The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. It was initially a 1985 mini-series based in the fictional outback town of Cooper's Crossing starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. Tom Callaghan. The success of the mini series led to its return the following year as an on-going series with McFarlane being joined by a new doctor, Chris Randall, played by Liz Burch. McFarlane left during the first season and actor Robert Grubb came in as new doctor Geoff Standish. The series' episodes were mostly self-contained but also featured ongoing storylines, such as Dr. Standish's romance with Sister Kate Wellings. Other major characters included pilot Sam Patterson, mechanic Emma Plimpton, local policeman Sgt. Jack Carruthers and Vic and Nancy Buckley, who ran the local pub/hotel, The Majestic. Andrew McFarlane also later returned to the series, resuming his role as Dr. Callaghan. The popular series ran for nine seasons and was successfully screened internationally.
Episodes
Runtime: 50m
Rowie is riddled with guilt when Walter Morell claims to have seen a nymph in the outback. Twenty years ago, Rowie abandoned her friend Beryl in the outback and she believes the sighting of the nymph is more than just a coincidence.
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Life with baby Scarlett leads to marital discord for Geoff and Kate. Then when Kate's sister Penny becomes infatuated with Geoff, things are only set to get worse. Meanwhile the whole town is convinced that a satellite is about to hit town.
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The love of Clare's life appears in the Crossing and causes her some consternation. meanwhile Steve finds running his own business is not as easy as he thought.
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When a lethal bacteria is found in the operating theatre, there is an outbreak of hysteria in the Crossing. Although Guy attempts to suppress local concerns he ends up exacerbating the situation. Meanwhile Rowie makes some life changing decisions about her relationship with Johnno.
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After a storm prevents Guy and Jackie from returning to the Crossing after a clinic round,they are forced to stay over night in an isolated shed. Not too surprisingly, when they get back in to town the next day everyone is talking about their night together.
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There is a highly specialised, successful Doctor in town but Jackie has to deal with a troubled conscience after finding out that he is addicted to heroin.
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Geoff believes a man is suffering from mental illness when he jumps out in front of him, nude. However the man is evidently highly educated and astounds the locals with his understanding of flying, mechanics and medicine. At first they believe he must be some sort of alien but things become even more mysterious when the military arrives in the Crossing in search of him.
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As Kate and Geoff prepare for Scarlett's christening, they reflect on their lives together and the friends they have known.
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Old familiar faces return to the Crossing when a party is held after Harry Cooper's diary is found. Things don't run quite as smoothly as planned though when George Baxter, who believes he owns a dairy as a consequence of what was written in the diary, crashes in to the bus carrying Chris. Tom makes it back from Africa and Emma arrives, with out Sam, but with two children in tow. When Geoff discovers that Baxter is not entitled to the diary, he decides to return ownership to the town. DJ returns from Greece and flirts with Penny, much to Steve's annoyance. It is announced that Chris will go back with Tom to Africa.
Runtime: 50m
A young Koori boy has a difficult time when his grandfather is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Guy becomes involved but soon discovers that he is perhaps too emotionally attached to the situation and has trouble thinking rationally.
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Emotions run high in the Crossing when they believe they have a bigamist in their midst. When a travelling salesman has an accident and is admitted to hospital, his terrible secret is exposed when two wives turn up at visiting time. Is he the bigamist he appears to be?
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A man threatens to kill his wife and child out of desperation when he can no longer go on with the guilt of his financial debt. Meanwhile an attractive, wealthy man, Andrew Abott, seduces Rowie.
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Guy is mystified by the symptoms of a young patient and has problems identifying a diagnosis. Meanwhile there is cricket fever in the Crossing as everyone awaits the contest they've all been waiting for to take place.
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Geoff decides to expand his career options and break out into the world of cuisine. Meanwhile, everyone in the Crossing is nervous when convicted killer Matt Samuels is let out of prison after serving his time. When Kate is determined to drive him back home without anyone else, people become apprehensive about her safety.
Runtime: 50m
When Johnno learns that his father has died, he returns to Melbourne to collect his belongings. However he finds out more than he bargained for when he meets one of his father's old friends and hears the tales his father has been making up about him. He regrets that he never spent time with his father when he had the chance. Back in the Crossing, Guy and Steve attempt to do Johnno a favour by re-decorating his house but things don't go quite as planned and they end up burning it down. Penny has a difficult emergency and her own life is put at risk.
