CHICAGO HOPE: THE OTHER CHEEK (TV)
Summary
One in this series of medical dramas about the personal and professional lives of the staff of the state-of-the-art Chicago Hope Hospital and the ethical dilemmas they face.
This episode is a parody in which "Entertainment Tonight," hosted by Bob Goen, reports on a scandalous event at the hospital involving a famous TV star. Wendy Walsh explains that she was filming a puff piece about Todd Landers, the star of "More Than a Miracle," on which he plays an angel who comes to Earth every week and performs miracles and acts of redemption. When he slips and injures his back onset, he is brought to Chicago Hope in tremendous pain, and many people are excited to see the famous actor. Watters is unimpressed, but he allows "ET" to bring its cameras inside. Grad comments on her fondness for the show, particularly Todd's oft-showcased posterior. Amid dramatic pleas for pain medication, Todd demands a Harvard-educated doctor, and McNeil attempts to diagnose his injury as Yeats administers Demerol and Watters monitors the reporters seeking an update. Suddenly, Todd codes and despite their attempts to revive him, is pronounced dead.
The doctors have varying emotional reactions to the tragedy and McNeil berates Yeats for not getting Todd's full medical history. At the same time, Todd's many fans arrive at the hospital, unaware of his death. Watters then explains that Todd was discovered to have silicone implants in his posterior, one of which was damaged in his fall and became lethal when combined with the Demerol. Todd's widow admits that she kept his secret, and Austin acknowledges a change in his physique over the years. Watters orders the doctors not to accept blame for the incident, as Todd chose not to disclose his condition; elsewhere, Hancock is dismayed to learn that the man atop the transplant list, Jerry Peru, is a former pimp. Watters finally breaks the news to the press and the public, who are stunned, and when he avoids assigning blame, Yeats steps up and takes responsibility for the death. McNeil tries to convince him otherwise, saying that it was merely an accident. Jerry talks about his love of "More Than a Miracle" and its effect on his life, and he receives Todd's liver to replace his own alcohol-ravaged one. "ET" reports on the actor's death and CBS head honcho Les Moonves weighs in. Many fans applaud Yeats' honesty, much to McNeil's frustration. When cornered on camera, he heatedly states that accidents happen and that Todd was like any other patient, angering everyone further by mentioning Princess Diana and questioning the existence of God.
In the aftermath, Yeats attempts to resign, Todd's widow plans to sue and McNeil expresses his frustration over the deification of celebrities, though he is forced to admit that he was sad about Princess Diana's death. Jerry decides to turn his life around as a result of receiving the famous organ, and Shutt recalls an ironic episode of "Miracle" in which Todd's character miraculously returned from the dead. At the funeral, McNeil awkwardly attempts to apologize, and Yeats defends him, saying that Todd's death was senseless and "degrading" after all and encouraging them all to appreciate the true miracle of life in a meditative state. Everyone seems to calm down as Todd's widow drops her lawsuit. When Jerry sings "Amazing Grace" at the service, David Crosby discovers him and helps him land a record deal. McNeil and Yeats ponder the meaning of the event as another tearjerking clip of Todd in "Miracle" is shown. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 18, 1998 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:60572
- GENRE: Drama, medical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, medical; LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1994-2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer, Director
- John Tinker … Executive Producer
- Dawn Prestwich … Co-Executive Producer
- Nicole Yorkin … Co-Executive Producer
- James C. Hart … Co-Executive Producer
- John Heath … Supervising Producer
- Rob Corn … Producer
- Jan Oxenberg … Co-Producer
- Dean White … Co-Producer
- Ian Biederman … Co-Producer
- Claire Bloom … Associate Producer
- Ellen Herman … Consulting Producer
- Barbara Hall … Consulting Producer
- David E. Kelley … Created by
- Ellen Herman … Writer
- Peter Bernstein … Music by
- Mark Isham … Theme Music by
- Adam Arkin … Cast, Dr. Aaron Shutt
- Christine Lahti … Cast, Dr. Kathryn Austin
- Eric Stoltz … Cast, Dr. Robert Yeats
- Peter Berg … Cast, Dr. Billy Kronk
- Vondie Curtis-Hall … Cast, Dr. Dennis Hancock
- Jayne Brook … Cast, Dr. Diane Grad
- Stacy Edwards … Cast, Dr. Lisa Catera
- Rocky Carroll … Cast, Dr. Keith Wilkes
- Mark Harmon … Cast, Dr. Jack McNeil
- Hector Elizando … Cast, Dr. Phillip Watters
- Scott Reeves … Cast, Todd Landers
- Bob Bancroft … Cast, Dr. Joseph Cacaci
- Kelly Connell … Cast, Dr. Roger Thorn
- Bob Goen … Cast, Himself
- Wendy Walsh … Cast, Herself
- Maria Ford … Cast, Tori Landers
- Wade Andrew Williams … Cast, Jerry Peru
- David Crosby … Cast, Himself
- Eric Karros … Cast, Himself
- Linda Kerns … Cast, Sandy Phillips
- Victoria Principal … Cast, Herself
- Leslie Moonves … Cast, Himself
- Bobby Edner … Cast, Young Boy
- Mary Portser … Cast, Weeping Woman
- Sheila Shaw … Cast, Breathless Woman
- Cedric Harris … Cast, Bandaged Man
- Mariann Aalda … Cast, Woman
- Kimble Jemison … Cast, Jogger
- Helena Lewis … Cast, Paramedic
- Kyme … Cast, Local Reporter
- Charles Stevenson Jr. … Cast, Minister
- Elyse Donalson … Cast, Farm Woman
- Kimberly Flynn … Cast, Prostitute
- Laurie Fortier … Cast, Prostitute Double
- Diana, Princess of Wales (See also, Spencer, Diana)