Breaking News
EXCLUSIVE: Retro TV Drops 181 New Episodes of ‘The Doctors’ from 1980, Reveals Final Two Years No Longer In Existence
What has been a work-in-progress to deliver more episodes from the archives of the beloved NBC soap opera, The Doctors, has become a reality! Retro TV has brought back to life the remaining episodes, and they are now available to binge watch starting today, July 11th on-demand via the It’s Real Good TV app.
The new episodes are from 1980, and begin on January 1st of that year all the way through September 30th; comprising 181 episodes. In addition, these new episodes will air on Saturdays beginning July 29th from 2-4PM ET/PT for those who want to watch via Retro TV.
Some of the greatest names in ‘Doctors’ history can be seen in the 1980 episodes including: Kim Zimmer as Nola Dancy Aldrich, Alec Baldwin as Billy Aldrich, David Canary as cult leader ‘Far Wind’, Jada Rowland as Carolee Aldrich, David O’Brien as Dr. Steve Aldrich, Jennifer Houlton as Greta Powers, and of course, James Pritchett as Dr. Matt Powers.

Photo: RetroTV
While there is good news to report, there is also some bad news. After acquiring the footage from Colgate’s warehouses, and through a complex digitization process to salvage the episodes, the Retro TV executives and production team discovered that although they had been told the tapes they were receiving were dated up through 1982 and The Doctors final season, it turned out Colgate no longer was in possession of those tapes.
After exhaustive research and discussions with the Colgate team, it could only be determined that those tapes were reused by NBC back in the day and thus, the beloved final two years of The Doctors no longer exist.

Photo: Retro TV
Joel Wertman, President of Retro TV, shared: “At that time the tapes were considered more valuable than the content on them and it truly is a shame. I’m very proud that our small team at Retro TV has been able to digitize and preserve the episodes on the remaining tapes. The Doctors is a quintessential series to the history of soap operas, and we knew bringing the digitization process in-house was going to be challenging, but also very important.”
To look at the behind the scenes of how Retro TV’s digitization process (to save the 181 episodes of The Doctors) came to fruition, check it out in the video at the bottom of this post, entitled “From Tape to Screen’. Taking you on the journey are: Joel Wertman, Carol Waffel (Caption Specialist, Retro TV), Stacy Newman (Vice-President of Development, Retro TV) and Brad Cotter (Digital Media Manager, Retro TV).

