Episodes

  • Trailer
    Jun 22 2023

    The patients in this story came to the Yale Fertility Center to pursue pregnancy. They began their I.V.F. cycles full of expectation and hope. Then a surgical procedure called egg retrieval caused them excruciating pain.

    Some of the patients screamed out in the procedure room. Others called the clinic from home to report pain in the hours that followed. But most of the staff members who fielded the patients’ reports did not know the real reason for the pain, which was that a nurse at the clinic was stealing fentanyl, and replacing it with saline.

    From Serial Productions and The New York Times, The Retrievals is a five-part narrative series reported by Susan Burton, a veteran staff member at “This American Life” and author of the memoir “Empty.”

    Susan details the events that unfolded at the clinic, and examines how the patients’ distinct identities informed the way they made sense of what happened to them in the procedure room. The nurse, too, has her own story, about her own pain, that she tells to the court. And then there is the story of how this all could have happened at the Yale clinic in the first place.

    Throughout, Burton explores the stories we tell about women’s pain. How do we tolerate, interpret and account for it? What happens when pain is minimized or dismissed?

    Episode 1 of The Retrievals arrives Thursday, June 29th.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    3 mins
  • Episode 1: The Patients
    Jun 29 2023

    Patients at a fertility clinic experience excruciating, unexpected pain. For months the reason for that pain remains hidden. Then they get a letter from the clinic.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Episode 2: The Nurse
    Jul 6 2023

    The patients know what happened to them. Now they learn who did it. The story of the nurse whose own pain was also unseen.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • Episode 3: The Sentence
    Jul 13 2023

    At the nurse’s sentencing hearing, the patients learn a shocking detail that forces them to confront the limits of their compassion.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    47 mins
  • Bonus: Did this happen to you?
    Jul 20 2023

    A message from Susan Burton.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    4 mins
  • Episode 4: The Clinic
    Jul 27 2023

    What we know about what happened at the clinic.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    38 mins
  • Episode 5: The Outcomes
    Aug 3 2023

    In fertility treatment, a successful outcome is defined as a healthy baby. In this story, the outcomes are complicated for everyone involved.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    54 mins
  • Bonus - Heavyweight: #49 Another Roadside Attraction
    Oct 6 2023

    This week, we're sharing an episode from our friends over at Heavyweight, one we think listeners of The Retrievals would enjoy. You can listen to their new season now, where ever you get your podcasts.

    To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.

    To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.

    Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    Show more Show less
    47 mins