ST. ELSEWHERE: A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN (TV)
Summary
One in this medical drama series set in St. Eligius hospital in Boston. In this episode, Eileen and Fiscus' late-night rendezvous is interrupted by the sudden arrival of his mother, in town after an aunt's death. Craig learns that his artificial heart invention has failed and his bovine "patient" has died, and Westphall happily tells Kiem about his success in finding money to fund the AIDS clinic, though she warns him that Gideon is still against the idea. Griffin dodges a meeting with the lover of his patient Brett Johnston and visits Mr. Druzwicki, telling him that he can soon leave. Druzwicki seems concerned with his roommate, however, whom he says never has visitors. Craig visits Auschlander and explains about the "Craig 9000," and they also discuss Craig's split with Ellen and Auschlander's illness, which he feels is causing him to be phased out of his job. Hawkins is surprised when a male patient arrives and declares that he is pregnant, and though Axelrod is dismissive and wants to send the man to the psych ward, Hawkins decides to run tests. Westphall appeals to Gideon about the clinic, explaining that it will cost him nothing, but Gideon still refuses, saying that he wants to "narrow the focus" of the hospital and that the hospice will take too much time and effort to run.
Novino invites Wade to a potluck dinner, and Griffin asks if he can move in with Novino and Chandler on a temporary basis. He then meets with his AIDS patient Johnston, who declares that he has given up men and will not die of his disease, but he breaks down when Griffin informs him that his T-cells are perilously low. Mrs. Fiscus arrives at the hospital and meets Chandler, who takes her to her son, but she is dismayed when she observes him acting brusque with his patients. Westphall seeks out Collins and makes his plea for the clinic, citing the need for compassion and saying the hospital is becoming an "autoteller," but Collins informs him that he is only a "charity case" himself and fires him. During rounds, Johnston's partner O'Casey finally tracks down Griffin and demands to be involved with his case, but Griffin points out that he has no legal right to help make decisions for Johnston. Craig demands that Westphall apologize and get his job back, but he refuses and they debate the matter, with Craig realizing that Westphall is relieved to be leaving and only stayed out of loyalty to his mentor, Father McCabe. He tells Westphall that owes it to himself to leave, but that he will miss his closest friend.
At lunch, Chandler fills the others in on the developments with Westphall, and Mrs. Fiscus tells an embarrassing story about her son, causing him to snap at her. Wade invites a brooding Craig to dinner, but he refuses, and Hawkins and Morrison are baffled when the male patient's tests come back stating that he is indeed pregnant. His wife arrives and explains that he is a teacher and served in Vietnam, and she also shows symptoms of some kind of illness. Rosenthal organizes a meeting and suggests that everyone strike in protest of Westphall's firing, but he arrives and tells them not to do anything extreme, remembering a lesson from his friend McCabe and urging them all to remain good, compassionate doctors. At the potluck dinner, Griffin arrives and Novino lectures him for not sharing Westphall's integrity and care for patients, and Westphall goes to visit Auschlander, who at first refuses to accept his departure. Westphall explains that he is tired, however, and wants some peace in his life, and the two share a heartfelt farewell. Morrison explains to the man and his wife that they both have carbon monoxide poisoning, which imitates the symptoms of pregnancy, but the man refuses to believe it and then goes into "labor," and Hawkins and Morrison encourage the fantasy, much to Kiem's confusion. The man then deliriously confesses to shooting a child during the war, and Kiem comforts him, "delivering" him of his longtime guilt. Fiscus apologizes to his mother, and she assures him that she wants him to be happy and settle down with someone, as he still needs some looking after. He then finds Wade still in his apartment, and she explains that she cannot sleep in her overcrowded home. He invites her to stay with him, but after musing over the "seductive" nature of grief, she declines. Gideon summons Westphall and offers to talk to Collins for him, implying that he will have to "toe the line" if he is reinstated in his job, and Westphall gives him a memorably vulgar brush-off as he leaves St. Eligius for good. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: September 30, 1987 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:14439
- GENRE: Drama, medical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, medical; African-American Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bruce Paltrow … Executive Producer
- Mark Tinker … Executive Producer, Director, Developed by
- Abby Singer … Coordinating Producer
- Channing Gibson … Producer, Writer
- John Tinker … Producer, Writer
- Steven Milkis … Associate Producer
- John Masius … Developed by
- Joshua Brand … Created by
- John Falsey … Created by
- Tom Fontana … Writer
- J.A.C. Redford … Music by
- Dave Grusin … Theme Music by
- Ed Flanders … Cast, Dr. Donald Westphall
- Norman Lloyd … Cast, Dr. Daniel Auschlander
- Ronny Cox … Cast, Dr. John Gideon
- Bonnie Bartlett … Cast, Ellen Craig
- Ed Begley Jr. … Cast, Dr. Victor Ehrlich
- Stephen Furst … Cast, Dr. Elliot Axelrod
- Bruce Greenwood … Cast, Dr. Seth Griffin
- Eric Laneuville … Cast, Luther Hawkins
- Sagan Lewis … Cast, Dr. Jacqueline Wade
- David Morse … Cast, Dr. Jack Morrison
- Howie Mandel … Cast, Dr. Wayne Fiscus
- France Nuyen … Cast, Dr. Paulette Kiem
- Cindy Pickett … Cast, Dr. Carol Novino
- Christina Pickles … Cast, Nurse Helen Rosenthal
- Jennifer Savidge … Cast, Nurse Lucy Papandrao
- Denzel Washington … Cast, Dr. Philip Chandler
- William Daniels … Cast, Dr. Mark Craig
- Lainie Kazan … Cast, Mrs. Fiscus
- Richard Kline … Cast, Michael
- Kyle Secor … Cast, Brett Johnston
- John Scott Clough … Cast, Kevin O'Casey
- Dennis Patrick … Cast, Mr. Collins
- Deborah Harmon … Cast, Sally
- Tracy Shaeffer … Cast, Eileen Newman
- Gregg Berger … Cast, Dr. Van Werner
- Bill Zuckert … Cast, Len Druzwicki
- Bert Conway … Cast, Old Man