Rescue: Hi-Surf is coming to FOX: Everything to know about the Hawaii lifeguard drama
By Sabrina Reed
Updated: May 17, 2024 - FOX has something special coming our way in the 2024-2025 television season. I'm talking about Rescue: Hi-Surf, their buzzy, new drama set in Hawaii. The action takes place on the North Shore of O'ahu where the show's heavy-water lifeguards patrol and protect the people of the area.
These first-responders are who you want coming to your rescue on the Seven Mile Miracle. But, of course, we won't just be dropped into their high stakes incident calls, we'll also be privy to the drama happening in their personal lives. FOX's Upfront presentation is on May 13, so we'll likely to get a premiere date soon, but here's what we know about the series so far!
Rescue: Hi-Surf release window
The show will premiere Fall 2024 alongside 9-1-1: Lone Star's fifth season which was held for the 2024-2025 television year. This will be the latter's first appearance on FOX's Fall TV schedule as it typically premieres in the midseason. But the procedural being delayed is good news for Rescue: Hi-Surf because the two have been paired on the schedule, the veteran series is a wonderful lead-in to help build the freshman show's audience. The lifeguard drama will air Mondays at 9 p.m. ET following Lone Star.
Season 1 will have a total of 19 episodes. The series is filming on location in O'ahu.
Cast
Before I get into a character breakdown for each member of the cast, here's who will be appearing in the program's first season (Per Deadline):
Main cast
- Robbie Magasiva as Harlan "Sonny" Jennings
- Arielle Kebbel as Emily "Em" Wright
- Adam Demos as Will Ready
- Kekoa Kekumano as Laka Hanohano
- Alex Aiono as Kainalu
- Zoe Cipres as Hina
Recurring
- Sea Shimooka as Jenn
- Shawn Hatosy as Clayton Emerson
- Ian Anthony Dale as Sean Harimoto
Harlan "Sonny" Jennings is the North Shore lifeguard captain. He's a surfer and waterman, who is deeply connected to his community and his team. However, his grief over the loss of his nephew is threatening to take everything he loves from him. Sonny has always been the courageous, loyal, and charismatic leader his team has had through thick and thin, but he is in the middle of his own darkest hour.
Emily "Em" Wright is ambitious and the best first responder on the lifeguard force, period. She's considered to be a maverick and is the first female lieutenant in the history of Ocean Safety. Pair her accomplishments with her skills as a surfer and a record setting paddler and you have one fierce contender for captain. Of course, landing the position, however, would mean Sonny, her mentor and friend, would be out of a job.
Will Ready is an Australian transplant to the North Shore. He came to the area to challenge himself but decided to stick around. As a surfer and certified lifesaver, he's always ready to handle what the ocean brings his way. Described as good-natured and loyal, Will isn't afraid of hard work; he's fit for the job that he loves.
Laka Hanohano hails from Honolulu and is a Native Hawaiian lifeguard. He's as hilarious as he is confident, and he patrols with a style unique to himself. With a respect for the ocean and a love for his work, Laka is the kind of person the profession of lifeguard was made for.
Kainalu, similar to Laka, is from the area outside of Honolulu except he's the son of a politician whose star is on the rise. He's expected to finish college but Kainalu would rather concentrate on being a rookie on North Shore's lifeguard force. Though he's young, stubborn, cocky, and competitive, he's also a sweetheart who wants to live life by his own terms even if it goes against what he was raised to be as the privileged child of a wealthy family.
Hina is also a rookie lifeguard. Her large family is a part of Hawaii's working class. Smart as whip, she's at the top of her training class and fiercely competitive. Hina's also got sass to match her wits but if there's one area she's struggling it's balancing her duties at work with her family and the community she loves deeply. Like Em, she's also contending with what it means to be a part of a force that's made up of 90% men.
Jenn came to O'ahu from Kauai to attend med school, but the swells also drew her to the North Shore as she's a big wave surfer. When she's not out in the water, Jenn works as an EMT. She's got a strong commitment to everything she sets her mind to and its what compels her to always reach for the next level of what she's capable of.
Clayton Emerson, Kainalu's father, is expected to win the next mayoral race in Honolulu. Besides scenes with his son, it's been teased that his storyline will tie with Sonny's since they both could benefit from his rise to power.
Sean Harimoto is a fireman who takes a shine to Em after working together on a rescue. His time with Em on the call impressed upon him how fearless she is in her work and was enough for him to want to get to know her better.
Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more news and coverage!
feed