SCU: Serious Crash Unit is a New Zealand documentary series that aired on TV2. The show was cancelled after seven seasons.
| SCU: Serious Crash Unit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Factual Television Series |
| Written by | Sharon Bennett, Peter Clews, Jenny Williams, Paul Hagan, Nicola Griffin |
| Directed by | Sharon Bennett, Peter Clews, Jenny Williams, Paul Hagan, Candace McNabb |
| Narrated by | Shane Cortese, Craig Hall |
| Composer | Liquid Studios |
| Country of origin | New Zealand |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 49 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Andrea Lamb |
| Producers | Peter Clews, Jenny Williams |
| Production locations | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Editors | Phil Holt, Jon Kirk |
| Camera setup | OPC, multi single-camera crews |
| Running time | 22 minutes (approx) |
| Production company | Greenstone TV Ltd - www.greenstonetv.com |
| Original release | |
| Network | TV2, TV One (current) |
| Release | 2 April 2004 – 26 May 2015 |
| Related | |
| Crash Investigation Unit | |
Overview
editSCU: Serious Crash Unit follows a New Zealand Police-based Auckland Serious Crash Unit as they investigate crashes and examine the evidence found at the crash scene to find out what happened, and what caused the accident.
Episodes
editSeason 1
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Albany/Novotel" | 2003 | |
|
Two vehicles are destroyed in a fatal head-on accident on Albany Bridge. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Okura/Stanway" | 2003 | |
|
The SCU investigates a crashed four-wheel-drive. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "Simpson Rd/Southern Motorway" | 2003 | |
|
Two West Auckland factory workers get into a crash on Simpson Road in Ranui. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Windy/Wellsford" | 2003 | |
|
A man loses control of his vehicle on his way to visit his children, and the SCU suspect his brakes may have been at fault. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Whangaparaoa/joe Dee" | 2003 | |
|
The SCU are called to two crashes on Whangaparaoa Road. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Bush/Dome" | 2003 | |
|
A young motorcyclist is killed in a collision with a truck. | ||||
| 7 | 7 | "Upper Harbour/titrangi" | 2003 | |
|
A bus veers out of control in Titirangi with fatalities. | ||||
Season 2
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1 | "Wainui Road" | 2005 | |
|
The police investigate the death of 27-year old Hamish MacDonald driving home from a night out with friends. | ||||
| 9 | 2 | "Golf Road" | 2005 | |
|
The police investigate a fatal crash that kills three people. | ||||
| 10 | 3 | "Lincoln/Newtown Road" | 2005 | |
|
The police investigate why a car ploughed through an intersection hitting another vehicle and critically injuring the driver, who is left in critical condition. | ||||
| 11 | 4 | "Kahikatea" | 2005 | |
|
The police investigate the death of a young man whose car has come off the road as he was heading home to a family emergency. | ||||
| 12 | 5 | "Oriel/Coatsville" | 2005 | |
|
The police investigate a crash where a car left the road and hit a tree. | ||||
| 13 | 6 | TBA | 2005 | |
|
... | ||||
Season 3
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | "Te Hana" | 2006 |
| 15 | 2 | "Muriwai/Rua Rd" | 2006 |
| 16 | 3 | TBA | 2006 |
| 17 | 4 | TBA | 2006 |
| 18 | 5 | TBA | 2006 |
| 19 | 6 | TBA | 2006 |
| 20 | 7 | TBA | 2006 |
Season 4
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | TBA | 2008 |
| 22 | 2 | TBA | 2008 |
| 23 | 3 | TBA | 2008 |
| 24 | 4 | TBA | 2008 |
| 25 | 5 | TBA | 2008 |
| 26 | 6 | TBA | 2008 |
| 27 | 7 | TBA | 2008 |
| 28 | 8 | TBA | 2008 |
Season 5
