australian television information archive

Catch and Release

Episode 3.01 (27)
Mon, May 18, 2009 (8.30pm)
1.399 million viewers (3rd)
Written by Adam H Todd
Directed by Ian Barry

The crew of Hammersley is rocked by the mysterious death of a much-loved shipmate. When valuable 'Red Gold' coral is stolen from a dive boat, HMAS Hammersley is drawn into a web of murder, piracy and eco-terrorism. Swain and Spider are kidnapped by an obsessed vigilante, determined to rid Australian waters of illegal fishing boats.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall, Blair McDonough as Matt Robsen, Jessica Napier as Simone Robsen, Robert Coleby as Lang Calwell; Mira Pawel as Belinda Lloyd, Jimmy Christiansen as Lachlan, Mirko Grillini as Emile, Chris Power as Leo, Adam Flower as Frank Lloyd, Colin Smith as Nam, Kuni Hashimoto as Haji, Stephen Irwin as Mr Holliday, Cathy Robinsen as Mrs Holliday, Chaplan Ed Renfrey as Navy Chaplan, Nick Backstrom as Rog Comms Officer, Tomoki Miyamoto as Stunt Crewman, Shaun Kim as Stunt Crewman, Ikefuji Shinji as Haji Stunt Double, Cameron Ambridge as Stunt Activist, Koichi Waki as Stunt Fisherman

Monkey Business

Episode 3.02 (28)
Mon, May 25, 2009
1.385 million viewers (5th)
Written by Felicity Packard
Directed by Steve Mann

A new crewmate and a stowaway cause mayhem on board HMAS Hammersley. Nikki and Charge are taken hostage by foreign pirates, with explosive results. Nikki is close to breaking point, following the death of her fiancé.

Guest Starring: Mickael Wilder as Chandra, Michael Rodrigues as Hazar, Jackson Raine as Anu, Tomoki Miyamoto as Monsoon Stunt Crewman, Rhye Copeman as Monsoon Stunt Crewman, Troy Hunter as Market Local Stuntman, Shaun Kim as Market Local Stuntman, Steve Daddow as Market Local Stuntman, Ifefuji Shinki as Old Man Stuntman, Charlie as Monkey (Creatures on Call)

China Dolls

Episode 3.03 (29)
Mon, June 01, 2009
1.282 million viewers (7th)
Written by Philip Dalkin
Directed by Ian Barry

Spider goes undercover to expose a sex-slave racket operating off the Australian coast. Swain is forced to perform an emergency childbirth at sea when an illegal immigrant goes into early labour. Also, Kate goes beyond the call of duty to unite a refugee baby with her missing family.

Guest Starring: Masa Yamaguchi as Zhang, Nelle Lee as Meili, Hsiao Ling Tang as Yanlin, Hgoc Phan as Chinese Woman, Evert McQueen as Michael Boon, Peter Adams as Jeff Morgan, Mungo McKay as Bullman, Lai Peng Chan as Daiyu, Ling Hsueh Tang as Xiao-Xiao

Guns

Episode 3.04 (30)
Mon, June 08, 2009
1.366 million viewers (6th)
Written by John Ridley
Directed by Steve Mann

The Hammersley rescues a former Navy officer lost at sea, with shocking consequences for the crew. Mike and Spider are taken hostage during a shoot-out with weapons smugglers. Kate fears her past relationship with Mike will become public knowledge.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall, Blair McDonough as Matt Robsen, Jessica Napier as Simone Robsen, Sullivan Stapleton as Geoff Kershaw, Jared Robinson as Shane Davis, Ryan Goding as Gleghorn, Nigel Poulton as Vinson, Steve Harman as Mike Stunt Double, Ben Siemer as Shane Davis Stunt Double

Ghost Net

Episode 3.05 (31)
Mon, June 15, 2009
1.358 million viewers (4th)
Written by Jeff Truman
Directed by Ian Barry

A special bond is formed between an uncommunicative child in desperate circumstances and one of the Hammersley's young guns as Spider tries to free a child slave from an illegal fishing boat, landing himself in hot water. Swain risks his life to save the boy when it is found he is suffering from the bends. Tempers fray when Hammersley rescues an old enemy following a bizarre diving accident. Nikki starts investigating the mystery behind ET's death. But can she handle the truth?

Guest Starring: Blair McDonough as Matt Robsen, Jessica Napier as Simone Robsen, Andrew Buchanan as Campbell Fulton; Jason Chong as Jaya, Joel Lok as Gesang, Peter Montgomery as Eddie Cole, Hayden Dolton as Eddie Cole Double

Oh Danny Boy

Episode 3.06 (32)
Mon, June 22, 2009
1.309 million viewers (6th)
Written by John Ridley
Directed by Steve Mann

Hammersley is tasked with protecting a shipment of nuclear waste from a terrorist attack. When a bomb is discovered on board, Robert and 2 Dads must set aside their differences to save Hammersley. Buffer falls victim to a practical joke and Robert is tricked into going on a drunken date, with disastrous results.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall; Lap Pham as Danielle, Nish as Captain Hu, Rohan Smith as Gunter, Robbie Reitano as Santoso, Grahame Moore as Warrant Officer Ed Gray, Koichi Waki as Stunt Terrorist, Gulliver Page as Stunt Terrorist, Steve Daddow as Stunt Terrorist, Peter Hill as Resort Tourist Stuntman, Renee Bowen as as Resort Tourist Stuntwoman, Nicole Downes as Resort Tourist Stuntwoman, Ulrik Strodel as Robert Stunt Double

Half Life

Episode 3.07 (33)
Mon, June 29, 2009
1.333 million viewers (6th)
Written by John Ridley
Directed by Steve Mann

The crew is exposed to toxic radiation during a daring rescue at an abandoned nuclear test site. Swain's courage is called into question when he opts out of a high-risk rescue operation and Charge uncovers a military conspiracy over nuclear testing and a long-lost B-25 bomber.

