Doctor Doctor (Australian TV series)

• Rodger Corser as Hugh Knight
• Nicole da Silva as Charlie Perreira Knight
• Ryan Johnson as Matt Knight
• Tina Bursill as Meryl Knight
• Hayley McElhinney as Penny Cartwright
• Chloe Bayliss as Hayley Mills Knight
• Matt Castley as Ajax Cross Knight
• Belinda Bromilow as Betty Bell
• Shalom Brune-Franklin as Aoife (season 1; cameo season 2)
• Charles Wu as Ken Liu
• Steve Bisley as Jim Knight (season 1–2; guest season 3)
• Brittany Scott Clark as Mia Holston (season 2−3)
• Miranda Tapsell as April (recurring season 3; main season 4)
• Kate Jenkinson as Tara (season 4)
• Dustin Clare as Jarrod (season 4)

• Dave Eastgate as Joey (season 1)
• Lucy Durack as Chantelle ‘Tugger’ Waugh
• John Batchelor as Nathan
• Winta McGrath as Floyd
• Thomas Swords as Papa Pex
• Angus McLaren as Dr Carl Toke (season 2)
• Annabel Wolfe as Ivy (season 3)

The series entered pre-production in early 2016, with executive producers Andy Ryan and Jo Rooney of the Nine Network and Ian Collie, Claudia Karvan and Tony McNamara of Essential Media and Entertainment. The Nine Network confirmed that Doctor Doctor would commence production in April 2016 with filming taking place in Sydney and country NSW.[1] In a statement, Nine's Head of Drama, Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan, commented "We are delighted to join forces with Essential Media & Entertainment on the irreverent new family drama series".[1] Inspiration for the series came from discussions that Tony McNamara had with lawyers who talked with him about the Impaired Registrants Program, a practice operated by the Medical Council of New South Wales, which seeks to ensure that medical practitioners are fit for practice and in doing so, the program manages doctors who suffer from a psychiatric illness, self-administration of drugs, alcohol abuse, and physical illness.[2] The series is produced by Essential Media and Entertainment and its first season created 800 jobs and production expenditure of $11.6 million in Sydney and Mudgee, as well as $300,000 in grants from Screen NSW.[3]

The series premiered on Nine Network on the earlier-than-expected broadcast date of 14 September 2016, and in the process, post-production of the ten-episode season was rushed.[4] On 28 September 2016, prior to the broadcast of episode three, Nine renewed the series for a second season, due to its growing success. Ian Collie commented, "We love how the national audience has taken to Doctor Doctor. It’s a show with heart and smarts and thrilled that Nine are backing us to go again. Roll on season two!"[5] On 11 October 2017, it was announced that the show was renewed for a third season at Nine Upfronts for the 2018 schedule.[6][7] Doctor Doctor was renewed for a fourth season, which was confirmed on 17 October 2018, and went into production in April 2019. The season was set to premiere sometime in late 2019, however, it was announced on 16 October 2019, that it would premiere in 2020.[8][9] On 31 March 2020, Nine announed that Doctor Doctor has been commissioned for a fifth season.[10]

The casting director of Doctor Doctor is Kirsty McGregor, who has worked for casting on popular television series, such as Modern Family and Top of the Lake.[11] It was announced in early 2016 that Rodger Corser had received the leading role in the series as heart surgeon, Hugh Knight, before the Nine Network has formally announced the series.[3] Corser was still appearing on the ABC drama series The Doctor Blake Mysteries, for which he only appeared in Season 4 in 2016, and of the role he said that "he was enjoying playing a different style of character to those he had previously played."[12] It was then confirmed that Nicole Da Silva would be cast in the role of Charlie Knight. Da Silva was currently filming the fourth season of Wentworth, appearing in for only six of the twelve episodes and in a supporting status, due to her new starring role in Doctor Doctor, she had to travel between Sydney and Melbourne switching between roles.[13] It also seen her reconnect with her former Rush co-star, Rodger Corser.[14] In an early announcement, it was stated that additional supporting cast would consist of Ryan Johnson, Hayley McElhinney, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Tina Bursill, Chloe Bayliss and Dave Eastgate[1][15] It was later revealed that Steve Bisley would appear in the series as Jim Knight.

