
Most Popular Drama Program RFDSNominated
Most Outstanding Drama Series Nominated
2024Best Drama ProgramWon [34]

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 collection.

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

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