St. Elsewhere - Season 1
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Movie Reviews of St. Elsewhere - Season 1
Movie Review: The Return of St. Eligius Hospital
Summary: 5 Stars
A number of years ago I wrote an Amazon review of the box VHS set, "The Best of St. Elsewhere." In that videotape collection all of the contemporary or period music had been replaced by an awful, high-static overdub of generic, muzak-style tunes. Obviously rights for all of the popular and pre-recorded songs could not be obtained and the set was released anyway. Only the theme song and background score composed specifically for the show remained as originally intended. Unfortunately, the new dubbing ruined many of the best episodes and even the actors' original dialogue tracks were barely audible over the `new' score.
[UPDATE: I have purchased the DVD since writing this review several weeks ago. Fox Home Entertainment has done a terrific job with the extras and remastering. Producer/co-creator/director Mark Tinker mentions in the audio commentary for the 'Cora & Arnie' episode that even at the time of production they frequently had to use very convincing 'sound-alikes' for period music because the original artists' recordings were prohibitively expensive. The one exception to this was the ZZ Top song 'Legs,' which the producers did buy and may be heard in a later episode/season. Despite this, the earlier VHS collection I referenced still has terrible overdubs and does not contain the original broadcast selections - sound-alike or not. I am happy to report that at least for the Season 1 DVD all of the original music seems to be intact.]
I am very glad that the series is at long last being released on DVD, but am wondering if the music rights were ever obtained. This issue has held up many other releases, most notably `Miami Vice,' which was scored almost entirely with hit songs from the 80s.
I will purchase the first season and hope for the best. If you are just coming to `St. Elsewhere' you are in for a wonderful treat. TV Guide once named it the best drama series of all time. Despite its relatively low ratings it was beloved by critics and boasted a loyal fan base. The writing has yet to be matched anywhere and the ensemble (consisting mostly of acclaimed stage actors) rounds out one of the largest and most versatile casts ever assembled for television.
No series has ever matched St. Elsewhere and I don't think anything ever will - it will make you laugh; it will make you cry; it will show you how great television can be. Hooray for this release!
Movie Review: One of the best shows EVER!
Summary: 5 Stars
It's hard to say how well this show will stand up to the test of time. It's been a long time since I've seen an episode, and I know that dramas in particular don't always hold up well a generation later. I LOVE LUCY, MASH, THE HONEYMOONERS can still make us laugh and appreciate their brilliance. Dramas like HILL STREET BLUES often are more nostalgic than actually still engrossing.
I have high hopes for ST. ELSEWHERE because 1) it was head and shoulders above the rest when it aired, 2) it had a brilliant cast...and not just Denzel Washington, David Morse or Alfre Woodard (who all went on to more famous film careers), but pretty much every other person in the show was at the top of their games.
I remember how cutting-edge they were, particularly in dealing with AIDS. First regular TV show I can remember where a patient had AIDS. And I remember how freaked out everyone was by him. First show in which a major character (Mark Hamill) died from AIDS. And remember how there was a rapist running around the hospital as well? And remember that it turned out to be a major character? Not many shows will go down that road today.
I remember lots of humor, and lots of pathos. I'm sure it doesn't have the blinding pace of ER...but ER would not have existed without ST. ELSEWHERE. (And ER's pace isn't always a good thing...sometimes I can't understand what everyone is saying on that show!) But it told interesting stories, and it had recurring characters you CARED about. In so many dramas with large casts today...you don't find yourself investing much concern in what happens to the characters...you're just trying to keep up with them all. ST. ELSEWHERE managed to juggle so many people, and yet they were all flesh and blood. This was due to great writing, cutting edge topics and BRILLIANT ACTING.
So I'll be placing my order for this trip down memory lane. With all the lousy shows that have been released on DVD...it's more than high time to visit St. Eligius!!
Movie Review: Pleasantly Surprised!
