MEDICAL CENTER: UNDERCURRENT (TV)
Summary
One in this series of medical dramas about the cases of Dr. Paul Lochner, chief of staff at a Los Angeles university hospital called Medical Center, and his friend and colleague, Dr. Joe Gannon, a young professor of surgery.
Dr. Gannon tries to convince Dr. Ben Teverley, a top medical researcher, to try out an experimental serum on a young patient, Linda Petrie, with life-threatening myomonoblastic leukemia. The procedure involves a great deal of risk both medically and professionally, but Dr. Gannon hopes that they can pull through. Dr. Gannon receives a letter identifying Dr. Teverley as homosexual, and he believes that someone is starting a “smear campaign” against him in order to discredit his work. Further complications arise in securing a meeting with Dr. Oliver Garson, head of the research department; Dr. Gannon’s primary challenge is to convince the board to go forward with human experimentation of Dr. Teverley’s procedure. Dr. Lochner advises Dr. Gannon not to be influenced about any rumors concerning Dr. Teverley.
Dr. Gannon consults with Dr. Seaton, another candidate for the formula that may be used on Linda, and is somewhat off-put by his abrasive personality. Dr. Whitten, Dr. Gannon’s colleague in treating Linda, confirms the presence of the disease and does not feel confident about the outcome. However, she feels that Dr. Teverley has the know-how to make a difference; she also reveals that she has been dating him. Dr. Gannon visits Dr. Teverley, who harbors reservations about human experimentation but is willing to share his notes with Dr. Gannon. Dr. Gannon then intercepts Dr. Garson at the airport, hoping to convince him to approve the testing; Dr. Garson remarks that Dr. Teverley may be “too dedicated” to his work, but Dr. Gannon gets him into a meeting with the other board members. Dr. Lochner receives another letter pertaining to Dr. Teverley’s supposed homosexuality, threatening to expose him unless he is fired. He and Dr. Gannon are concerned about what this could do to Dr. Teverley, worried that it could curtail the use of his experimental drug.
Linda’s boyfriend and potential fiancee, Private Burton Reeves, has been ordered to ship out, but Dr. Gannon advises him not to inform her just yet. Dr. Gannon attends his meeting with the board, recommending Dr. Teverley’s formula. The final vote comes down to Dr. Garson, who votes to use Dr. Seaton’s formula instead, much to Dr. Gannon’s surprise; Dr. Lochner believes that Dr. Garson may have been influenced by one of the anonymous letters directed against Dr. Teverley. Dr. Teverley is shocked at Dr. Garson’s decision as well, and Dr. Gannon shows him the mysterious letter. Dr. Whitten reports that Linda is not responding to treatment. She also makes arrangements to go out with Dr. Teverley the following night, as they are still dating. Linda speaks to Dr. Gannon, as she senses that things are not going well for her, aware of the details of her situation. She explains that Burton wants to marry her, but believes that she won’t be alive to accept.
Dr. Seaton cannot account for the inefficacy of his treatment, and Dr. Gannon is frustrated. He decides to take Linda off the formula and meets with Dr. Garson, demanding that he explain his vote. They argue as Dr. Garson insists that Dr. Gannon present him with concrete facts before trying to persuade him to try Dr. Teverley’s formula. The next day one of Dr. Teverley’s assistants abruptly changes departments after meeting with Dr. Garson the previous night, raising Dr. Gannon’s suspicions about the effect that the rumors about Dr. Teverley are having. Dr. Teverley tells Dr. Gannon not to assist him, as he doesn’t want Dr. Gannon to be taken down as well, but Dr. Gannon insists on defending his research no matter the cost. During their argument Dr. Teverley confirms that he is homosexual.
Dr. Lochner reveals that he knew about Dr. Teverley’s homosexuality the entire time, and that he was forced to resign his previous post. Dr. Gannon is disgusted by the intolerance demonstrated towards him, and keeps trying to work with Dr. Teverley on his drug. Burton officially asks Linda to marry him. A pall is cast over the occasion due to the tacit acknowledgement that Linda may soon be dead. Burton, distraught, consults with Dr. Gannon, who advises him to “give us all some time.” Dr. Whitten reports that the rumors about Dr. Teverley have spread rapidly throughout the hospital, although she still believes they are untrue. She goes out with Dr. Teverley on another date, and at one point he snaps at her, convinced that she is manipulating him. He reveals his homosexuality to her and says that there can never be anything between the two of them. She breaks down crying, and he leaves.
The next day, Dr. Gannon reports to Dr. Teverley that Dr. Garson is cutting off his funds. However, Dr. Gannon has not yet given up on him, but Dr. Teverley believes he can no longer function there due to the vast levels of intolerance and fear surrounding him. Dr. Garson admits to Dr. Gannon that he received one of the smear letters against Dr. Teverley, and Dr. Gannon argues that his patient’s life is more important than Dr. Garson’s personal biases. Dr. Garson reveals that his hatred stems from his son-in-law, who came out as gay, resulting in his daughter suffering a mental breakdown. Dr. Gannon convinces Dr. Garson to call another meeting, although it is unlikely that he will change his mind to endorse Dr. Teverley’s drug. At the meeting, Dr. Garson retains his vote against Dr. Teverley. Dr. Gannon calls him out on his reasoning in front of the board and they engage in a heated argument. Dr. Gannon makes an impassioned speech calling for the board to set aside their hatreds, since as doctors they must put their patients’ lives before all else and not curtail their work for personal hatreds. The vote is put up again and Dr. Garson’s stance is unchanged, but Dr. Gannon manages to convince one of the other board members to come out of his abstention and vote in favor of Dr. Teverley’s formula. Linda is put on the formula and her outlook is uncertain, but Dr. Teverley vows to keep at it, refusing to let anyone remove him from the hospital. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 23, 1970 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:78837
- GENRE: Drama, medical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, medical; LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1969-1976
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frank Glicksman … Executive Producer, Created by
- Al C. Ward … Producer, Created by
- Daniel Petrie … Director
- Robert Malcolm Young … Writer
- John Parker … Music by
- Lalo Schifrin … Theme Music by
- Chad Everett … Cast, Dr. Joe Gannon
- James Daly … Cast, Dr. Paul Lochner
- Paul Burke … Cast, Dr. Ben Teverley
- Salome Jens … Cast, Dr. Abby Whitting
- Andrew Duggan … Cast, Dr. Oliver Garson
- Murray McLeod … Cast, Pvt. Burton Reeves
- Pamela Murphy … Cast, Linda Petrie
- Severn Darden … Cast, Dr. Herb Seaton
- Eugene Peterson … Cast, Dr. Merrill Weaver
- Jack Garner … Cast, Dr. Wane Bolton
- Ivan Bonar … Cast, Dr. Crump
- Kathy Shawn … Cast, Nurse No. 1
- Chris Hutson … Cast, Nurse No. 2
- Michael Stanwood … Cast, Carl Huston