ST. ELSEWHERE: STRIKEOUT (TV)
Summary
One in this medical drama series set in St. Eligius hospital in Boston. In this episode, Craig returns from his Hawaiian vacation to find his home in need of some serious plumbing work, and the nurses' strike continues as Axelrod prepares to transfer one of the injured firemen, Jerry Close, to another hospital. Miller shows Martin around the psych ward as Luther, in need of money because of the strike, offers his plastering services to Craig, who reluctantly accepts. Michael Duffy, suffering from narcotics withdrawal, begins to panic instead the oxygen chamber, though he refuses to visit Miller to discuss his addiction. Ehrlich and Fiscus observe the strike, and Ehrlich complains that he has not operated in many days. Luther and Warren arrive at the Craigs' and, realizing that the job will be more work than expected, decide to "go for the gold" and complete the task. The residents begin to fret that they will be fired if the strike continues, and Miller convinces Manny Schecter to try hypnosis, explaining that it can be used to ease pain with the release of endorphins. A harassed Clarendon arrives late for a meeting and informs Auschlander and Rosenthal that the city has given them 48 hours to settle the strike, and Craig flies into a rage at Luther and Warren's "vandalism" when he sees the extent of their work on his home.
A masked White attacks Martin after one of her sessions with a child, and Manny "kidnaps" Michael and forcibly takes him to see Miller, promising that he will not tell his father about his addiction if he seeks help. Ehrlich and Fiscus find that Jerry needs immediate surgery and realize that they must do it themselves, and when Michael undergoes Miller's meditative therapy, he tearfully admits that he has always had a fear of fire, but cannot quit his job and risk disappointing his father. Daniels and Morrison tend to a badly beaten Martin and Daniels immediately guesses that White is the rapist, though Morrison attempts to defend his friend. Papandrao crosses the picket line when a panicked Fiscus begs for a scrub nurse for Jerry's surgery, and Craig, finding that Warren and Luther have done an excellent job, pays them for the work and uncharacteristically apologizes for his racist assumptions about their inability to do the work. Finding that a kitchen timer has accidentally been sealed into the wall, however, he changes his tune.
Jerry undergoes the surgery as Rosenthal continues haggling with Auschlander for the nurses' demands, and White angrily declares his innocence when Morrison reluctantly questions him about Martin's rape. White swears that he is "putting his life back together," reminding Morrison that he took a risk in covering for Daniels the previous year. Craig is grudgingly impressed with Ehrlich's "dangerous stunt" in operating on Jerry, and Westphall visits Auschlander for an update about the strike, pointing out that the nurses have the right to dictate a certain level of hospital policy. Auschlander, whose immigrant parents benefited greatly from unions, begins to reconsider. Martin confronts Papandrao for "scabbing," though Papandrao argues that she had to cross the line in order to help save a life, and Auschlander finally reaches an accord with Rosenthal and brings an end to the strike, agreeing that they can still be friends despite their long disagreement. Daniels sits by Martin's bedside and apologizes for suggesting that she "provoked" her attacker the first time, but Martin declares that she herself is now "gone." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 24, 1984 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:48:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:66179
- GENRE: Drama, medical
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, medical
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bruce Paltrow … Executive Producer
- Abby Singer … Coordinating Producer
- Mark Tinker … Supervising Producer, Director, Developed by
- John Masius … Producer, Developed by, Writer
- Tom Fontana … Producer, Writer
- Beth Hillshafer … Associate Producer
- Steve Bello … Writer
- John Falsey … Created by
- Joshua Brand … Created by
- J.A.C. Redford … Music by
- Dave Grusin … Theme Music by
- Ed Flanders … Cast, Dr. Donald Westphall
- Norman Lloyd … Cast, Dr. Daniel Auschlander
- Ed Begley Jr. … Cast, Dr. Victor Ehrlich
- Ellen Bry … Cast, Nurse Shirley Daniels
- Stephen Furst … Cast, Dr. Elliot Axelrod
- Mark Harmon … Cast, Dr. Robert Caldwell
- Terence Knox … Cast, Dr. Peter White
- Eric Laneuville … Cast, Luther Hawkins
- Howie Mandel … Cast, Dr. Wayne Fiscus
- David Morse … Cast, Dr. Jack Morrison
- Christina Pickles … Cast, Nurse Helen Rosenthal
- Cynthia Sikes … Cast, Dr. Annie Cavanero
- Denzel Washington … Cast, Dr. Philip Chandler
- William Daniels … Cast, Dr. Mark Craig
- Renée Taylor … Cast, Dr. Charlotte Miller
- Stephen Elliott … Cast, Manny Schecter
- Ernie Hudson … Cast, Jerry Close
- John Hammond … Cast, Michael Duffy
- Bonnie Bartlett … Cast, Ellen Craig
- Herbert Edelman … Cast, Richard Clarendon
- Barbara Whinnery … Cast, Dr. Cathy Martin
- Jennifer Savidge … Cast, Nurse Lucy Papandrao
- Byron Stewart … Cast, Orderly Warren Coolidge
- Florence Halop … Cast, Mrs. Hufnagel
- Sue Giosa … Cast, Technician
- Jim Lefebvre … Cast, Silvio Castelli