Conference ljsrv1::tv_chatter

I like the show quite a bit as well. But like David Kelly's other series,
"Picket Fences" (my favorite still-on-the-air drama) the writing sometimes
tends to put a bit of too fine a point on moral issues.


Randy

    Re: .0
    
    I believe the lawyer was the human bad guy in _Ghostbusters 2_.

    Chicago Hope is going to be on Sunday night at 8:00. 
    They want to test it at that time slot to see if it
    will do better in the ratings.  It's also going to be
    on Thursday too.  I think that all they need is a strong
    lead in show and then you will see this show take off.
    It was number 31 last week.  No new show is going to beat
    out Seinfield,not even ER if it were up against it in that
    time slot.
    
    Renee 

    Sunday at 8pm strikes me as too early for this kind of show (all the
    "gross" pictures of throbbing, exposed hearts and surgical tooks
    picking gently at people's brains isn't quite for the "Murder She
    Wrote" crowd, I don't think :).
    
    It's a 9pm kinda show, I think. Of course, I'm not an network
    programming exec, nor do I play one on TV, but....
    
    The show just needs to fine a spot with a good lead-in and for the
    networks to be patient (no pun intended).  If they keep moving it,
    people will get frustrated and tune out.  In this day and age of having
    so many things to chose from, the networks shouldn't expect things to
    catch on like wildfire (it happens, but not often) after a month of
    viewing.  Put it in a slot (preferably without a more energetic clone
    to compete with), leave it for the season, hype it as is fit and wait.  
    
    Chicago Hope is a quieter, more dramatic show than ER.  Up against ER,
    people would tune to the more frenetic one.  (It would also help if
    Hope had something other than lily-white supersurgeons to care about --
    ER has a wide variety of characters and one is bound to "click" with a
    viewer, establishing a desire by the viewer to see what happens to
    him.  Just my opinion.)
    
    Anyway, number 31 in the ratings doesn't seem that bad, given the
    competition.  
    
    cheers,
    
    kim

    Chicago Hope was ranked number 11 last week when they 
    put it in Sundays line up.  This could be the perfect
    slot for this show. 
    
    Renee

    I watched CH for the first time Sunday night. It's a welcome change
    from "murder she wrote" for the past 7 years. I'd become a follower
    of CH if it stayed on Sundays. That's the only night I regurlarly watch
    the tube.  
    
    Kath

    could someone please tell me who played Karen Antonovich?  She looks
    very familiar.  And of course, now she's off the show, as of last
    night...
    
    thanks.
    
    sandy

    Margaret Colin, I believe the name was.  She's been on a few
    short-lived series and had some guest appearances.

    
    	She was Foley on "Foley's Place" [TV].
    
    	She played the wife of the neighbor in "Amos and Andrew" [movie].
    
    							GTI
    

    She also spent years playing Margo on As the World Turns. 
    
    Linda

    I thought last nights show was really good.  I also thought it was
    rather sad the way Dr. Antonavich ended up.  I was surprised
    that Dr. Walters was the one to end her life,but I was gald
    that he did.  I think that judge is rather a pain in the 
    neck and kinda strange.  Is that plastic surgeon going to 
    be Mandy Patinkin's love interest?
    
    The doctors on Chicago Hope are going to be crossing
    over to Picket Fences tonight because that old lawyer
    is going to have a heart attack.
    
    Renee

    If somebody could summarize last night's ep. I'd appreciate it.  Taped
    the wrong thing on the wrong channel at the wrong time. :)
    
    
    kim

    I only caught the last half, but I'll try.
    
    
    
    
    	Dr. Karen Antonivitch is technically brain dead. She's on a
    morphine drip for pain. I guess the doctor she'd been seeing ( I can't
    remember all the names yet) wants to up the drip to let her die
    peacefully. She is staying alive without life support. He goes to court
    with the hospital lawyer and they end up before that weird judge. He
    won't let them do it. The HMO guy even pleads to let them do it, but
    the judge says no and makes the HMO guy tell the court "I am a toad".
    There's a new young nurse on the show. She played the red-headed
    student nurse on Doogie Howser that he dated for a bit. Anyways,
    she's got some thing going with an intern, but I didn't get much of
    this. She found Dr. A. dead. The chief of staff calls into his office
    the doctor (Adam Arkin), his ex-wife nurse, the young nurse and her
    supervisor to give them a lecture on he better not find out that
    someone upped the drip on Karen. He threatened with an autopsy and
    stuff and then let them go. Later the doctor (A.A.) was saying goodbye
    to Karen before the body bag was closed and they took her away. Then
    the chief of staff comes in and they talk a bit. The doctor says he
    didn't do it. The chief of staff says something about it was her time
    to go in peace. I can't remember his exact workds, but the doctor
    realized that the chief was the one who upped the drip.
    
