St. Elsewhere - Season 1
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Movie Reviews of St. Elsewhere - Season 1
Movie Review: Falters early on, but quickly rises to meet two decades of high praise!
Summary: 5 Stars
Having watched St. Elsewhere when it was originally broadcast, I had been left with memories of a truly high quality series in every regard (acting, writing, and directing). Could it be as good as I had remembered?
The first episode doesn't disappoint, it's a great debut. But then, the writing stalls a bit. A suggestion for new viewers; don't bail out because of the "tweety and ralph" storyline, or because of uneven writing in the beginning few episodes. Once things begin to pick up, St. Elsewhere really does rise to meet the high praise it regularly receives. I'm happy to say that after watching season one, my memories of a "great series" were in fact correct! Truly one of the best of the 80's, and of all time.
I cannot end this review without mentioning the fact that I have never really liked E.R. or Chicago Hope, two series that perhaps owe a great debt to St. Elsewhere. A huge production and "big names" (producers, actors) do not always create a superior product. In fact, the simple low key approach taken by St. Elsewhere is what helps it to rise above the more "produced" efforts on TV.
Give St. Elsewhere a try! Don't give up after just a few episodes, watch the complete first season! I promise, you'll be yelling for the long overdue release of season two!
JM
Movie Review: Series this good still come along...but not often.
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey while in med school (does any one else remember how painful Vince Edward's acting was?). It would be nearly twenty years before another medical series came along that would capture the agnst of that time in my life - and it was St. Elsewhere. Even though it may be a bit dated in some superficial aspects, it holds up very well today. Seeing the ensemble cast again is like visiting family and I'm still amazed at the medical accuracy (not always perfect but pretty close!).
I guess the real test of something like this is how engrossing it can be when we know what the outcome of the story lines will be. Even though I know what will happen to Peter White, watching his downward spiral under the pressures of residency (and, perhaps, basic character flaws) is as fascinating as ever.
Even though there were some cheesy moments (especially later in the series - remember Auschlander as Superman?) it remains, overall, the most satisfying medical series yet - so where is the rest of the series(Chicago Hope was pretty good too - where is it?)?
Movie Review: No where else I would want to be
Summary: 5 Stars
Brand and Falsey found magic in St. Elsewhere, which was arguably the most entertaining medical drama series ever created. I suppose ER fans might argue the point, but this was the show that reinvented the medical drama in much the same way Hill St. Blues reinvented the police drama. The creators fused together a number of idiosyncratic characters into a very appealing set of stories, such as the surfer boy (Ed Beegley Jr.) stuck in a Boston hospital who had to accept the authority of the tough as nails head surgeon (William Daniels), to everybody's favorite cut-up (Howie Mandel). The show launched many careers such as that of Denzel Washington and Mark Harmon, as well as gave well seasoned actors such as Ed Flanders and Norman Lloyd room to showcase their wonderful talents. The cast changed over the six seasons but the show never seemed to lose its edge, as it continued to develop its characters without turning them into caricatures of themselves, which happened with shows like LA Law. Brand and Falsey would go onto create other fine shows like Northern Exposure and I'll Fly Away.Movie Review: a long, long wait
Summary: 5 Stars
Every single medical drama that is on the air today has directly stolen its style and pathos from St. Elsewhere. Gray's Anatomy might be considered a very weak, but updated version of St. Elsewhere. St. Elsewhere set so many standards it wasn't even funny. Always struggling in the ratings and always changing and evolving, the show never settled in one place. Characters came and went, plot lines came back when you least expected them, and experimentation was the rule of the day.
Season one set a style and tone that did not last in the following seasons. Here you see more chit chat and a faster pace (if you can believe it) than seasons 2 on. It's nice to see commentaries and some special features on the DVD vs. just the shows. The quality of the DVD is acceptable but the grain is quite visible especially in the pilot episode and that's discouraging. They could have footed the bill for cleanup.
Movie Review: Great Show
Summary: 5 Stars
I always loved this show, and it was a sad day for me when it ended. It wasn't always possible for me to be home when it was on, and I have missed a few of the shows over the years. I always thought they would put this show on again as Re-Runs, but to date I have never seen this on in my area. I was really glad when I saw that season one had finely been released on DVD, and I can't wait for season two to hit the market along with the other seasons.
What made this show so good was that it wasn't just drama, and not just comedy, but a mix of life as it should be. I have already watched season one twice, and it's so refreshing to be able to see a good show on TV again. After all, I'm tired of watching what's on TV Today, and with 20 minutes of advertisements every hour, and advertisements on the bottom of the screen during the show, it makes TV very hard to watch anymore.