Pilot

> This hospital of mine... it's a crazy place, Bella baby, but it's mine. All mine.
>
> Natalie Waverly

**Pilot** is the first episode of the first season of the American television series, *Educating Doctors*. It premiered on CBS on September 15, 2016 to an audience of 4.057 million viewers. It was written by one of the co-creators, Tristan Murphy, and directed by William Knight.

## Plot

Dr Natalie Waverly and her staff of Pembroke Park Hospital attempt to navigate a very peaceful day at work whilst all battling their own personal issues.

## Extended synopsis

The episode begins with Natalie Waverly attending an AA meeting at the First Church of Pembroke Park, where she monologues and laments about how she has not touched liquor for three years today. She speaks of how high pressure her job is, and how she misses practising medicine, and only ever consults on cases now, and rather than treating patients, she is managing different departments and attending boring meetings.

She continues to state she misses working in the emergency room; at this moment, her monologue is continued as an off-screen narration as the scene shifts to follow Dr Samantha Collins running into an E.R trauma room with Dr Alan Jilly behind her. Blood is dripping from an open wound on an elderly woman; paramedics explain she was involved in a gardening accident and her husband is on his way. Alan spots the gardening shears protruding from her chest (the cause of the accident), and both he and Samantha take the case together. The scene then shifts back to Natalie, who has finished her monologue, notices small tears rolling down her cheeks, and quickly wipes them away as she walks from the podium and returns to her chair.

After the meeting, Natalie is rushing to her car and is stopped by Hillary Jefferson, who again asks Natalie if she was ready to take on a sponsorship of one of the new members. Natalie is available to avoid this by her phone ringing. She tells Hillary she will think about it before getting into her car and driving away.

At the hospital, Natalie sits behind her desk (a silver plaque on it introduces her title as "Director of Staff"). She consults with Samantha and Alan, the latter informing them of the elderly woman that came into the hospital this morning after a gardening mishap. Samantha says she has to open her up and is concerned she won't survive the operation. Alan confirms this, further stating he looked at her medical records and the woman is suffering from Parkinsons, and is looked after by her husband who is due back from Boston after visiting his niece. Natalie sends them away, asking them to keep her updated. Dr Stephen Fields enters the office, and both he and Samantha share awkward glances before she rushes away.

Natalie notes the icy deposition between the pair, asking if their marriage is really over. Stephen confirms it isn't; they have their first counselling session tonight and states he is also looking forward to moving back home as he hates sleeping in the on-call rooms. Natalie tells her friend not to give up hope, and that she's here for them both. Stephen then informs her that he is checking up on the Monroe twins this afternoon. Natalie still thinks he should reconsider not separating them, with Stephen stating he'd rather wait on them being a little older. She decides not to argue, but does tell him to let the parents of the girls know she's here if they have any questions or are looking at second opinions.

On Floor 3, Samantha is sitting at a desk behind the nurse's station typing rapidly. Her brow furrows when Stephen approaches her, and asks if she'll still be going to the appointment tonight. She says she will, but doesn't think it will solve their marital issues. Stephen confirms it will, and tells his wife he loves him. Samantha says nothing, and tells him she has to go to X-Ray.

Alan is waiting for her in the X-Ray observation room and notices she has a frown on her face. He asks if she's okay, and she tells him she wants to focus on her work. A beeping alert tells them the scan is complete, and they both look at the scan. Alan says it doesn't look good. Samantha curses, and confirms she won't be leaving the hospital.

They meet with Roger Chambers who is sitting vigil at his wife's bedside. They both introduce themselves and Samantha tells the husband his wife won't be leaving the hospital; she confirms that Francine has a large tear in her lungs from where the shears entered, and is filling her heart chambers with too much blood. Her lungs cannot be repaired and neither can they stop the blood, so they intend to put her on a life support machine to give him and his children time to say their goodbyes. Roger, with tears in his eyes, tells the doctors they never had any children due to him being sterile. He allows the doctors to put his wife on the life support machine, but asks they switch it off at midnight; on her 75th birthday.

Natalie is sitting in Meeting Room A with Dr Jeremy Friedman, who sits on the hospital's board and was recently re-voted as Chairman. He intends to stick to the promises he wished to the board members during the election process, and is wanting to upgrade the MRI machine rooms. Natalie thinks this is wise, but also suggests that purchasing tablets for the doctors would be easier so they can try to modernise their workload. Friedman disagrees; MRI machines bring in more money than the tablets, and have no plans to make the doctors workloads any easier, as he intends to boost their benefits down the long run. Natalie nods her head, although it is clear she isn't happy with his plans.