    The other storyline involved the other doctor (Mandy Patankin) and a
    cosmetic surgeon (possible interest for Mandy???). She had a young
    Indian girl with a cleft lip that she was going to perform plastic
    surgery on. She also had some other problem with her veins leaking??
    Mandy was performing surgery on the girl's heart aorta/veins and she
    was loosing more blood than they were pumping into her. They opend her
    abdomin and found that the aorta down there was bleeding into her
    abdominal cavity (kinda gross here with squirting blood and stuff).
    They couldn't save her. Mandy described the girl's aorto as being the
    consitency of wet tissue paper. They told the mother of the girl that
    she had died. The mother thanked Mandy for at least letting the girl
    die with a proper smile on her face and asks to see her. It turns out
    that she didn't realize that the cosmetic surgery hadn't been done.
    Mandy told the cosmetic surgeon that she would have to explain this
    to the mother. Instead the surgeon went and performed the surgery on
    the dead girl, Mandy ended up helping her and the mother was very
    grateful. It seems they were from a village where birth defects were
    considered evil and if she had died with the cleft lip she would not
    go to heaven.
    
    Well, that was about it. Sorry I ended up being so long winded.
    
    Patty

     re .13
    
    Don't apologize for being long-winded, it's better to have detail. :)
    
    
    Thanks!
    
    kim

  According to the Boston Globe, Chicago Hope will be moving again to Monday
night at 10PM in Northern Exposure's spot.

  No word yet on where NE will go.

  George

    I guess the network figures that Murphy Brown and Love and War
    are two good lead in shows.  I wish they would have moved it to
    Sunday in Murder She Wrote's spot.
    
    Renee

    I have become quite the fan of this show.  Arkin and Patinkin are
    wonderful, as is the attorney (who by the way .1 played Stingo in
    Sophie's Choice with Meryl Streep and Kevin Klein in the early
    eighties).  It is intelligent, dramatic and touching.  I don't get to
    watch TV like I used to, but this is one show I wouldn't mind finding
    time for.
    
    MJ

    Once again, a great episode last night.  I'm falling in love with this
    show!  
    
    MJ

    	 I didn't see last weeks show because I was on vacation
    can someone please tell me how the lawyer got the baby. 
    Also does anyone know how they  are doing in the ratings 
    since they moved?  I really love this show,it just keeps
    getting better each week.
    
    Renee

Peter MacNichol (have I got this right? the "eel" lawyer) really had a great 
performance last night.  And I loved the Fyvush Finkel guest appearance 
crossover from Picket Fences.

    The Eel got the baby when...
    
    An unwed 15 year old girl checks into the hospital to give birth.  In
    am moment of weakness, Eel promises her he'll find adoptive parents for
    the infant once he/she is born.  He does, but then they fall through. 
    The girl is horribly upset (and in labor).  Then Patinkin's character
    (I still don't have the names down) discovers that the unborn child has
    a hole in it's heart, poor thing.  Adam Arkin and his on-again wife
    consider taking the child, but decide against it.  The baby has to be
    taken via cesarian...The Eel is there, holding the mother's hand.  When
    it's all over he finds himself in the infant ICU feeding the baby girl
    and discovers that he adores her.  He decided to adopt her himself.  It
    was a wonderful episode...I'm sorry you missed it.
    
    MJ

    MJ - Thanks for the update it sounds like I missed a really
    good one.  	I have to catch it when it comes on again.
    
    Renee
    

The writing in last nights episode reminded me of "Pickett Fences" more than
anything previous. It had the same mix of drama, humor, and weirdness. I hope
David Kelly signs a deal similar to Stephen Boccho's to create several series.
I think he's even more consistent than Boccho in creating quality television.



Randy

    Great show last night.  I was just going to write the same thing, that
    it's been reminding me more and more of Pickett Fences, especially last
    night's episode.
    
    I saw a piece on last night's news about David Kelly.  He went to
    Belmont High in Massachusetts and studyed law at BU.    
    
    Cheryl

    I haven't seen E.G. Marshall on the last three shows
    and he's not in the credits anymore when did he quit
    the show.                      
    
    I liked the date scene with Mandy Patinkin and the women 
    doctor I thought it was funny.
    