For the second season of Doctor Doctor, it was announced that Packed to the Rafters star Angus McLaren would join the cast as ex-army medic, Dr Toke, after a three-year hiatus from acting in television,[16] while it had also been confirmed that New Zealand actress, Brittany Scott Clark, formerly of soap opera Shortland Street, would portray Nurse Mia Holston.[17]

Ahead of Season 3, during a promo which screened in June 2018 on the Nine Network, it was revealed that the show would be losing a major character; in a spoiler, it was revealed to be Jim Knight. In May 2018, it was announced, that Steve Bisley would be returning for the third season,[18] however, he only appeared in the opening episode.

In April 2019, it was announced that Dustin Clare, Kate Jenkinson and Robyn Nevin would be joining the cast of Doctor Doctor for its fourth season.[19]

The series is filmed on location in Mudgee, a town in the Central West of New South Wales, while the entirety of the hospital scenes are shot in the Sydney inner-city suburb of Rozelle, which is located in the city's inner-west. The filming of Knight's home was shot in Sydney's south-west section in the town of Camden. The regional setting for the series has proved to be beneficial for narrative and production purposes. It has been stated that in addition to $100,000 worth of support from the Regional Filming Fund, the regional setting delivers a unique authenticity to the series that it would otherwise lack.[2] Due to the success of the first season, The Knight's home, which was filmed in an actual house, was recreated within a disused wing of the building used to film the hospital scenes from the second season onwards; this was due to limited space in the original home.[20]

In 2017, Ian Collie departed Essential Media in order to establish his own production company, Easy Tiger Tiger, from which Doctor Doctor is currently produced under as of its second season. The company is majority owned by FremantleMedia.[21]

The theme song is a cover version of the American band Canned Heat song Going Up the Country, performed by Patience Hodgson of the Australian indie/alternative rock band The Grates.[22] The song is not available for international airings of the series as the opening theme is replaced with the same instrumental music which is used over the end credits.

While the Nine Network originally planned to air Season 4 in 2019,[34] it later delayed the broadcast to 5 February 2020.[35] In October 2019, it was announced that the fourth season will premiere on the United Kingdom's Drama channel on 16 November 2019 before it aired in Australia.[36]

Reviews for the series have been generally positive. In a review from Debi Enker for The Sydney Morning Herald, she stated that in contrast of other medical dramas it "Takes a different approach. It's gentler, funnier, and it's set in the country."[37] Steve Molk of DeciderTV mentioned that "Doctor Doctor is dependable, honest and sincere Aussie Drama with a full cast stronger than has been seen in a long time."[38] In a review for the online website, The Medium is Not Enough, the series was given a more mixed reception, when it was criticized for becoming more serious following the first episode with a mix of humour in turns; mentioning "If you're going to get serious then you need to do it consistently, not just in bits you like". However it was said of the series that "A decent enough show with potential that’s already been rewarded with a second season, Doctor Doctor nevertheless needs to look hard at what it wants to be in life if it’s to avoid losing patience."[39]

Doctor Doctor has been nominated for several awards throughout its run. In 2016, series casting director, Kirsty McGregor, was nominated the Casting Guild of Australia award for Best Casting in a TV Drama.[40] Tina Bursill has received two nominations at the AACTA Awards, first in 2017, for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama,[41] and 2018, for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama.[42]

The series has garnered a total of 16 nominations at the Logie Awards. In 2017, nominees included, Ryan Johnson for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor, Nicole da Silva for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress, Shalom Brune-Franklin for Best New Talent, while Rodger Corser was nominated for Best Actor, Most Outstanding Actor, and the Gold Logie Award for Best Personality on Australian Television, and the series receiving the nomination for Most Outstanding Drama Series.[43][44] In 2018, Roger Corser was nominated for Most Popular Actor, Most Outstanding Actor, and the Gold Logie Award for Best Personality on Australian Television; the series was nominated for both Most Popular Drama Series, and Most Outstanding Drama Series.[45] In 2019, Corser was nominated for both the award for Most Popular Actor, and the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, while the series was again nominated for both Most Popular Drama Program, and Most Outstanding Drama Series.[46]

As of 2019, the series has not been the recipient of any award wins.