Photo: Retro TV
Set in the fictional New England city of Madison and Hope Memorial hospital, The Doctors ran on NBC from 1963 to 1982, earning 187 Daytime Emmy Award nominations along the way. Notable cast members included: Elizabeth Hubbard, Anna Stuart, Gerald Gordon, Ellen Burstyn and Kathleen Turner and many others. Retro TV has been running episodes beginning from 1967 and now through 1980.
To find Retro TV in your area go here Fans can also keep up with all things Hope Memorial on The Doctors official Facebook and Instagram accounts, plus on Twitter here.
Be on the lookout for tune-in information for a special livestream on The Michael Fairman Channel featuring some of the 1980 cast members in the coming days.
So, excited to see the 1980 episodes of The Doctors? Sad to hear, try as they might, the final two years of The Doctors are gone? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
I know many have been waiting for the next round of episodes, so congratulations to RetroTV for getting 181 new episodes out. As for the final two years, that is a damn shame. Though, Colleen Zenk did warn us this also happened for <i>As the World Turns</i>. So sad. Shame.
Glad to finally get an answer and to see more episodes. I knew NBC owned it in Oct 1980 and was wondering if that was the problem. I Hope some of the pre- Dec 1967 tapes still exist and we can get them. Hopefully some private citizens have those episodes on Tape and maybe they can make a deal
Will it be possible to get the rest in a written summary so we can find out the end of the story? And will you be putting another soap opera on like Another World?
Those last two years include a brief (six months or so) period with Harding Lemay as head writer; I was looking forward to seeing those episodes and am really sorry to hear they don’t exist, after all.
But what a gift it has been, as a whole, to have so much of the run preserved. I’m so grateful to the team that undertook to digitize and restore the remaining episodes so we could see them!
And so far it’s all free. A bit annoying to navigate but so what. I paid for Watch The Doctors app until it ended. Then this app took over and didn’t work as well for the pay part but now it’s free and hopefully stays that way. I do have Retro Tv with Spectrum so i tape every day but now i can see episodes i missed too.
I am going so slowly through these episodes- I am still in 1967! I love them so much- the quality of writing and acting is amazing! Will we ever get Another World in this format? Hate that we won’t get the final two years, though
I’m not buying that the last two years of the Doctors have been erased. By 1980 nothing was being erased anymore. I believe either NBC doesn’t want to sell them or their asking price is too high for RETRO tv to pay, or there is some issue with the rights for them to be re aired again. They were never at the Colgate vault to begin with because Colgate didn’t own the show anymore. So the fact that they didn’t come with the October 1980-December 1982 episodes all along should not be a shock at all now.
Not buying this either! It’s just an excuse they are throwing at us because it’s to expensive or don’t have the copyrights. Please don’t lie!
I can only hope you’re right. But I thought it was by 1982 the networks took archiving more seriously.
Steven Blechman, the more I think about it the more I *do* believe you’re *right.* I just finished watching the last known “surviving” episode of the 80’s “The Doctors” last weekend and what you said about NBC Universal greedily withholding the last two years of the show seems to ring true, since it bought to my mind a similar situation involving NBC Universal and Retro TV in 2016.
That year NBC Universal bought out DreamWorks Classics, which owns, among others, the animated Filmation shows (“The Archie Show” and the original “Sabrina” series, for instance), “Mr. Magoo,” and “Lassie.” Retro aired those shows up until NBC got their greedy hands on said series and began *hoarding* them. Now the only genuine animated shows Retro runs on Saturday mornings are “The Houndcats” and “The Barkleys” (both DePatie-Freleng shows), but the network has been running those two shows ad infinitum since 2016, mostly because it appears the copyrights on said shows expired and are now in the public domain. So we can also thank (sarcastically speaking) NBC Universal for that greedy move.
If you wish to write NBC Universal to express your displeasure with their hoarding of “The Doctors” and/or the DreamWorks library, the New York address is 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10003. NBC Universal is a division of the Comcast Corporation; I know Comcast’s main headquarters are in Philadelphia, but I don’t know their exact address offhand. You’ll most likely have to Google it.
In the meantime, good luck if you choose to write (but *don’t* expect an answer). But let’s also hope that the other “lost” “Doctors” episodes from 1980-1982 will resurface in some way soon. It’d be great to see how the storylines up to that point get resolved.
I never heard of Doctors..
never heard of Retro TV ..
I see some are excited about it, enjoy! 🙂
13 years is more than any of the other older soaps …..better than nothing..
Breaking News
‘Santa Barbara’ Favorites A Martinez and Marcy Walker, ‘Cruz and Eden’ Reunion Chat, On Demand Replay Available for Half Price (Exclusive)
The love was felt around the world during the Sunday, June 7 livestream conversation featuring enduring Santa Barbara Daytime Emmy winners, A Martinez and Marcy Walker who played Cruz Castillo and Eden Capwell on the iconic NBC soap opera. The popular duo reunited for this special one-day only special event honoring their most memorable of daytime roles.
Santa Barbara was globally a hit, and nothing illustrated that more than having attendees from 20 countries and over four continents participate in and watch the live chat moderated by Melissa Braverman, the author of Santa Barbara: The Complete Story due out this fall.
While many were not able to purchase the initial livestream when the ticket costs were revealed to be $100, A Martinez previously clarified the event was to also raise money for Walker, who is currently facing a very serious health situation, now there is a way to catch the replay at half the price.

Courtesy: MBraverman
HOW YOU CAN STILL CATCH A AND MARCY’S LIVESTREAM
Michael Fairman TV can share exclusively that if you missed the chance to see and listen to what A and Marcy had to say, On demand access is available at the event link for a half price at $50 (guests can contribute up to $100 if they so chose). Like the livestream, 100% of On demand sales for the recording will be available for a limited time only, and also go toward Marcy’s medical expenses.
There was plenty of laughter, tears, and reminiscing through the the two and a half hour chat which included: some memorable footage and images from the love story of Cruz and Eden. At one point, Marcy reflected on the enduring impact and affection for Cruz and Eden. “You hope that whatever you do in this life, that you’ll make an impact of some kind,” expressed Walker. “It doesn’t have to necessarily be wrapped up in success or career or anything like that, but I think we all want desperately to feel like our time here blessed someone. To hear that somebody’s life was even a moment better because of what we did is a massive gift.

Photo: NBC
A AND MARCY’S DESIRE TO WORK TOGETHER AGAIN
In a moment that brought joy to those in attendance, A and Marcy both expressed a sincere hope and desire that one day they can work together again. Martinez explained, “There’s more avenues to pursue now than there have ever been. I would say just keep a good thought for it. I’ve been holding it for decades, and I fully intend to do whatever I can to make it happen. We’re engaged in trying to make it happen. And you know, we’ll see. I know we both want to do it.” Marcy simply nodded and responded “Amen.”
Melissa Braverman shared with Michael Fairman TV, her sentiments on hosting the Santa Barbara favorites. “Seeing A and Marcy together again, even virtually, was an absolute gift. It instantly reminded all of us why we fell so hard for Cruz and Eden in the first place. Their undeniable chemistry leaped off the screen and straight back into our hearts, proving that the magic they created all those years ago hasn’t faded one bit. Sharing in equal parts laughter and tears felt like catching up with old friends. It just meant the world to see them side-by-side again and to see how this incredible fandom showed up for Marcy during such an important time for her.”
So, if you attended the livestream chat with A Martinez and Marcy Walker, what did you enjoy hearing about the most? Now the tickets have dropped to watch the replay On Demand, would you want to check it out? Let us know via the comment section below.
Breaking News
‘Days of Our Lives’ Officially Confirms Ryan Quan Returning as Co-Head Writer Beginning in July

