The Flying Doctors 1986
★ 6.6/10 · 17 votes Drama 9 seasons · 221 eps Ended
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Quick answer
What is The Flying Doctors?
The Flying Doctors is an Australian medical drama series that aired from 1986 to 1992, produced by Crawford Productions. The show focused on the lifesaving work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, depicting the challenges faced by medical professionals serving remote outback communities.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1986
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 221
- Runtime
- 50 minutes
- First aired
- May 15, 1986
- Last aired
- Oct 6, 1992
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- AU
- Networks
- Nine Network
- Genres
- Drama
- Updated
Availability by region
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The Flying Doctors is an Australian medical drama series that aired from 1986 to 1992, produced by Crawford Productions. The show focused on the lifesaving work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, depicting the challenges faced by medical professionals serving remote outback communities. It originated as a 1985 mini-series set in the fictional town of Cooper's Crossing, featuring Andrew McFarlane as Dr. Tom Callaghan. Due to the mini-series' success, it returned the following year as an ongoing television series. McFarlane departed during the first season and was replaced by Robert Grubb. Liz Burch also joined the cast as Dr. Chris Randall. The program highlighted the critical role of the Flying Doctor Service in delivering medical care across vast and isolated regions of Australia. The series was broadcast on the Nine Network and ran for multiple seasons, showcasing the dramatic and often perilous situations encountered by its characters. It starred actors including Lenore Smith, Maurie Fields, and Val Jellay.
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Should you watch it?
“A medical drama following heroic doctors in the Australian outback.”
Reasons to watch
- authentic portrayal of rural medicine
- strong ensemble cast
- based on a real-life service
Keep in mind
- occasional melodrama
- some dated production elements
you enjoy medical dramas with scenic Australian backdrops.
Suitable for general audiences, with mild medical scenarios.
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Cast
Maurie Fields
Vic Buckley
☻
Lenore Smith
Kate Standish
Robert Grubb
Dr. Geoff Standish
Val Jellay
Nancy Buckley
Liz Burch
Dr. Chris Randall
Rebecca Gibney
Emma Patterson
George Kapiniaris
D.J.
Terry Gill
Sgt. Carruthers ☻
Beverley Dunn
Clare Bryant
Andrew McFarlane
Dr. Tom Callaghan
Peter O'Brien
Sam Patterson
Christopher Stollery
Johnno Johnson
Comprehensive Directory
Episode guide
🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD
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Season 1 · 26 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Will to Survive Mytharc May 15, 1986
- E2 Trial By Gossip Core May 22, 1986
- E3 Hot Enough For You Core May 29, 1986
- E4 Dreams of Sand Core Jun 5, 1986
- E5 Public Property Core Jun 12, 1986
- E6 Is Nothing Sacred Core Jun 19, 1986
- E7 Square Pegs Mytharc Jun 26, 1986
