RPA‘s life-support system was quietly turned off this week after 17 years on the Nine Network.
The last ever episode aired at 11pm on Wednesday night where it was watched by just 152,000 people.
The factual series, narrated by actor Max Cullen, has been filmed at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown.
RPA has always been something of a quiet achiever for Nine, regularly attracting praise for the way it showcased patients and their stories, sensitively handled by the staff at the Royal Prince Alfred. Many viewers were moved by the stories of life and death choices.
Originally produced by Peter Meakin, it was based on British medical series, Jimmy’s.
In its time it has seen both half hour and one hour episodes plus RPA: Where Are They Now? It also won Logies in 2000 and 2003.
But recently the observational-doco genre has seen a downturn as Reality series increase their foothold.
I was disappointed it went out without any fanfare. Never fear it hasn’t written off RPA: Where Are They Now?!
152,001 – I watched it too but don’t have a ratings box!
I read somewhere a while ago that this was the last series ever. What a pity, I loved RPA, particularly the story of that wonderful Dr Chris O’Brien, who succumed to much the same sort of cancer he treated thousands of others for.
The show ended for me when that lovely brain surgeon died. He was the star of the show when he was working at RPA. A great show for its time
17 years is an amazing achievement and the show deserved better.
Well if nobody read this site no-one would know it was axed there wasnt a special bit at the end just the normal “thats all for this series of RPA”
That last ep was still watched by 3 times as many as have watched Ten’s Breakfast.
I will always remember Safari the then African boy on the show his story was so moving
Just looked it up.It happened to be Kit Kat that said it didnt deserve that treatment.Agreed.
Wow,17 years,thats a great run.But it is a shame it got relegated to such a late time for its finale.As someone said during the week,that it didnt deserve that sort of treatment.I wasnt a regular viewer but i knew people who were.