Back in early May, FOX made the decision to cancel Rescue: HI-Surf after just one season, leaving fans shocked and disappointed. The action-drama had only begun to explore the lives of the dedicated lifeguards who risk everything to protect Oʻahu’s treacherous North Shore. With several character arcs just gaining momentum and new storylines on the verge of unfolding, the show’s early end felt abrupt.
Unfortunately, despite a loyal fan base and strong creative vision, the series struggled to attract the large audience numbers FOX needed to justify a second season, ultimately sealing its fate. And unlike NBC's Found, which is potentially getting a chance at a second life at another network or streaming platform, Rescue: HI-Surf is not currently being shopped around. So, for now, fans must come to terms with the show’s premature end, no matter how much it hurts.
Following the show's cancellation, series creator Matt Kester opened up about the ambitious plans he had for season 2 in an interview with TV Insider. The season 1 finale saw Will turning down Em's assistant position and deciding to head back home to Australia. Although he tells Em in the episode that he'll eventually be back in Hawaii, fans were left wondering if he would have actually come back for a potential second season.
According to Kester, Will would “definitely” have returned for a second installment. He told TV Insider that the hope was that Will would come back and that he and Em could be together. However, it wouldn't have been all rainbows and butterflies.
With Em taking on a job offer for a very rich person and Will being away for a bit, Kester envisioned Em becoming a much different person than how she was before he left. That time apart from Will would have given her space to reflect, which Kester believes would have put her in a "new headspace" regarding her relationship with Will.
Then, there's Kainalu and Hina and their complicated relationship. Both characters know they have feelings for each other, but with Kainalu still with Rosie, that complicates things. Kester told TV Insider that "all the cards are out on the table” regarding Kainalu and Hina. Season 2 would’ve likely explored where that relationship goes next. However, Kester also mentioned that Rosie would've likely still been in the picture in the second season. So, it doesn't look like we would've seen Kainalu and Hina get together right away.
"I think it’s one of those situations where we can play that a little bit longer. I think Rosie [Taylor Cooper] has real feelings for Kainalu, and he has real feelings for her. He’s like, “I enjoy this relationship. This is something that feels good, that feels healthy,” although sometimes the relationship that feels the best to us is not the best thing for us. I think that she’ll stick around for a little bit longer because she likes him and wants it to work, and Kainalu has found somebody in Rosie that he feels like, “Oh, she accepts me for exactly who I am and I don’t have to try and be someone else.”
Then, there's the whole Sonny and Vince situation. Sonny had to reach out to a shady figure from his past to help get rid of Vince in the first season, and according to Kester, that person isn't the kind of person you want to be indebted to. He told TV Insider that the debt would have likely come back to haunt Sonny in season 2.
"I think there’ll definitely have to be some kind of, not comeuppance for him, but that’s going to come back. He called in a favor to somebody that you don’t want to owe something to. And so that’ll be something that in Season 2 likely comes back to bite him in some way."
Kester also shared with the news outlet that he had plans to introduce new characters in season 2, individuals unfamiliar to the original characters. This would have been exciting because it would have shaken up the existing dynamics and possibly brought in fresh conflict and drama. It would have also allowed for new storylines to emerge. But unfortunately, we'll never get to see how these ideas would have unfolded, as the show’s cancellation brought these creative plans to an abrupt end.
You can stream the complete first season of Rescue HI-Surf on Hulu.