There is definitely a shake-up going down at the writing team at Peacock’s Days of Our Lives. Now, the long-running soap opera has confirmed, what has been previously reported, that current General Hospital breakdown writer, Ryan Quan is heading back to his old stomping grounds in Salem. This time as the series co-head writer.
The appointment of Quan comes with the official news that current co-head writer, Paula Cwikly, who was previously rumored to be departing the series, is not. She is staying with the soap opera and transitioning to a consultant role with the show. Now, Quan will join current co-head writer, Jeanne Marie Ford to steer the ship for the characters on the canvas.
On Wednesday, TV Insider, reported the official confirmation and that Quan will return to DAYS next month in July. In a statement to the outlet, executive producer, Ken Corday expressed, ‘We are lucky to have Ryan back in the fold. There are very few people who have such a deep knowledge and understanding of our show’s history. Stay tuned!”

Photo: JPI
THE FUTURE OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES
Since Days of our Lives unusual production schedule tapes ten-months ahead of air, the new creative team’s vision led by Quan and Jeanne Marie Ford are not expected to stream on Peacock until mid-2027.
Days of Our Lives is currently renewed through its 63rd season. The former NBC soap opera which transitioned to Peacock in September of 2022, celebrate its 60th anniversary in November of 2025.
The writing regime change comes after NBCUniversal Media Chairman Matt Strauss revealed that Peacock is expected to turn a profit for the first time in the current quarter, punctuating their investment with the enduring soap opera on its platform.
As for Quan, his knowledge of Salem is tremendous. Ryan joined Days of Our Lives as a writer’s assistant in 2007 after some time over at Passions. He then spent two decades and held every position on the writing team where he previously served as co-head writer from 2016-17 alongside Dena Higley.
Later, when Ron Carlivati took over as head writer for 7 years in 2017, Quan became his right-hand man and main story consultant for his deep knowledge of the history and the legacy of the show. After Carlivati exited the show in 2024, General Hospital hired Quan in 2025.
So, what do you think about DAYS making it official with Ryan Quan as the new co-head writer of the series alongside Jeanne Marie Ford. What do you think about the fact we won’t see the changes on-screen till 2027? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Breaking News
ABC Announces ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Texas Spin-Off Gets Straight-to-Series Order
In a surprise move, coming a week after ABC unveiled its 2026-2027 fall television schedule, Grey’s Anatomy is getting a new spinoff co-created by the original series’ creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes.
The new untitled medical drama will be written and executive produced by Rhimes and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner/executive producer Meg Marinis under the Shondaland and 20th Television umbrella. In addition, long-running ‘Grey’s’ star Ellen Pompeo will also serve as an EP of the spinoff.
The upcoming new series will debut midseason in 2027. This will be the first of Grey’s franchise not set in urban city or West Coast locale. According to Deadline, the new “edgy drama is about a team at a rural West Texas medical center — the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”

Photo: ABC
In a statement, Marinis shared, “I am incredibly excited to expand the Grey’s Anatomy universe. This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades — all set in my home state of Texas. I am so grateful to Shonda Rhimes for creating this dynamic world and feel so fortunate that I get to be a part of it.”
A NEW GROUP OF DOCTORS IN RURAL TEXAS
The Texas spinoff will feature a a new group of doctors, but there will be some connection to the OG Grey’s Anatomy and possibly to Debbie Allen’s character of Catherine Fox. The amount of episodes in the series order has not yet been determined. Previous Grey’s Anatomy spinoffs were the defunct Station 19 and Private Practice.
Previously, Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for its upcoming 23rd season while the amount of episodes is unclear. The last two seasons the series produced 18 episodes.
It should also be noted, Grey’s Anatomy and the Texas spinoff would likely share a time period, which requires limited-run orders for both with Grey’s premiering in the fall, followed by the spinoff on the midseason programming block.
So, what do you think about a Texas spinoff of Grey’s Anatomy coming in 2027? Who would you like to see from daytime or primetime as some of the featured roles as new doctors? Put on your casting directors hat and let us know via the comment section below.
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