    Renee

    Agh!  I missed the episode on the 20th.  Can any one provide an
    synopsis?
    
    Much obliged...
    
    MJ

    I need to ask about last night's show since I missed the very
    beginning:
    
    Behind spoiler:
    
    
    
    
    What was Camille's relationship with the couple?  Also, what happened
    to Camille?  Did she have a miscarriage or an abortion.  Thanks.
    
    Cheryl

    I missed the first five minutes, too!!!  Someone, please respond!!!
    
    MJ

    Please -- can someone fill me on on last night's show?  I got a phone
    call about 20 minutes into the show, and didn't think fast enough to
    set the vcr.  I was watching it, and saw that Mandy Patinkin's
    character looked like he had a total breakdown, and that surgery for
    the AIDS patient happened, but I didn't hear any of the dialog.
    
    
    or...
    
    If  someone taped it and is willing to interoffice it to me (I'm at
    LJO2/I4, littleton,mass] I'd really appreciate it.
    
    thanks.
    
    sandy haber

    Sandy,
        I taped the show and I'll be more than happy to let you
    borrow it.  I'll send it off tomorrow.  It was a great show.
    
    Renee

    re:-1 -- thanks!  i'll look for it.
    
    sandy

    I thought the season finale was self-indulgent mawk. 
    
    At the beginning of the season I thought ER was helter-skelter, with
    too many interchangeable characters and crises. But they did a nice job
    during the season to develop their characters. The finale in
    particular brought a lot of threads together. 
    
    Chicago Hope on the other hand is paying too much attention to the
    mental state of too few characters.  I just don't care that much about
    the prima donna Dr Geiger's inner turmoil. They need to restrain
    Patinkin's theatrical tendency to overact, so that even the people in
    the cheap seats can see that he's crying. The show needs to open up and
    focus more on other characters.
    
    Anyway Patinkin is apparently trying to get out of his contract so they
    may not have a choice. He lives in NY and the strain of commuting to LA
    to shoot this show is too much on his family. Maybe if he's gone
    they'll take the opportunity to broaden the scope of the show.
                      
                                                                  

    Chicago Hope's season finale is tonight.
    As far as Patinkin leaving the show I hope that doesn't 
    happen.  I think he's a great actor.
    
    Renee

    Oh good, then they have a chance to redeem themselves for last week. 
    
    I wonder what happened to E.G. Marshall's character.  He vanished after
    the heart surgery episode. He provided useful perspective at first, to
    offset the world-revolves-around-us attitude of the young doctors, but
    was reduced later to a doddering elderly joke before being dumped
    altogether. 
    
    A review in the Wall St Journal said they probably yanked him in favor
    of studly Doctor Chainsaw, tilting younger to improve the demographics.
    Too bad, I liked him. Maybe he'll be back in the finale. 

  Early on I got beat up for saying I didn't like this show when I'd only seen
a few minutes in the middle of one episode. Fair criticism, I should have
watched an entire show. So I did. 

  I saw the one where several doctors were quarantined and E.G. Marshall's
character had to have the operation and now I can say without qualification
that I really dislike this show. 

  Granted they do a fine job of showing what it would be like to work in a
hospital when a bunch of miserable human beings obsessed with petty jealousies
but one show of that was all I could take. I couldn't imagine putting myself
through watching this every week. By comparison, ER proves every week that it
is one of the finest dramatic series ever written. 

  This show needs a writers transplant,
  George

    In all fairness to the show, the one where they were quarantined was,
    in my opinion, the worst episode I'd seen.  A lot of people like it, I
    find it terribly overdone, unbelievable and riddled with inane dialog.
    Certainly not the best moment to impress someone with the series.
    
    Last night was better, but yes, CH tends to be rather melodramatic.  I
    still watch it if I happen to be home, but it certainly doesn't grab
    me. 
    
    I thought it would have been better drama if the finale had ended in
    the opposite way which it did, despite all the pretty speeches.  That
    would give 'em something to do next season that was worth doing.  
    
    
    kim

I liked the hospital lawyer's reaction throughout (to not being selected as 
primary defense), and I thought the scene where he cross-examined Dr. Infante 
was delicate and well done.  He managed to throw a shadow on her testimony 
without killing her in the process.

    Could some please enter a brief overview of the season's last show as
    my tape ran out just after the opening few minutes.  Where did E.G.
    Marshall disappear to, was that cleared up and I missed it in an
    episode?
    