- E8 Sins of the Fathers Core Jul 7, 1986
- E9 Rally to the Cause Core Jul 14, 1986
- E10 Talk of the Town Core Jul 21, 1986
- E11 Do You Read Me Core Jul 28, 1986
- E12 E.T. - New Girl in Town Mytharc Aug 4, 1986
- E13 A Choice of Enemies Core Aug 11, 1986
- E14 Departures Core Aug 18, 1986
- E15 A Lost Generation Core Aug 25, 1986
- E16 Someone Special Core Sep 1, 1986
- E17 Return of the Hero Mytharc Sep 8, 1986
- E18 Eye of the Beholder Core Sep 15, 1986
- E19 Million-acre Prison Core Sep 22, 1986
- E20 Like a Death in the Family Mytharc Sep 29, 1986
- E21 Fearless Frank Core Oct 6, 1986
- E22 Forgiveness Core Oct 13, 1986
- E23 Acceptance Core Oct 20, 1986
- E24 The Show Goes On Core Oct 27, 1986
- E25 To The Rescue (1) Mytharc Nov 3, 1986
- E26 Into The Future (2) Mytharc Nov 10, 1986
Season 2 · 24 episodes
Open the complete Season 2 guide & lore primer →- E1 Good Day For It Mytharc Jul 7, 1987
- E2 Horses For Courses Core Jul 14, 1987
- E3 The Unluckiest Boy in Town Core Jul 21, 1987
- E4 It Isn't Cricket Core Jul 28, 1987
- E5 An Only Child Core Aug 4, 1987
- E6 A Love Story Core Aug 11, 1987
- E7 Keeping Up Appearances Core Aug 18, 1987
- E8 All Things Bright and Beautiful Core Aug 25, 1987
- E9 My Name is Sky Mytharc Sep 1, 1987
- E10 Bachelors & Spinsters Core Sep 8, 1987
- E11 Fifty-two Hours Straight Core Sep 15, 1987
- E12 A Friend of a Friend Core Sep 22, 1987
- E13 Friends and Lovers Core Sep 29, 1987
- E14 Realms of Gold Core Oct 6, 1987
- E15 The Hometown Hero Core Oct 13, 1987
- E16 A Distant Echo Core Oct 20, 1987
- E17 No Laughing Matter Mytharc Oct 27, 1987
- E18 No Quarter Asked Core Nov 3, 1987
- E19 Myths & Legends Mytharc Nov 10, 1987
- E20 The Hitch-hiker Core Nov 17, 1987
- E21 Give a Dog a Bad Name Core Nov 24, 1987
- E22 Everyday a Gift Core Feb 11, 1988
- E23 Bearing Gifts Mytharc Feb 18, 1988
- E24 Repeat Performance Mytharc Feb 25, 1988
Season 3 · 26 episodes
Open the complete Season 3 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Noble Art Mytharc Mar 3, 1988
- E2 Sapphire Core Mar 10, 1988
- E3 Cries From The Heart Core Mar 17, 1988
- E4 All In A Day's Work Core Mar 24, 1988
- E5 Out Of A Clear Blue Sky Core Mar 31, 1988
- E6 Affirmative Action Core Apr 7, 1988
- E7 Figures In A Landscape Core Apr 14, 1988
- E8 The Devil You Know Core Apr 21, 1988
- E9 Operating Solo Core Apr 28, 1988
- E10 The Path Of True Love Filler May 5, 1988
- E11 The Kid Core May 19, 1988
- E12 The First Step Core May 26, 1988
- E13 Hopscotch Core Jun 2, 1988
- E14 Jacks High Core Jun 9, 1988
- E15 Clapped Out Core Jun 16, 1988
- E16 Private Lives, Public Faces Core Jun 23, 1988
- E17 Wedlock Core Jun 30, 1988
- E18 The Wrangler's Daughter Core Jul 7, 1988
- E19 Borrowed Time Core Jul 14, 1988
- E20 The Forbidden Core Jul 21, 1988
- E21 She'll Be Right Core Jul 28, 1988
- E22 One Final Request Core Aug 4, 1988
- E23 Roxanne Core Aug 11, 1988
- E24 Don't Tell Anybody Core Aug 18, 1988
- E25 No Way Back Mytharc Aug 25, 1988
- E26 Johnnie Come Home Mytharc Sep 1, 1988
Season 4 · 24 episodes
Open the complete Season 4 guide & lore primer →- E1 Look, Up In The Sky Mytharc Sep 8, 1988
- E2 Preacher Man Core Sep 15, 1988
- E3 The Fear (Part 1) Mytharc Sep 22, 1988
