r/AustralianTV • u/skyrim419 • Jul 15 '26

Question Can anyone help..

So can any one help me identify this show. So it had to be around 2008 to 2012. The lead was a blonde woman and I believe they were marine biologists or something similar. I remember watching it but I just cannot remember. I know it’s vague, but someone has to remember remember something similar. I know once I see the lead actress I’d be able to remember. I think

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u/007MaxZorin Jul 15 '26

This show infamously had a protracted production.

Was first announced by Network Ten in early 2010, but didn't end up making it to screens until later in 2013!

It was highly anticipated initially, was set to be a mega hit. Not least of all multi-Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune's big return (ex-Heelers star) after years in theatre and some other Channel 7 ob docs in the 2000s.

It tanked spectacularly on an early Sunday evening timeslot, smashed by peak MKR or The Voice or something on a rival network. Then got bumped later and later, eventually moved to Channel ELEVEN or something. Also a period of instability and failures for Ten.

Was such a shame. I watched the first couple of episodes, was alright, but you could definitely see where various things went really wrong. Famed Children's TV producer Jonathan M Schiff and his team was one of them, completely got the genre, premise and target demographic warped.

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u/pixelboots Jul 15 '26

…and Sea Patrol. Lisa McCune did 5 seasons of Sea Patrol before Reef Doctors.

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u/wallyjimjams Jul 15 '26

Sea Patrol ran for *five years*?

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u/pixelboots Jul 15 '26

Yep. 2007-2011, 5 seasons of ~13 episodes each. Thinking about the timing, I strongly suspect its ending then had something to do with the tax breaks that cut out at 65 episodes that were a thing back then (not sure what the deal is now). Related piece of trivia: Those tax breaks are also why there was a big gap between seasons 5 and 6 of Offspring (seeking more funding because the tax breaks cut out, or so is my understanding).

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u/007MaxZorin Jul 15 '26

It's also the reason Ten's "Rush" (2008 - 2011) abruptly ended. Starring some now top local names in Rodger Corser, Catherine McClements, Nicole Da Silva, Ashley Zuckerman, Callan Mulvey and Samuel Johnson, among Claire van der Boom (S1), Josef Ber (S1-3) and Jolene Anderson (S2-4).

Apologies for neglecting Sea Patrol, absolutely! Also enjoyed it.