SCU: Serious Crash Unit
SCU: Serious Crash Unit is a New Zealand documentary series, which airs on TV2 in New Zealand. SCU did not return in 2016 and the show was cancelled. 7 Seasons in total were produced.
| 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 |
| Distributor | TVNZ |
| Release | |
| Original network | TV2, TV One (current) |
| Picture format | 576i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 2 April 2004 – 26 May 2015 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Crash Investigation Unit |
| External links | |
| Production website | |
Overview
SCU: Serious Crash Unit follows a New Zealand Police based Auckland Serious Crash Unit as they investigate crashes, and then join up the evidence found at the crash scene to find out what really happened, and what caused the accident. The series also talks to family members whose loved ones where involved in the crash.
Even though the media commonly refers to road crashes like these as accidents, the police do not use the word 'accident' as it suggests that it was no one's fault. The truth is that every crash has a cause or causes that are usually related to human factors. To quote the former head of the Waitemata SCU (the unit featured in the series): "There is no such thing as an accident".
Episodes
Season 1
| 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, but who was to blame? | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Okura/Stanway" | 2003 | |
| The SCU investigation into a crashed four-wheel-drive reveals disturbing facts about the vehicle and the road. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "Simpson Rd/Southern Motorway" | 2003 | |
| The morning drive to work for two West Auckland factory workers ends in tragedy on Simpson Road in Ranui. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Windy/Wellsford" | 2003 | |
| When a young father loses control of his vehicle on his way to visit his children, the SCU suspect his brakes may have been at fault. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Whangaparaoa/joe Dee" | 2003 | |
| The SCU are called to two separate and horrifying crashes - both on Whangaparaoa Road. Were both fatal? | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Bush/Dome" | 2003 | |
| When a young motorcyclist is killed in a collision with a truck, it is a complex job to analyse the many factors that could prove the truck driver is innocent or guilty. | ||||
| 7 | 7 | "Upper Harbour/titrangi" | 2003 | |
| When a bus veers out of control in Titirangi with fatal results, the SCU uncovers the shocking facts behind the crash. | ||||
Season 2
| 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 one of their toughest cases yet, a fatal crash that has killed three people - two of them children. The team needs to find out why the car left the road and hit a pole Was it a problem with the road, the car, the driver, or a combination of all three? | ||||
| 10 | 3 | "Lincoln/Newtown Road" | 2005 | |
| The police investigate why a car has ploughed through an intersection hitting another vehicle and critically injuring the driver, who is now fighting for her life. Was there a problem with the car itself? Will forensic evidence be the key to solving the case? | ||||
| 11 | 4 | "Kahikatea" | 2005 | |
| The police investigate the death of a young man whose car has come off the road as he's heading home to a family emergency. The crash happened on an easy bend but by piecing together the forensic evidence the police discover the tragic reason behind his death. | ||||
| 12 | 5 | "Oriel/Coatsville" | 2005 | |
| The police investigate a crash where a car has left the road and hit a tree. The driver had just left a party, was drinking involved? Or perhaps the car parts discovered in the back of his vehicle will reveal the truth. | ||||
| 13 | 6 | TBA | 2005 | |
| ... | ||||
Season 3
| 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
| 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
| 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. How could this tragic accident happen on a road he's driven practically every day for over forty years? | ||||
| 30 | 2 | "Wellsford" | 13 June 2011 | |
| many lives are shattered when two young women are killed and three women are seriously injured after a horrific multi vehicle high speed crash south of Wellsford. | ||||
| 31 | 3 | "Pinewoods" | 20 June 2011 | |
| the SCU investigate a serious crash where a rising touch 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. How did the driver manage to walk away from the incident practically unscathed and did alcohol and drugs have a hand to play in this shocking crash? | ||||
| 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 a notorious 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. Questions are raised over cause of the crash: was she on the phone? Or were poor diet and lack of sleep factors in this crash? | ||||
| 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
| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | "Papakura" | 22 January 2013 | |
| The investigation into a single vehicle crash at a major intersection takes on many twists and turns after the SCU investigate reports of road rage earlier in the evening. | ||||
| 37 | 2 | "Lincoln Road" | 2012 | |
| ... | ||||
| 38 | 3 | "Kingseat" | 19 February 2013 | |
| Join the SCU as they investigate a fatality at a notorious intersection that has already claimed many lives | ||||
| 39 | 4 | "kaiaua" | 2012 | |
| ... | ||||
| 40 | 5 | TBA | 2012 | |
| ... | ||||
| 41 | 6 | TBA | 2012 | |
| ... | ||||
| 42 | 7 | TBA | 2012 | |
| ... | ||||
Season 7
| Number in series |
Number in season |
Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 1 | "Kingseat" | 29 July 2014 | |
| the SCU investigate a double fatality at a notorious intersection that has already claimed many lives. | ||||
| 44 | 2 | "Port Waikato" | 4 August 2014 | |
| the SCU investigate a tragic 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 driving a very familiar road. | ||||
| 46 | 4 | "Maramarua" | 19 August 2014 | |
| the SCU investigate a tragic crash where an elderly woman is killed on a notorious highway, after colliding with a truck, just kilometres from home. | ||||
| 47 | 5 | TBA | 2014 | |
| Lives are shattered when two young women are killed, and three women are seriously injured after a horrific multi vehicle high speed crash south of Wellsford. | ||||
| 48 | 6 | TBA | 2014 | |
| ... | ||||
| 49 | 7 | TBA | 2014 | |
| ... | ||||
Broadcasting
The 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 | |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia | Channel Seven | 17 March 2008 | Monday 8:00pm | All episodes aired |
Ratings
Australia
In 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 have remained between 1.2 and 1.7 million viewers, following a strong lead in from Border Security: Australia's Front Line.
References
- "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
External links
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