Dozens of women arrived at Yale Fertility Center in hopes of becoming mothers. The shocking events that unfolded next will be covered in The Retrievals, an upcoming drama series. Written and executive produced by Molly Smith Metzler, the Emmy-nominated creator of Sirens and Maid, and adapted from an acclaimed New York Times and Serial Productions podcast by Susan Burton, The Retrievals chronicles one woman’s crusade against a fertility center that operated on her — and almost 100 other women — without anesthesia.
“Similarly to when I read Maid, my initial thought was: This is an extraordinary story,” says Metzler — though she wasn’t sure at first how it would translate into a television show. “But then I couldn't stop thinking about the podcast” she says. “I was haunted by the voices of the women Susan Burton interviewed. Their stories started waking me up at night, which, as a writer, is usually a sign to lean in.”
Starring in the drama are Emilia Jones (Bad Bridgets, The 99'ers, Task), Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain (Eyes of Tammy Faye and George & Tammy), and Amy Ryan (Birdman, A Statement).
Jones plays Gabby Clemente, a New Haven bartender and student teacher whose life is upended by her traumatic egg retrieval surgery. Upon discovering that a nurse at the clinic was stealing vast amounts of fentanyl, Gabby seeks out other victims and leads a groundbreaking legal battle against Yale University.
Chastain will portray Kaitlyn Langford, a former art historian who spent the last decade stuck in an endless cycle of fertility treatments. When she learns she's also a victim of criminal drug diversion at the Yale Fertility Center, she faces a devastating personal reckoning and becomes a key plaintiff in this historic court case.
Ryan will play Carla Russo, a veteran nurse at Yale Fertility Center who pleads guilty to diverting vast amounts of fentanyl and diluting it with saline, forcing many patients to endure egg retrieval surgery without anesthesia.
“At every stage of this project, when speaking to people about the podcast, we hear so many stories about women's pain being ignored in medical settings,” Metzler tells Tudum. “The problems reflected in this story are not only at Yale, but throughout healthcare at large. The podcast went viral for a reason: people relate to this story. I hope our show keeps the conversation going.”
The drama will be executive produced by Dani Gorin, Tom Ackerley, and Margot Robbie for LuckyChap, as well as Colin McKenna (Maid, Sirens), Caitlin Roper of The New York Times, and Susan Burton.
Keep reading for everything we know so far about The Retrievals.
Inspired by the Peabody Award-winning New York Times podcast by Susan Burton, The Retrievals follows one woman’s crusade against Yale Fertility Center after she (and almost 100 other women) were operated on without anesthesia during IVF egg retrieval procedures — because a nurse stole their fentanyl. A powerful and surprisingly funny story about an unlikely community that dares to take on one of the largest institutions in the nation.
The Retrievals was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by Vulture, with critic Nicholas Quah hailing it “brilliant” and “unforgettable.” He wrote, “[Susan] Burton and company are unsparing in their critiques of the system, but they also leave room at the edges to poke at even thornier subject matter, like the sometimes destructive tension between bodily autonomy and motherhood itself.”
Hosted by Burton, the podcast explores the stories of the women who dealt with excruciating pain and the system that ignored them. While listening to the episodes unfold, Metzler found herself haunted by the voices of the women interviewed.
“As I read more about the lawsuit, I was stunned and inspired,” she says. “What happened to the women in the podcast is a horror movie, but the way they came together and fought back felt like a thriller to me. “
Emilia Jones and Jessica Chastain will star as Gabby and Kaitlyn, two fictional patients fighting for justice, with Amy Ryan playing Carla, a fictional nurse who diverts the clinic’s fentanyl for her own use, leaving patients to undergo egg retrievals without anesthesia.
“Gabby is a unique combination of toughness and vulnerability, and she's young to be as brave as she is,” Metzler tells Tudum. “Gabby is the engine of the show and Emilia Jones is the perfect conductor. She will imbue Gabby with a sense of mettle and a deep well of humanity. “
Chastain, the showrunner adds, was the writing team’s “exemplar” while crafting the role of Kaitlyn. “As a performer, she has the rare ability to convey extreme restraint and unbridaled freefall, often at the same time. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about what Jessica's going to do with this role.”
It was crucial to Metzler that she imbue the “emotional truth” of the podcast into her fictional leads, taking the audience through their trauma, friendship, heartbreak, and crusade for justice — all while giving them “full and rich lives of their own.”
Head back here for more news on the rest of the cast as it’s announced.
There’s no release date yet. While we wait, dive into some other gripping narratives based on true stories, and keep checking back with Tudum for more updates.
