ST. ELSEWHERE: SLICE O' LIFE (TV)
Summary
One in this medical drama series set in St. Eligius hospital in Boston. In this episode, the department heads gather for a meeting and Craig objects to the sale of their argon laser, saying that they need it for surgeries, but an under-the-weather Westphall states that the money is needed for their outreach program. Fiscus admits Victor Bevine, who seems to be suffering from urologic issues, and Rosenthal butts heads with Papandrao when she returns to her former nursing position. Craig visits his granddaughter Barbara in the nursery, and Ellen says that they must seriously consider taking her home and being her parents, now that Steven is dead and Yvonne in a coma. Terri Valere tells Turner that she did not fall pregnant after her artificial insemination, and Dr. Barton consults on Bevine's case and orders a cystoscopy, sternly ordering Fiscus not to make light of the embarrassing procedure. Chandler and Morrison tease Caldwell about his infamous sex life, though Caldwell wonders if he is having a breakdown and prepares to head out of town for a breather.
Westphall visits Judge Farnham, who is on the hospital board, and explains about his family unit idea, inspired by his time in Ethiopia, though Farnham questions the additional cost of feeding patients' families. As Turner and Chandler try to schedule a second date, Craig learns that Yvonne's parents have finally been located. Ehrlich praises Axelrod's attempts to lose weight, and Bevine is diagnosed with a malignant lesion and is scheduled for a surgery that will remove his bladder and possibly leave him impotent. Fiscus is surprised at his calm attitude, and Bevine explains his matter-of-fact philosophical views. Westphall returns home to find that he has missed Tommy's parent-teacher conference, and Constance urges him to break the rules if necessary to get his family unit program underway. Craig frets to Ellen that he was a "lousy" father to Steven, as his own was to him, and is to blame for his death, and she urges him to do the right thing for Barbara. Later, he meets with Mr. and Mrs. Galecki, who are startled to see Yvonne's grim condition. Barton operates on Bevine and discovers that the cancer will indeed seriously affect his sexual performance, and in Cape Cod, Caldwell flirts with a woman working at the hardware store, Zoe.
Morrison and Turner explains to Terri that her fallopian tubes are scarred and recommend in-vitro fertilization as her next option, and the Craigs are stunned when the Galeckis reveal that they intend to take Barbara with them when they leave town, as Yvonne named them her legal guardians. Westphall is soon diagnosed with malaria after suffering delirium and falling down a staircase, and he laments to Constance that his plans for the hospital have gone awry and both of his children are distant from him. Fiscus confides to Wade that he no longer desires casual sex and is now pondering settling down with a family, while elsewhere Caldwell is surprised but pleased by Zoe's aggressive advances. Craig lectures Westphall for his foolhardy behavior and complains about the Galeckis' plans to raise Barbara in a "trailer park," and Terri opts for the in-vitro as Fiscus makes a "donation" of his own. Mr. Galecki denounces Craig as "rich and selfish" as he and his wife depart with Barbara, though Craig vows to get her back at any cost. Constance brings Tommy to stay overnight in Westphall's hospital room, as per his family unit suggestion, and Zoe proves to be unstable when she suddenly attacks Caldwell with a razor blade and damages his face. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 6, 1985 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:36
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:67118
- GENRE: Drama, medical
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, medical
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bruce Paltrow … Executive Producer
- Abby Singer … Coordinating Producer
- Mark Tinker … Supervising Producer, Developed by
- John Masius … Producer, Developed by, Writer
- Tom Fontana … Producer, Writer
- Beth Hillshafer … Associate Producer
- Joshua Brand … Created by
- John Falsey … Created by
- Eric Laneuville … Director
- John Tinker … Writer
- J.A.C. Redford … Music by
- Dave Grusin … Theme Music by
- Ed Flanders … Cast, Dr. Donald Westphall
- Norman Lloyd … Cast, Dr. Daniel Auschlander
- Ed Begley, Jr. … Cast, Dr. Victor Ehrlich
- Steven Furst … Cast, Dr. Elliot Axelrod
- Mark Harmon … Cast, Dr. Robert Caldwell
- Eric Laneuville … Cast, Luther Hawkins
- Howie Mandel … Cast, Dr. Wayne Fiscus
- David Morse … Cast, Dr. Jack Morrison
- Christina Pickles … Cast, Nurse Helen Rosenthal
- Denzel Washington … Cast, Dr. Phillip Chandler
- William Daniels … Cast, Dr. Mark Craig
- Alfre Woodard … Cast, Dr. Roxanne Turner
- Bonnie Bartlett … Cast, Ellen Craig
- Reid Shelton … Cast, Dr. Barton
- Ramon Bieri … Cast, Gene Galecki
- Deborah May … Cast, Terri Valere
- Jack Dodson … Cast, Judge Farnham
- K Callan … Cast, Patty Galecki
- Suzanne Lederer … Cast, Yvonne
- Cristen Kauffman … Cast, Zoe
- Sagan Lewis … Cast, Dr. Jacqueline Wade
- Jennifer Savidge … Cast, Nurse Lucy Papandrao
- Tanya Berezin … Cast, Constance
- Todd Susman … Cast, Victor Bevine
- Chad Allen … Cast, Tommy Westphall
- Lily Mariye … Cast, Nurse Sherry Long