- E4 The Fear (Part 2) Mytharc Sep 29, 1988
- E5 Fair Go Core Oct 6, 1988
- E6 Broken Airwaves Core Oct 13, 1988
- E7 Bed And Board Core Oct 20, 1988
- E8 Breaking The Drought Core Nov 3, 1988
- E9 Family Secrets (Part 1) Mytharc Nov 10, 1988
- E10 Family Secrets (Part 2) Mytharc Nov 17, 1988
- E11 All You Need Is Luck Core Feb 9, 1989
- E12 The Silly Season Core Feb 16, 1989
- E13 Every Situation Core Feb 23, 1989
- E14 The Storyteller Core Mar 2, 1989
- E15 The Choice Core Mar 9, 1989
- E16 A Shade Of Doubt Core Mar 16, 1989
- E17 Mick & Julia Core Mar 23, 1989
- E18 The Deal Core Mar 30, 1989
- E19 A Thing Of Beauty Core Apr 6, 1989
- E20 Cadenza Core Apr 13, 1989
- E21 Mates Core Apr 20, 1989
- E22 The Child Core Apr 27, 1989
- E23 Next To Go Mytharc May 4, 1989
- E24 Gotta Have Friends Mytharc May 11, 1989
Season 5 · 26 episodes
Open the complete Season 5 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Gift Mytharc Aug 31, 1989
- E2 Second Chance Core Sep 7, 1989
- E3 Not The Malarvys Core Sep 14, 1989
- E4 The Adventure Core Sep 21, 1989
- E5 No Man's Land Core Sep 28, 1989
- E6 Rising Sundown Core Oct 5, 1989
- E7 Man And Boy Core Oct 12, 1989
- E8 The Longing Core Oct 19, 1989
- E9 Bitter Harvest Mytharc Oct 26, 1989
- E10 The Instrument Core Nov 2, 1989
- E11 Word & Deed Core Nov 9, 1989
- E12 All That Glitters Core Nov 16, 1989
- E13 Fly Past Core Nov 23, 1989
- E14 The Last Rodeo Core Nov 30, 1989
- E15 Sky Above, Earth Below Core Dec 7, 1989
- E16 Lucky Lady Core Dec 14, 1989
- E17 The Chips Are Down Core Dec 21, 1989
- E18 Guardian Angel Core Dec 28, 1989
- E19 Battlers Core Jan 4, 1990
- E20 No Tears Core Jan 11, 1990
- E21 A Doctor's Dreaming Core Jan 18, 1990
- E22 Blues For Judy Core Jan 25, 1990
- E23 The Claim Core Feb 1, 1990
- E24 A Rhyme For Reason Core Feb 8, 1990
- E25 Dad's Little Bloke Mytharc Feb 15, 1990
- E26 A Sporting Life Mytharc Feb 22, 1990
Season 6 · 20 episodes
Open the complete Season 6 guide & lore primer →- E1 A Good Drop Of Red Mytharc Mar 1, 1990
- E2 The Hero Core Mar 8, 1990
- E3 Suspicion Core Mar 15, 1990
- E4 Daddy's Girl Mytharc Mar 22, 1990
- E5 Two Sisters Running Mytharc Mar 29, 1990
- E6 Dangerous Games Core Apr 5, 1990
- E7 Milk Run Core Apr 12, 1990
- E8 Point Of No Return Core Apr 19, 1990
- E9 Small Mercies Core Apr 26, 1990
- E10 A Painful Extraction Core May 3, 1990
- E11 The Climber Core May 10, 1990
- E12 Dead Reckoning Mytharc May 17, 1990
- E13 A Bride to Be Core May 24, 1990
- E14 A Place For The Night Core May 31, 1990
- E15 End Of The Rainbow Core Jun 7, 1990
- E16 Double Vision Core Jun 14, 1990
- E17 The Boy In The Boot Core Jun 21, 1990
- E18 Windows Of The Soul Core Jun 28, 1990
- E19 Rest In Peace Mytharc Jul 5, 1990
- E20 Life Line Mytharc Jul 12, 1990
Season 7 · 20 episodes
Open the complete Season 7 guide & lore primer →- E1 Fly Like A Bird Mytharc Jul 18, 1990
- E2 A Day To Remember Core Jul 25, 1990
- E3 A Place To Call Home Core Aug 1, 1990
- E4 Divided Loyalties Mytharc Aug 8, 1990
- E5 A Rural Education Core Aug 15, 1990
- E6 The Ties That Bind Core Aug 22, 1990
- E7 Brother’s Keeper Core Aug 29, 1990
- E8 Wilderness Core Sep 5, 1990
- E9 Valentine’s Day Mytharc Sep 12, 1990
- E10 A Little Tenderness Core Sep 19, 1990