Guest Starring: Ron Kelly as [Nelson] Walker, Kurt Duval as Setiawan, Brooke Harman as Jessica [Taylor], Shea Adams as Swain Stunt Double, Nicole Downes as Bomber Stunt Double, Aston Crabtree as Bomber Stunt Double

Red Sky Morning

Episode 3.08 (34)
Mon, July 06, 2009
1.215 million viewers (8th)
Written by Tony Morphett
Directed by Ian Barry

Some light hearted snorkeling near sunken wrecks switches in seconds from tropical nirvana to a nightmare. Kate is terrorised by a mysterious stalker on board an abandoned cargo ship. Spider contracts deadly coral poisoning and Buffer and 2Dads face a freezing fate in a tropical paradise.

Guest Starring: Ian Roberts as Nathan Talbot, Bren Foster as Lieutenant Cliff Bailey, Sam Clark as Dave Corran, John Reynolds as Nathan Talbot Stunt Double

Pearls Before Swine

Episode 3.09 (35)
Mon, July 13, 2009
1.350 million viewers (5th)
Written by Matt Ford
Directed by Ian Barry

Hammersley hunts down a mysterious gang of armed robbers, who are terrorising pearl luggers off the WA coast. 2Dads receives an embarrassing dressing down for neglecting the simplest of duties and cheekily plants a rumour that his two critics are "an item". Spider and Buffer have a trippy encounter with some hard-partying drug smugglers. Mike is forced to intervene over rumours that Kate and Buffer are romantically involved.

Guest Starring: Grant Piro as Fennelly, Luke Pegler as Hammil, Jacki Mison as Tegan, Chris Baz as Prendergast, Peter Marshall as Chappel, Shea Adams as Jetski Stunt Rider, Mark Tearle as Jetski Stunt Rider

Safeguard

Episode 3.10 (36)
Mon, July 20, 2009 (8.30)
1.281 million viewers (6th)
Written by Jeff Truman
Directed by Steve Mann

After being attacked by heavily armed smugglers, Hammersley left is stranded in a deadly minefield with Charge desperately trying to do makeshift repairs. Buffer gets a lesson in tough love when LCDR Cynthia Luxton from the Sea Training Group boards the ship to conduct training exercises as Hammersley stays in base for repairs. The crew are involved in a sailor's worst nightmare — fire at sea, and Charge goes to extreme lengths to earn the respect of his estranged son.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall; Adrienne Pickering as LCDR Cynthia Luxton, Cody Kaye as Jamie Patterson, John O'Brien as Kevin White, Mick Roughan as Red Shirt Stunt Crewman, Nick Lawson as Spider Stunt Double, Josh Elkington as Hostile Stunt Crewman, Rhye Copeman as 2Dads Stunt Double, Cameron Ambridge as Charge Stunt Double/Sailor, Ulrik Strodl as Spider Stunt Double/Sailor

Note: originally aired back-to-back with episode 3.11

Secret Cargo

Episode 3.11 (37)
Mon, July 20, 2009 (9.30)
1.197 million viewers (9th)
Written by Adam H Todd
Directed by Ian Barry

A thrilling rescue becomes a tragic mystery when a healthy young tourist dies suddenly on board Hammersley. Bomber and RO fight for their lives when an armed gang tries to seize control of Hammersley. Nicki receives a death threat while investigating ET's diving accident.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall; Tasma Walton as Jila, Blair McDonough as Matt Robsenn, Jessica Napier as Simone Robsenn, Andrew Buchanan as Campbell Fulton; Ben Clements as Brad, Dirk Hoult as Customs Officer, Todd Levi as Agent Steve Weaver, Neil Fanning as McCan, John Walton as Stayfer, Renee Brown as Jila Stunt Double, Aston Crabtree as Bomber Stunt Double, John O'Halloran as Brad Stunt Double

Black Gold

Episode 3.12 (38)
Mon, July 27, 2009 (8.30)
1.279 million viewers (7th)
Written by Jeff Truman
Directed by Steve Mann

Information from a distraught woman rescued from a drifting raft casts doubt on the circumstances of ET's death. While searching for a missing kayaker, Buffer stumbles across an illegal oil smuggling operation when slips and plummets into an oil storage tank. Charge's weight threatens to sink his navy career.

Guest Starring: Mira Pawel as Belinda Lloyd

Note: originally aired back-to-back with episode 3.13

Red Reef

Episode 3.13 (39)
Mon, July 27, 2009 (9.30)
1.289 million viewers (6th)
Written by John Ridley
Directed by Ian Barry

In an explosive series climax, Mike and his crew takes extreme action to thwart an oil smuggling conspiracy and avenge ET's murder. Nikki risks everything to uncover the truth about ET's final moments. Kate is trapped in a deadly showdown with one of ET's killers.

Guest Starring: Steve Bisley as CMDR Steve Marshall; Blair McDonough as Matt Robsenn, Jessica Napier as Simone Robsenn, Andrew Buchanan as Campbell Fulton; Andrew Bate as Terry (Norforce), Mitch Brennan as Armed Man, Tony Baker as Stunt Tanker Double, Sherrell Starr as Simone Stunt Double, Kyle Gardiner as 2Dads Stunt Double

Notes: Sea Patrol will return for a fourth series (16 episodes) but Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Saskia Burmeister and Jay Ryan will not be back. The average audience for series 3 was 1.311 million viewers, only slightly lower than the 1.376 of series 2.