Fox Orders New Drama Series

A new drama series is coming to Fox and is scheduled to premiere during the 2023-2024 season. Rescue: HI-Surf is a Hawaii lifeguard drama from John Wells Productions, and marks his return to broadcast since Southland, which aired on NBC before moving to TNT. The show also marks Wells’ first series to air on Fox. Rescue: Hi-Surf is envisioned as a potential franchise for the network. Matt Kester, who worked on Wells’ Production TNT series Animal Kingdom, is a writer, executive producer, and showrunner on the show, with Wells as an executive producer on the show. Wells will direct the first two episodes.

According to Deadline, the series is described as “an action drama that follows the personal and professional lives of the heavy-water lifeguards who patrol and protect the North Shore of O’ahu—the most famous and dangerous stretch of coastline in the world. Each episode will feature these dedicated, heroic, and adrenaline-seeking first-responders saving lives in the difficult and often life-threatening conditions of Hawaii’s Seven Mile Miracle.”

“Rescue: HI-Surf brings an edge-of-your-seat style to the North Shore of Hawaii, where lifeguards and surfers collide with visceral rescues, great character drama and all-around fun,” Michael Thorn, President of Scripted Programming, Fox Entertainment, said in a statement. “This new franchise is pure beachfront property for Fox, especially with the powerful auspices of John, Matt and our incredible partners at Warner Bros.”

“Matt and I couldn’t be happier to partner with Fox on this exciting opportunity to bring the best lifeguards in the world to the attention of television audiences,” Wells said.

Kester added: “I’ve lived on the North Shore of O’ahu for most of my life, and these are our heroes, the most extraordinary extreme athletes anywhere.” The full-order series came after Kester impressed Fox brass with the pilot script. The show is the second new scripted series and the fifth new series overall that Fox has picked up for next season.