St. Elsewhere: "Time Heals"

Air Dates: February 19-20 1986

Written by John Masius, Tom Fontana, & John Tinker

Directed by Mark Tinker 

"Time Heals" was a two part episode that aired during season four of the NBC series St. Elsewhere (1982-88). Although the show was never a ratings juggernaut, it found a loyal audience who followed the doings at St.Eligius hospital. "Time Heals" provided back stories for the major characters, but even more than that, a history of the hospital (and America) from 1936-1986. 

Edward Herrmann as Father Joseph McCabe

The episodes are structured in the form of flashbacks of various points in the history of St. Eligius, starting with its founding 1936 by Father Joseph McCabe. An Irish priest straight out of James Joyce brilliantly played by Edward Herrmann, Father McCabe started the hospital to help the people of South Boston struggling to get by during the Depression. In newsreel footage recalling FDR delivering his inaugural "nothing to fear, but fear itself" speech, McCabe's New Deal idealism and optimistic spirit would guide St. Eligius through the decades. He bucks against the Catholic establishment who disapprove of his advocation of birth control as a means to curtail poverty. He takes action against intolerance, stating a failure to act against hate and it will spread like a disease. 

We also meet Dr. Westphall's father (played by Ed Flanders) who was a friend of Father McCabe, later Westphall would be mentored McCabe. In a surprising scene a teenage Westphall appears to be on the road to delinquency, an angry young man expressing anti-Semitism and bigotry. How did this kid become the compassionate Dr. Westphall? It's proof that under the right guidance anyone can change for the better. We also see a young Dr. Auschlander (Norman Lloyd) being hired in 1945 after his return from the Pacific theatre during the Second World War (which he mentions throughout the series), unknown to him the kid who just spouted an anti-Semitic slur at him will later be a trusted colleague. 

In 1955 we meet a young Dr. Craig William Daniels), as a sycophantic young surgeon to his mentor Dr. Domedion (Jackie Cooper). Craig dreams of leaving St. Eligius and becoming chief of surgery at Boston General, the premier hospital in the city. We see Craig being browbeaten by Domedion during an operation (just as Craig does for everyone he mentors) and losing his confidence. Reference is also made to the polio epidemic of the 1950s, in one scene the doctors discuss their hopes for a vaccine to stop the scourge of that disease after walking through a ward of children confined to iron lungs. 

During the 1960s Dr. Craig would become chief of surgery and the lone superstar surgeon St. Eligius after leaving Boston General after being passed over, proud to be a pioneer in open heart bypass surgery. In 1965 we see Nurse Rosenthal (Christina Pickles) being hired (with a stronger English accent) as she provides comfort for a young Luther (Eric Laneuville). By 1975 Dr. Westphall is happily married with two kids (Elizabeth and Tommy), only to lose his wife in a tragic accident, echoing the loss of his mother and sister in the fire in 1936.

Ed Flanders and William playing younger versions of their characters.

There's also a present day story set in 1986: Dr. Morrison (David Morse) is having trouble diagnosing a case and even worse his young son has been abducted. As played by Morse, the character epitomized the shows ability to build up characters and then tear them down because of their very strengths. For example, Morrison treats his patients in a humane matter, yet his sensitivity works against him, making him indecisive. His peers consider him ineffectual as a physician. Yet here he makes a breakthrough correctly diagnoses a rare case of polio, connected to the 1950s timeline. Dr. Chandler (Denzel Washington) compliments Morrison and tells despite what everyone thinks he has it in him to be a good doctor. Morse and Washington play the scene well. As St. Eligius celebrates its 50th anniversary and Morrison is reunited with his son.

"Time Heals" reminds that everyone in their endeavors may never live to see the results of their labors or even if they made the right decisions. It's a daily grind. Change is slow and time moves fast. Most days it appears we're going backwards, but we keep struggling. 

These episodes were a wonderful gift to fans of the series, but also innovative and in their structure and theme. Each era replicates the style of cinema of that particular decade, the 1930s are in B&W while the 1950s are in technicolor. The two episodes together reminded me of The Godfather Part II, ruminations on how the the actions of the past inform the present and shape the future. 

TV Watching in the Year of Quarantine

Here's a list of some TV Shows I've been watching 2020. In recent years I've devoted more time to movies, but making an effort to watch more TV.

