''RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service'' is an Australian

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

television series which centres on the lives of workers for the

Royal Flying Doctor Service The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), commonly known as the Flying Doctor, is an aeromedical retrieval service in Australia and the largest of its kind in the world. It is a non-profit organisation that provides urgent and emergency medica ...

. Commissioned by the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

and produced by

Endemol Shine Australia Endemol Shine Australia is a subsidiary of Banijay Entertainment, a global content production and distribution company. The current CEO of Endemol Shine Australia is Peter Newman. Endemol Shine Australia is based in Sydney. The company’s pro ...

, 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 South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

Synopsis

''RFDS'' centres around the lives of workers for the

in Australia.

Cast

Emma Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), known upon moving to London as Emma Hart, and upon marriage as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becom ...

as Dr. Eliza Harrod *

Stephen Peacocke Stephen Peacocke (born 30 October 1981) is an Australian actor, who appeared in theatre productions and portrayed minor roles in television dramas and films, including '' Suburban Mayhem'' and '' All Saints.'' Peacocke rose to prominence for hi ...

as Nurse Pete Emerson * Rob Collins as Dr. Wayne Yates * Ash Ricardo as Mira Ortez * Jack Scott as Nurse Matty Harris * Rodney Afif as Graham Morley * Sofia Nolan as Taylor Emerson *

Thomas Weatherall Thomas Weatherall (born 22 August 2000) is an Australian actor and playwright. He is known for his performances in the television series '' RFDS'' (2019–2021) and ''Heartbreak High'' (2022), and for writing the play ''Blue'', first performe ...

as Darren Yates *

Justine Clarke Justine Clarke is an Australian actress, singer, author and television host. Clarke has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows. She is best-known for her portrayal as Roo Stewart on the ...

as Leonie Smith * Emma Harvie as Chaya Batra (season 2) * Mike Bishop as Evelyn Whaley

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. The series was due to begin production in

Broken Hill Broken Hill is a city in the Far West (New South Wales), far west region of outback New South Wales, Australia. An inland mining city, it is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Hi ...

in March 2020. However, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

the series was temporarily suspended. 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. The first promotional trailer for the series was released in July 2021. In June 2022 it was reported that the series had been renewed for a second season, which was broadcast in 2023. In October 2023, it was announced that the series would be renewed for a third season, which commenced production in August 2024. Filming started in

, in

Adelaide Studios South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...

as well as on location in the

Flinders Ranges The Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain ranges in South Australia, which starts about north of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna. The Adnyamathanha people are the Aboriginal group who have inhab ...

town of Quorn, the

Port Augusta Port Augusta (''Goordnada'' in the revived indigenous Barngarla language) is a coastal city in South Australia about by road from the state capital, Adelaide. Most of the city is on the eastern shores of Spencer Gulf, immediately south of the ...

RFDS Base and regional surrounds, which will double for

, as the real Broken Hill airport and RFDS base were being upgraded.

Broadcast

Season 1 of ''RFDS'' began airing on 11 August 2021. It was renewed for a second season in June 2022, which commenced screening on 15 August 2023.

Episodes

Season 1 (2021)

Season 2 (2023)

Reception

Ratings

Season 1 (2021)

Season 2 (2023)

Awards and nominations

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.

References

External links

* {{Seven Network programming Seven Network original programming 2020s Australian drama television series 2021 Australian television series debuts Television series by Endemol Shine Australia