Runtime: 50m
Rowie is involved in a bizarre emergency. When she goes there across country by horse, she discovers that all is not what it seems and calls the base for assistance.
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The stress and pressure of arranging a high society wedding causes the bride to be, Emily, to collapse with exhaustion and be hospitalised. After being told that she needs absolute rest she has second thoughts about going through with the marriage and cancels it: her parents are devastated. Meanwhile, the lorry carrying the champagne supplies for the reception is involved in an accident on its way back from Broken Hill. One by one, the residents of the Crossing find themselves out at the scene of the incident and find themselves drinking their way through the goods. Also Guy has a rival in his affections for Jackie. In the end, it's all systems go back at the Crossing when the couple decide to go through with the wedding. However, by the time a celebration has been re-organised, it emerges the young couple have already eloped.
Runtime: 50m
Luke will do anything to impress his father Barry, however he takes things a little too far when a group of Japanese end up staying in the Crossing when their bus breaks down. Johnno ends up staying with Luke and Barry when the pub becomes too full and he is witness to the racist comments made by both Barry and Luke about the visitors. Later, when one of the Japanese tourists is stabbed, all evidence points to Luke. Meanwhile, one of the tourists is Toshi who has visited the Crossing before. Guy makes it clear that he and Jackie are together and this time he takes a shine to Penny.
Runtime: 50m
When a female journalist joins Kate and Johnno on a clinic run it results in a bit of a fracas. There is a plane crash; fantastic news for the journalist but not for the young man who Kate has to do an emrgency operation on.
Runtime: 50m
There is a major problem at the hospital when the aged washing machines break down and it emerges there is insufficient funds to buy replacement ones. When the staff goes on strike, it is up to Penny and an infamous union man to get new machines and get everyone back to work. Meanwhile Steve finds himself attracted to the Crossing's new teacher, Jane McLaughlin, and they waste no time in getting intimately acquainted.
Runtime: 50m
Rowie finds the going tough when she has to decide between taking care of her ill father or living in Coopers Crossing. Things become increasingly stressful for her when she is forced to give treatment instructions over the radio to an injured navy recruit. Meanwhile, tensions between her and Guy continue to rise.
Runtime: 50m
Guy finds himself faced with a difficult moral dilemma. Steve continues to be infatuated by the local school teacher, Jane, and he is determined to make their relationship more serious. However, when she goes to see Guy it emerges she has a fatal illness. Guy is desperate to maintain his Hippocratic Oath but he doesn't want his friend Steve to be hurt.
Runtime: 50m
When Geoff has to make the exceptionally difficult choice between attending the birth of a premature baby and treating the victim of a snake bite, Jackie objects to his decision. However later on, she too is faced with the challenge of making a choice between life and death and begins to appreciate how it feels. Kate finds herself embroiled in local politics and faces an unexpected adversary.
Runtime: 50m
Rowie and Guy find themselves at loggerheads when they disagree over the diagnosis of a patient. Matt Sheridan, a notoriously hard working farmer, seeks medical help for excessive tiredness. Rowie believes it must be a symptom of an underlying physical illness but Guy is adamant Matt is suffering from stress. The animosity they show towards each other makes their colleagues at the RFDS feel very uncomfortable.
Runtime: 50m
There's a new man in town. He quickly ingratiates himself with the locals however Jackie remains apprehensive about him.
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Claire continues to receive attention from a secret admirer. However, she decides that it might not be such a bad thing and decides that she'd like to meet him.
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The town hosts a local boxing match. Things take an ominous turn though when Steve knocks out his opponent. When his opponant dies, he is held partially responsible for the death.
Runtime: 50m
Hard times have hit the Crossing but Vic has an ingenious idea to draw in more custom: introduce bikini wearing parking inspectors. Meanwhile, he thinks he sees Penny and Guy.
Runtime: 50m
In a reflective mood when it's his daughter Scarlett's birthday, Geoff makes her a video about the people of Coopers Crossing. He hopes to pass on the 'life lessons' his father taught him, but he reveals some dark secrets too.