Classic TV

St. Elsewhere (1982-1988) 

St. Elsewhere was set at St. Eligius hospital in South Boston. Under funded and in constant disrepair, each episode followed the ensemble cast of newcomers and veterans in their personal and professional lives. A pioneering show in the sense in that story lines would play out over multiple episodes so there was a sense of continuity over the seasons. Realistic in its depiction of medical care in the 1980s, it took on many issues television had never taken on. St. Elsewhere's sense of humor and tragedy with a touch of the surreal made it memorable. Many characters would come and go over the course of the series, but the stalwarts were Dr. Westphall (Ed Flanders) the chief of medicine, Dr. Craig (William Daniels) chief of surgery, and head of operations Dr. Auschlander (Norman Lloyd). Many members of the cast went on to big careers including Denzel Washington, Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel, Ed Begley Jr, and David Morse. St. Elsewhere is a fascinating show because it had one foot set in the past and one in the future. Like hospital dramas of the past it took on a wide spectrum of social issues, most notably the AIDS epidemic, budget cuts in the Reagan era, class, poverty, race, and gender issues. Old TV shows were always referenced, providing an intertextual element. St. Elsewhere had the humanism of M*A*S*H and the gritty realism of Hill Street Blues. It would point the way to another hospital drama E.R. After completing St. Elsewhere on Hulu I plan on moving right to E.R., imagining both as a part of a continuum. 

Barney Miller (1975-82) 

Barney Miller was set at the fictional 12th Precinct in New York City. A workplace sitcom in the style of Taxi, Cheers, and Wings, Barney Miller chronicled a slightly eccentric group of cops as they deal with day to day criminal activity, mostly of a minor nature. Most of the criminals were shoplifters, muggers, con artists - rarely anyone violent. Led by the quiet calm of Hal Linden as the title character to the cranky Detective Fish famously played by Abe Vigoda and the rookie "Wojo" played by Max Gail. African-American detective Harris (Ron Glass) aspires to be a writer and Sgt. Yemana (Jack Soo) provides surreal commentary to the doings at the precinct. For the first two seasons Gregory Sierra played Sgt. "Charo" who brought an edge to the early seasons and was the center of one my favorite episodes "The Hero." If you're a fan of Dog Day Afternoon or Serpico, you'll appreciate Barney Miller. 

The Rockford Files (1974-80)

 I've been going through The Rockford Files in fits and starts over the past few years. Unlike other TV super sleuths like Columbo or Jessica Fletcher, Rockford lives in a trailer and is usually broke. Most shows deal with white collar criminal types, it makes you think there's a small time scheme in every corner of California. A lo-fi show of darkly lit bars and shady warehouses, plots always move in a labyrinth pattern. Rockford often gets beat up (so many blows to the head) a lot so the show by no means glamorizes the job, things are usually oblique and rough around the edges. Of all 70s shows it feels the closest to the New Hollywood trend of movies with shaggy morality and disoriented humor.

Cosmos (1980) 

I covered each episode over at my other blog, but if you've never been able to watch Cosmos - seek it out! A history of science and an eloquent argument for rational reason, the show provides an anecdote to the madness of 2020. Television of the highest ambition and magnitude.   

And Two New Ones

Mrs. America 

A nine episode political history foreshadowing how America got to the Trump era. Cate Blanchett stars as Phyllis Schlafly, the conservative activist who led the fight against the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment during the 1970s. The series tells a parallel story of the feminist movement and its leaders Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan, and many more. With ERA on course to being ratified with bipartisan support, Schlafly led a successful anti-feminist movement which prevented ERA from being ratified in 1982. Blanchett delivers a complex, even sympathetic, performance as Schalfly. Mrs. America is more focused on the tensions within each movement, while at the same time portrays an often overlooked political battle in recent American history. A recreation of a Tom Snyder episode is a highlight. Streaming on FX-Hulu.

Cobra Kai 

Look no further for a generous serving of 80s nostalgia than Cobra Kai which is getting a second life on Netflix. The show picks up on the lives of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence from the Karate Kid franchise. Daniel is now a successful owner of a luxury car dealership, while Johnny survives on odd jobs, a living anachronism stuck in the 80s (more of a state of mind). But a series of events lead to a revival of their epic rivalry. The younger generation also plays a major role and turn the series into an interesting melding of Gen X - Gen Z morays. Each episode is around 30 minutes and they move fast. 

End of Summer Suite