Summary: 5 Stars
Just got finished with the first half of St. Elsewhere and I have to say now I understand all the hoopla surrounding it. I was just a kid when this first aired and I missed all the episodes, but can remember the familiar opening soundtrack when my parents used to turn it on. Now I'm playing catch up. Having watched ER faithfully over the years, I thought I would be disappointed by such an outdated medical drama. But I was wrong. After the first episode, I was hooked. It was a refreshing change to the graphic and violent shows on the tube today. The acting is top notch not to mention fun to watch, Denzel and Howie before they became household names and story lines are revelant and just as gripping as those on ER. I especially like the Dr. Morrison character who reminds me of Dr. Green on the latter, the compassionate and steadfast doctor who puts his patients first. It's comparable to ER's portrayal of harried residents who don't get much sleep and have to choose between work and family, much like the Dr. White character who loses his marriage and nearly his soul to his work. I also got a kick out of all the technology available at the time: cluncky computer terminals, enormous EKG machines,the procedures, and all the 80s hair, music, and clothes. Much of what goes on in hospitals isn't sugarcoated here, the episode where Dr. White lies to a grieving family to obtain a needless autopsy tore at me, especially when he says to his boss, "I just raped that family," is heartrending not to mention shocking. Many episodes are laced with black humor but nothing profane or offensive. It's a quality show that deserved the praise it garnered and it's certainly a trip down memory lane to the days when NBC actually aired great shows worth watching. It's a testement to Brandon Tartikoff who greenlighted such programming..when he died it all went straight to hell...can hardly wait till the second season...Movie Review: Bring on Season Two!
Summary: 5 Stars
The only medical drama that holds up to today's standards, I believe, St. Elsewhere has what ER (another favorite of mine) lacks...humor, real personal stories outside the hospital, and continuity of plot, with ongoing stories that may range over 2 episodes. I watched St. Elsewhere growing up and so am very excited to see the release, but I truly hope they release all of the seasons, as it only gets better.
I stopped watching ER when they failed to resolve certain plot points over a few years and for the utterly ridiculous plot they concocted to kill off Dr. Romano!
Fans of ER who haven't seen St. Elsewhere might find it somewhat slow paced (especially during the emergency scenes...then it seems very slow), but what it lacks in this excitement is made up for in great story development, some good dark humor mixed in and a large and tremendously talented cast. Note a young Denzel Washington as one of the doctors, Howie Mandel (when he still had hair and was doing stand-up) is very funny as Dr. Fiscus,
Dr. Craig, the obnoxious and hugely intolerant surgeon with the stereotypical big ego, was one of my favorites and in re-viewing the show, William Daniels' portrayal of the role is fantastically funny. This stereotype re-emerged in ER as the caustic Dr. Romano, who I also couldn't get enough of.
It would take another paragraph to comment on the great other main character performances, but the role that Ed Flanders plays as Dr. Westphall is outstanding, very understated and yet very deep. The women doctors on the show deal with sexism and the juggling of career vs. mother which was, and still is, so typical of the times.
In order to see the kudos this show has received in the past and after it went off the air, you just have to look at the Wikipedia entry to see it was, and I think still is, very highly regarded.
Can't wait for Seasons 2-6!
Movie Review: It Was Worth Waiting For
Summary: 5 Stars
St. Elsewhere was probably my favorite TV show in the 1980s. Each year, when low ratings placed it at risk of cancellation, I waited anxiously to see if the network would renew the show just because they liked it--which, as I recall, happened once or twice.
But when the axe finally fell, I used to hope that I would see reruns on obscure cable channels. This rarely occurred. And so I waited until they decided to release it as a DVD.
Now they have. And it was worth waiting for.
It is remarkable how many then-edgy issues showed up on St. Elsewhere from day one: mental illness, breast cancer, the alienation of physicians, you name it. It is also astonishing how politically incorrect it was. For example, from the first moments of the first episode, we meet Dr. MArk Craig, chief of surgery, a martinet and a big-time bigot. The racist comments he makes to his Indian anesthesiologist are enough to make you blush.
But the greatest joy is to see the original cast. What a group! This was the launch pad for Denzel Washington's career; and you can see how, even then, he exuded an intensity that was remarkable for such a young actor. Then there was Howie Mandel, a lovable clown then, and a lovable clown now.
Among the interns who were the focus of the first season, there was a big emphasis on Jack Morrison, played by David Morse. What timing! If you happen to watch House these days, you can see an older Morse playing a detective--who is bound and determined to bring a doctor to justice!
This was a great show, and this DVD set is priceless. I only hope it does well enough to warrant their coming out with the later seasons.