- E11 Poet’s Corner Core Sep 26, 1990
- E12 Family Farm Core Oct 3, 1990
- E13 A Place Where You Belong Core Oct 10, 1990
- E14 Break Away Core Oct 17, 1990
- E15 Billie and Pete Core Oct 24, 1990
- E16 Old Man Weed Core Oct 31, 1990
- E17 David and Goliath Core Nov 7, 1990
- E18 Last Carnival Core Nov 21, 1990
- E19 Innocence Lost Mytharc Nov 28, 1990
- E20 Bush Christmas Mytharc Dec 5, 1990
Season 8 · 26 episodes
Open the complete Season 8 guide & lore primer →- E1 What A Guy Mytharc Jan 24, 1991
- E2 Bad Moon Rising Core Jan 31, 1991
- E3 A New Life Core Feb 7, 1991
- E4 Through Thick And Thin Filler Feb 14, 1991
- E5 Deceptions Core Feb 21, 1991
- E6 None So Blind Core Feb 28, 1991
- E7 Sleep Of Reason Core Mar 7, 1991
- E8 My Mother’s Child Core Mar 14, 1991
- E9 Swinging On The Rope Core Mar 21, 1991
- E10 Father and Son Core Apr 4, 1991
- E11 A Little Miracle Core Apr 11, 1991
- E12 Murphy’s Law Core Apr 18, 1991
- E13 Breaking down the wall Mytharc Apr 25, 1991
- E14 Once Bitten Core May 2, 1991
- E15 Clipped Wings Core May 9, 1991
- E16 Walk Don’t Run Core May 16, 1991
- E17 Masquerade Core May 23, 1991
- E18 Against The Current Core May 30, 1991
- E19 Last Of The Cochranes Core Jun 6, 1991
- E20 Double Life Core Jun 13, 1991
- E21 Something, Nothing Core Jun 20, 1991
- E22 Family Core Jun 27, 1991
- E23 Being Positive Core Jul 4, 1991
- E24 Open Day Core Jul 11, 1991
- E25 Changing Times Mytharc Jul 18, 1991
- E26 Freedom Mytharc Jul 25, 1991
Season 9 · 29 episodes
Open the complete Season 9 guide & lore primer →- E1 Nymphs and Nightmares Mytharc Aug 8, 1991
- E2 Out Of The Blue Core Aug 15, 1991
- E3 The Last Dance Core Aug 22, 1991
- E4 Unfinished Business Core Aug 29, 1991
- E5 Jacqueline Core Sep 5, 1991
- E6 Monkey Core Sep 12, 1991
- E7 The Stranger Core Sep 19, 1991
- E8 The Christening Core Sep 19, 1991
- E9 The Good Book Core Sep 26, 1991
- E10 My Little Patch Core Oct 3, 1991
- E11 Two Splatt Shuffle Core Oct 10, 1991
- E12 Secrets Core Oct 17, 1991
- E13 The Games We Play Core Oct 24, 1991
- E14 Bone China Core Oct 31, 1991
- E15 Johnno Be Good Core Nov 7, 1991
- E16 Lost Rainbows Core Nov 14, 1991
- E17 Broken Promises Core Nov 21, 1991
- E18 Visitors Welcome Core Nov 28, 1991
- E19 Yesterday’s News Core Dec 5, 1991
- E20 Dirty Linen Core Dec 19, 1991
- E21 Chasing Rainbows Core Dec 26, 1991
- E22 Uncle Cyrano Core Jan 2, 1992
- E23 Luck Of The Draw Core Aug 25, 1992
- E24 Trouble with M.E. Core Sep 1, 1992
- E25 The Accomplice Core Sep 8, 1992
- E26 Blind Obsession Core Sep 15, 1992
- E27 Wimp Mytharc Sep 22, 1992
- E28 Visionaries Mytharc Sep 29, 1992
- E29 Life Lessons Mytharc Oct 6, 1992
Verified insights
Frequently asked questions
Is The Flying Doctors based on a true story?
Yes, it is based on the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.
When did the series first air?
The ongoing series began in 1986 after a 1985 mini-series.
Who were some of the main cast members?
Main cast included Robert Grubb, Lenore Smith, and Nikki Coghill.
How many seasons are there?
The show ran for multiple seasons with over 200 episodes.
Where was the show set?
It was set in the fictional outback town of Cooper's Crossing.
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