RFDS (TV series)

RFDS
Also known asRFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service
GenreDrama
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 locationBroken Hill
Production companyEndemol Shine Australia
Original release
NetworkSeven 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.

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 release dateAustralian viewers
11"Episode 1"Jennifer LeacyIan Meadows11 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 SimsClaire Phillips25 August 2021 (2021-08-25)465,000[19]
44"Episode 4"Jeremy SimsClaire 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 release 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 SimsIan Meadows4 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. Title Air date Overnight ratings Consolidated ratings Total
viewers 		Ref(s)
Viewers Rank Viewers Rank
1 "Episode 1" 11 August 2021 604,000 12 101,000 10 705,000 [17]
2 "Episode 2" 18 August 2021 513,000 15 116,000 10 632,000 [18]
3 "Episode 3" 25 August 2021 465,000 14 100,000 11 565,000 [19]
4 "Episode 4" 1 September 2021 472,000 15 98,000 10 570,000 [20]
5 "Episode 5" 8 September 2021 427,000 16 109,000 9 536,000 [21]
6 "Episode 6" 8 September 2021 396,000 19 118,000 11 514,000 [21]
7 "Episode 7" 15 September 2021 417,000 19 132,000 11 549.000 [22]
8 "Episode 8" 22 September 2021 417,000 17 124,000 12 542,000 [23]

Season 2 (2023)

No. Title Air date Overnight ratings Consolidated ratings Total
viewers 		Ref(s)
Viewers Rank Viewers Rank
1 "Episode 1" 15 August 2023 378,000 13 104,000 10 482,000 [24]
2 "Episode 2" 22 August 2023 392,000 14 — — 392,000 [25]
3 "Episode 3" 29 August 2023 — — —

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Recipient Result Ref.
2022 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Steve Peacocke Nominated [33]
Most Popular Drama Program RFDS Nominated
Most Outstanding Drama Series Nominated
2024 Best Drama Program Won [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.

Title Format Ep# Discs Region 1 (USA) Region 2 (UK) Region 4 (Australia) Special Features Distributors
RFDS (Season One) DVD 8 2 21 December 2021 None PBS
RFDS (Season Two) DVD 8 2 9 April 2024 None PBS
RFDS (Season One & Two) DVD 16 4 4 September 2024 None Via Vision Entertainment

References

  1. ^ "Seven Network ramps up spending on revamped 2020 schedule". if.com.au. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ Knox, David (8 March 2020). "RFDS halts production". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. ^ Knox, David (3 August 2020). "Cameras roll on RFDS in Broken Hill". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  5. ^ Knox, David (6 July 2021). "RFDS: promo". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  6. ^ Knox, David (19 June 2022). "Renewed: RFDS". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  7. ^ Knox, David (18 October 2023). "Upfronts 2024: Seven network". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Third season of RFDS commences production in South Australia". SAFC. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  9. ^ Knox, David (18 August 2024). "RFDS moves to South Australia for third season". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  10. ^ Laidlaw, Kyle (18 August 2024). "Channel 7 Drama 'RFDS' Takes Flight in South Australia for Third Season". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  11. ^ Dare, Laura (8 October 2024). "SA's screen scene is popping! Here's what to watch where". The Post. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Upfronts 2019: Seven: Big Brother, Matt Preston & Gary Mehigan, RFDS". TV Tonight. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "Airdate: RFDS". TV Tonight. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  15. ^ "RFDS Season 2 | Royal Flying Doctor Service". www.flyingdoctor.org.au. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Returning: RFDS". TV Tonight. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  17. ^ a b Knox, David (12 August 2021). "Wednesday 11 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  18. ^ a b Knox, David (19 August 2021). "Wednesday 18 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  19. ^ a b Knox, David (26 August 2021). "Wednesday 25 August 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  20. ^ a b Knox, David (2 September 2021). "Wednesday 1 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  21. ^ a b c d Knox, David (9 September 2021). "Wednesday 8 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  22. ^ a b Knox, David (16 September 2021). "Wednesday 15 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  23. ^ a b Knox, David (23 September 2021). "Wednesday 22 September 2021". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  24. ^ a b Knox, David (16 August 2023). "Tuesday 15 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  25. ^ a b Knox, David (23 August 2023). "Tuesday 22 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  26. ^ Knox, David (30 August 2023). "Tuesday 29 August 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  27. ^ Knox, David (6 September 2023). "Tuesday 5 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  28. ^ Knox, David (13 September 2023). "Tuesday 12 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  29. ^ Knox, David (20 September 2023). "Tuesday 19 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  30. ^ Knox, David (27 September 2023). "Tuesday 26 September 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  31. ^ Knox, David (5 October 2023). "Tuesday 4 October 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  32. ^ https://oztam.com.au
  33. ^ Knox, David (15 May 2022). "Logie Awards 2022: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  34. ^ Knox, David (18 August 2024). "Logie Awards 2024: winners | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2024.