All Saints to the rescue

All Saints returns February 4 on Seven.

A new Medical Response Unit is to join the All Saints Western General Hospital in the form of a helicopter, four-wheel drives and a gung-ho paramedic team.

The show returns next week, along with a new cast member Mirrah Foulkes as Paramedic Jo Mathieson. She takes Dr Mike Vlasek (John Waters) via helicopter to a boating accident on a remote river location where the lives of four people, including a character played by guest star Peter O'Brien, are hanging in the balance. It's a gory, high-energy trauma scene and indicative of where the show is looking to head this year.

Now in its eleventh year, the soapie is still going strong (thanks in no small part to its strong lead-in from Packed to the Rafters). But without resting on their laurels, producers are re-jigging the show by adding a medical rescue element. In fact, when the show first started, its Ward 17 was considered the "garbage ward" with overflowing patients. A shift to the Emergency Ward in 2004 revitalised the show under Dr Frank Campion (John Howard). Now, while keeping the Emergency Ward, it's widening its medical brief once more.

The adrenalin of the season return's rescue will so captivate Dr Mike that he decides to open up a permanent Medical Response Unit for the Western General. That means a whole lot more location and high-stakes story lines. Ironically, Nine is also developing a drama currently titled Rescue Squad, which sees "competitive alpha male brothers" working within a Special Operations Rescue Unit.

Meanwhile, TEN's Rush will return with a full 22-episode season mid-year too. By that stage the only ones who will still need rescuing are viewers, possibly confused as to which chopper is on which network!

All Saints returns 9:30pm Tuesday February 4th on Seven.