Oahu’s North Shore is waking up from its summer slumber, but that’s not the only way the famed stretch of shoreline is making an impact. After landing a coveted post-Superbowl premiere slot, the North Shore lifeguard drama Rescue: HI-Surf has earned the distinction on of TV’s highest-rated fall drama debut in six years
First announced last year, the action drama follows the professional and personal lives of heavy-water lifeguards on Oahu’s north shore. Matt Kester, who previously wrote for the TNT drama Animal Kingdom, is the creator and showrunner. Shameless producer John Wells produced the series and directed the first two episodes.
When Rescue: HI-Surf premiered on Fox on September 22, it reached 4.7 million viewers, according Nielsen’s fast national ratings. As entertainment industry trade website Deadline reported, the premiere episode also earned a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49, which is “quite impressive as scripted broadcast series rarely perform that well in same-day ratings anymore.” This made the series the highest-rated fall drama debut since God Friended Me premiered on CBS in September 2018.
Part of that success can be attributed to the series’ efforts to inject local talent into the production. While Kester himself grew up on the North Shore and still lives on the island, Rescue: HI-Surf also made sure to hire local crew to add verisimilitude to the series. One of those crew-members was famed waterman Brian Keaulana, who served as producer and stunt coordinator. “The production’s intention from the beginning was to hire as many of its crew and talent locally,” said Georja Skinner, Creative Industries Division Chief for Hawai’i’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “When you have a series that is rooted in the fabric of Hawai‘i’s North Shore lifeguards, viewers will experience the world of these everyday heroes.”