Stephen meets with Alice and Harry Monroe, and tickles their twin daughters, Sophia and Rosie, affectionately. He gives them their regular check-over and is happy to report they are doing well for their age. The couple share a look with each other, and Stephen asks if everything is okay. Both tell him they want their daughters to be separated as they don't want the burden of the hospital bills to weigh on them any longer. Stephen states they were happy last week while keeping the twins attached, and also reminds them of the risks. Harry says they know that if one does die, the doctors will focus on saving the other, and they are comfortable with that. Resolute, Stephen gives them Natalie's card and tells the couple he has an expert who will be able to help them.

Natalie visits her friend, veterinarian Felicity Thomas at her private vet office, Thomas' Private Vet Services, and the pair have lunch together. Felicity congratulates Natalie on her three-year chip, with Natalie smiling thinly. She reminds her best friend that it's also been 3 years since her youngest, Arabella, started to become unwell, and that it was a year today they got her diagnosis. Felicity asks if she will be seeing her today, and she confirms she will be before her lecture tonight. Felicity finds it amazing that she manages to run a hospital and teach medical students, plus finding the time to visit her daughter and focus on her rehab. Natalie says she's just a regular woman.

In the late afternoon, Alan and Samantha answer an emergency buzzer. Natalie joins them, and all three are shocked to find that Mr Chambers has unplugged his wife's machines. Samantha begs the man to know why he did it now, as he wanted to wait until his wife's 75th birthday. Roger tells her that he knew his wife wouldn't want to suffer, and that she is now with her parents and brothers. Natalie has no choice but to call the police. Samantha begs her to reconsider, but Natalie scolds her, reminding her that Friedman is a "hardass" and could make her life miserable if she doesn't follow through. She tells Alan to escort Mr Chambers to a private room, and asks someone to confirm the poor woman's time of death.

In her office, Natalie meets with Alice and Harry Monroe and their twin daughters. She compliments their beauty and tells the worried parents she has taken a look at their scans, and it will be easy enough to separate the girls as they are only attached by their shoulders, and they each have their own organs with no cause for concern. They ask her how soon she can operate. Natalie apologises and tells them she has not practised medicine in 3 and a half years since she took this job. She states she took an administrative position due to focusing on her rehabilitation (showing them her 3-year chip). Alice pulls out her 5-year NA chip, and most nights she lays awake in bed, thinking she's the reason her girls are like this. Natalie assures her it isn't, but tells her - mother to mother - that we always blame ourselves for medical anomalies, and that is just our nature. She then gives them the information of a doctor at this hospital who she trained herself, and confirms she will be the senior consultant on their case from now on, replacing Dr Fields.

Alan meets with Mr Chambers before the police take him away. He tells the doctor he is being sent for a psychiatric exam. He then asks him to phone his niece and her family in Boston, as that's all who he has left now. Alan watches him leave sadly.

Stephen and Samantha are waiting outside their counsellor's office, both looking nervous. Samantha breaks the silence by telling him that she and Jake want him home as well, but that the lies and secrets have to stop. Stephen promises her he will be the husband she deserves from now on.

The episode ends with another monologue from Natalie; the scenes flip between her visiting her daughter, telling her sleeping Arabella that the hospital is doing better than ever, and that maybe on her next free day, she can take her to visit the children's ward. The scene also flips to Natalie speaking to her six medical students, asking them questions on today's subject; conjoined twins.

## Cast

### Main

* Beth Bonaparte-Tatum as Dr Natalie Waverly
* Coleen Hanover as Dr Felicity Thomas
* Janine Winters as Dr Samantha Collins
* Bradley Barrie as Dr Stephen Fields
* Marcus Alid as Dr Alan Jilly

### Guest

* Gregory Wallace as Dr Jeremy Friedman
* Heather Vance as Arabella Waverly
* Susanna Russo as Hillary Jefferson
* Nancy Wishart as Francine Chambers
* Ralph Black as Roger Chambers
* Bernadette Houston as Nurse Emily Mason
* Roxanne Hindley as Alice Monroe
* Kevin Zane as Harry Monroe
* Cassidy twins as Sophia & Rosie Monroe

### Guest: Natalie's Students

* Dorothy Lewis as Sasha Melody
* Marisol Evans as Elena Roberts
* Justin Sparks as Paul Macintosh
* Nina Simpson as Sarah Louise Preston
* David Jackson as Carlton Baker
* Matthew Bentley as Andrew Riddle

## Behind-the-scenes

### Production

* The table read for this episode took place on March 1, 2016.
* Filming took place at PandaCrown Productions own studios.
* Filming began on March 3, 2016 and it concluded on March 11, 2016.

### Trivia

* The original title of this episode was "A Lesson in Pilots", but this was changed post-filming.

## See also

* Pilot/Quotes
* Pilot/Credits
* Pilot/Gallery

 "A Lesson in Board Meetings"