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 1 | "Mangatawhiri" | 6 June 2011 | |
|
The SCU investigate a crash where a truck driver is killed after he swerves to avoid crashing into a line of traffic on a busy state highway. | ||||
| 30 | 2 | "Wellsford" | 13 June 2011 | |
|
Two women are killed and three women are seriously injured after a multivehicle high speed crash south of Wellsford. | ||||
| 31 | 3 | "Pinewoods" | 20 June 2011 | |
|
The SCU investigate a serious crash where a rugby star is killed when he is thrown from a car as it plunges over a 25-metre cliff at a camping ground north of Auckland. | ||||
| 32 | 4 | "Hobsonville" | 27 June 2011 | |
|
The SCU investigate a fatal crash after a motorcyclist, who has just finished building his classic motorbike, is killed when he tries to avoid a car at an intersection. | ||||
| 33 | 5 | "Mill Road" | 4 July 2011 | |
|
The SCU investigate a crash where the mother of three young children is seriously injured when she swerves into the path of an oncoming truck. | ||||
| 34 | 6 | "Wily Road" | 11 July 2011 | |
|
A man is killed when his BMW fails to take a bend, rolling six times down a hill, leaving his partner and young daughter with moderate injuries. | ||||
| 35 | 7 | TBA | 2011 | |
|
... | ||||
Season 6
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | "Papakura" | 22 January 2013 | |
|
The SCU investigates a single vehicle crash at a major intersection after reports of road rage earlier in the evening. | ||||
| 37 | 2 | "Lincoln Road" | 2012 | |
|
... | ||||
| 38 | 3 | "Kingseat" | 19 February 2013 | |
|
The SCU investigate a fatality at an intersection that has been the site of many crashes. | ||||
| 39 | 4 | "Kaiaua" | 2012 | |
|
... | ||||
| 40 | 5 | TBA | 2012 | |
|
... | ||||
| 41 | 6 | TBA | 2012 | |
|
... | ||||
| 42 | 7 | TBA | 2012 | |
|
... | ||||
Season 7
edit| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 1 | "Kingseat" | 29 July 2014 | |
|
The SCU investigate a double fatality at an intersection. | ||||
| 44 | 2 | "Port Waikato" | 4 August 2014 | |
|
The SCU investigate a crash where an Australian tourist is killed while on a quad bike tour. | ||||
| 45 | 3 | "Birdwood" | 12 August 2014 | |
|
The SCU investigate a fatal crash after a motorcyclist is killed. | ||||
| 46 | 4 | "Maramarua" | 19 August 2014 | |
|
The SCU investigate a crash where an elderly woman is killed on a highway after colliding with a truck kilometres from home. | ||||
| 47 | 5 | TBA | 2014 | |
|
Two young women are killed and three are seriously injured after a multi-vehicle high speed crash south of Wellsford. | ||||
| 48 | 6 | TBA | 2014 | |
|
... | ||||
| 49 | 7 | TBA | 2014 | |
|
... | ||||
Broadcasting
editThe following list is ordered by the date of the series premiere.
| Country | TV Network(s) | Series Premiere | Weekly Schedule | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 New Zealand |
TV2 | N/A | All episodes aired | |
 Australia |
Channel Seven | 17 March 2008 | Monday 8:00pm | All episodes aired |
Ratings
editAustralia
editIn Australia, SCU: Serious Crash Unit was watched by 1.4 million viewers in its premiere episode, and received similar ratings in its second week.[1] In its premiere week in Australia, SCU: Serious Crash Unit was the third most watched program in the five mainland state capitals.[2]
The second series premiered Monday 8:00pm at 1.2 million viewers,[3] and ratings remained between 1.2 and 1.7 million viewers, following a strong lead in from Border Security: Australia's Front Line.
References
edit- ^ "Stay In Touch", Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 14 December 2006
- ^ Five mainland state capitals include Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
- ^ "The Tribal Mind", The Sun-Herald, retrieved 28 April 2008