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I do not agree that this series was "soap-opera" like, although certainly one must care about the characters, identify with them and want to tune in (then again, I do not watch soap operas).
Ed Flanders, as Dr. Westphal, is the indelible favorite; an empathic, non-egotistical doctor who cares about the patients, not profits. Bruce Paltrow deserves credit for the show; the likes of which I have never seen equaled ever again, on television.
Dr. Daniel Craig (William Daniels) is excellent as the self-absorbed heart surgeon, Howie Mandel, Ed Begley, Mark Harmon, Terence Knox,Paul Sand, W.George Bailey and a well-varied cast each season made for an ever-changing theme; having not been a fan of hospital shows before (or after) this series, I would have to say is representative of its superiority, and creative story lines.
While the show dealt with both sad and humorous medical issues, the stories were well-written, and actually gave the audience something to think about. One standout episode concerned Dr. Craig's heart transplant patient, Eve Layton, and her affect on the stalwart doctor. Howie Mandel and Ed Begley are the comic relief.
Unfortunately at the end of the series, Ronny Cox portrayed the Chief of Medical Services, when the hospital is taken over by a conglomerate, at the expense of patient care. The sets of the hospital began to crumble (literally) representing the state of health care in the US which we have today. A brilliant analogy which was before its time. 10/10
score 10/10
MarieGabrielle 31 August 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1463165/ |
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24-3-2021 21:24:14