Product: St. Elsewhere The Collector's Edition: Down's Syndrome / Samuels and the Kid (1982)
Rating: 4.0
Just another couple hectic episodes from the first season of "St. Elsehwere"
This is the second video tape in "St. Elsewhere: The Collector's Edition," but for some reason it does not offer up consecutive episodes from the celebrated television medical drama. You have the third and fifth episodes, but skips one of the best of the early episodes, "Cora and Arnie." Do not worry, that is available on the next volume in the series. So while neither of these two early first season episodes is great they are still solid offerings showing the hectic lives of the beleaguered doctors of Boston's St. Eligius and making it clear why this show was described as "Hill Street Blues" in a hospital, which is neither an inaccurate or a demeaning description for the series. Now if we can just get this series out on DVD as well (hint, hint, hint):Episode 3, "Down's Syndrome" (Written by Tom Fontana, Story by Joshua Brand, John Falsey, & Fontana, First aired November 16, 1982), has a major plot line dealing with Dr. Annie Cavanero (Cynthia Sikes) counseling a young woman, Denise Whitehill (Maureen Anderman), who is expecting a Down's syndrome child. The story of the bomber continues, with Dr. Hugh Beale (G.W. Bailey) visiting Andrew Reinhardt (Tim Robbins) and finding no evidence of remorse. Talking to the bomber's parents do not help much either. Meanwhile, Peter White (Terence Knox) almost kills somebody in the E.R., Kathy Martin (Barbara Whinnery) and Wayne Fiscus (Howie Mandel) end up in a stalled elevator together, and Jack Morrison (David Morse) gets some good news from his wife. However, my favorite plotline in this one has Dr. Auschlander (Norman Lloyd) is using slides of his own liver biopsy to teach some lessons. This was the point where the character moved from being a minor supporting character to something bigger on "St. Elsewhere." The Down Syndrome plotline comes on a bit strong (Fontana received a pointed letter about the portrayal of Down Syndrome children from George Will), but as always there are enough story lines here so that you can pick and choose.Episode 5, "Samuels and the Kid" (Written by John Masius, Story by Joshua Brand, John Falsey, and Masius, First aired November 30, 1982), is primarily about Dr. Samuels (David Birney) and Robbie Durant (Jeremy Licht), a young boy who comes in for leg surgery. Of course Dr. Mark Craig (William Daniels) getting his "Surgeon of the Year" award makes the most noise and does not bring as much pleasure to the recipiant as you would think. On the hospital romance front Fiscus surprised Martin with a romantic gesture that is not well received. The other opportunity for fireworks is when young Dr. Chandler (Denzel Washington) challenges the competency of a veteran nurse (Roxanne Reese). Getting away from the hospital provides no relief, as Dr. Caverno discovers when her weekend is ruined by a patient (Ally Sheedy) trying to deliver her baby at home with only the help of a teenage boy.