    Thanks,
    Marie

    Mandy Patinkin received a emmy nomination yesterday 
    for best actor in a drama series.
    
    Hector Eliazondo received a emmy nomination for
    best supporting actor in a drama series.
    
    I was disappointed that Peter Macnail (sp) the lawyer
    did not get nominated.  I think he's such a good
    actor.
    Chicago Hope also got nominated for best drama series.
    
    I hope Mandy and Hector win.  I would love to see this
    show walk away with an emmy for best drama series.
    
    Renee
    
    

    
    >I hope Mandy and Hector win.  I would love to see this
    >show walk away with an emmy for best drama series.
    
    
    	"ER" will probably win that award.  8^)
    

    
    Nope, X-Files is winning!
    
    (but I'd rather see Chicago Hope over ER, if that's the choice)
    
    - Sean

    Mandy Patinkin will be in eight episodes in the new season, then will
    be gone. Christine Lahti will join the cast as a cardiologist, to
    replace Patinkin.
    
    Forget where I read this, Boston Globe maybe.
    

    IMO Christine Lahti is a talented actress who tends to be overlooked. 
    This will be interesting...

    Does anyone know how they are going to write Mandy Patinkin
    out of the series.  It's to bad that he's leaving I really
    enjoyed watching him.   
    
    Renee
    

If the episode I missed on 9/18 was the season opener, as I suspect, could 
someone provide a synopsis?  Some of the changes in the 9/25 episode were 
a bit abupt!

Wow!!!!

     You beat me to it.... WOW was my exact reaction as well.  
    
    what a way to go.  and what a [sad] surprise too.
    
    sandy

    Last night was one of the saddest things I've ever watched on a tv
    show.  I was totally shocked and sad to see Alan go.  This is really a
    great show.
    
    Carol
    

    Geez, I was hoping that Alan'd get fed up and leave for private
    practice - specializing in malpractice! That way, he could come back
    from time to time. I never thought it would go the way it did. It was
    one of the best hours ever shown on tv.

    I agree that last nights show was the best I have seen
    in a long time.  I did cry when Alan died.  I was hoping
    that they would pull a miracle and have him live.
    What a great swan song for Mandy Patinkin.  I just can't
    imagine Chicago Hope without the Ell.
    
    Renee

    
    	Well, I guess I don't have to watch THIS episode to know how it
    	ends.
    

    Yeah well I still want to know what ever happened to E.G. Marshall.
    
    Not a dry eye in the hoose alright. And young Dr. Just Die sure is
    cute when she's mad. It's that hint of an overbite I think.
    

    
    I have to agree with all the comments about this week's episode. I'm
    not one for network television, but medical shows have always been my
    vice. I thought the ER episode last week was great, but for drama and
    emotion, last night's Chicago Hope was one of the more riveting hours
    I can remember while sitting in front of a television. 
    
    The scene of Gieger on the operating room floor collapsed and weeping 
    into the arms of one of the younger docs was powerful to say the least, 
    especially in contrast to his brash excitement at the beginning of the
    episode over being named the top cardiac/thoracic surgeon in the
    country. Or the scenes of wishful (and actual) vengeance on the part of 
    the woman doc who witnessed Alan's shooting. I guess the only scene I 
    thought to be a little contrived was the farewell scene at the mortuary. 
    
    For me, Chicago Hope really turns on the performances of Mandy Patinkin
    and Peter MacNeil, so I can't even imagine CH without them. However,
    I'm fully involved in it at this point so I'll continue to watch.
    
    At any rate, a truly great episode last night.             
    
    --Leo

    re: .52
    
    Shawn, don't read .50 and .51 if you haven't seen it yet. It might
    spoil it for you a little.

    
    	I was just giving you a hard time ... I don't watch this show
    	anyways.
    

    That's okay - I was just needling you a little as well. 8-)

	this show continues to amaze......they have not missed a
	beat moving on after patinkin and mnnichol......

	"mr. malzone, would you like to hear your wife's heart?"

	I know I've said it before but........WOW!!!


	joe

I am really getting tired of their trashing Psychiatrists.

Note:  I dislike psychiatrists.  I have no use for them.  But..

Psychiatrists are the low end of the MD totem pole, so I guess it's not too
surprising that a show about MDs continues in the tradition that's been
established by the profession itself.

Even still, I get so tired of the "Crazy Psychiatrist" story line that
seems to keep popping up both on this show and other hospital shows.  (Yes,
I know we just went through a "Crazy Surgeon" story line, but we certainly
have an abundance of non-crazy surgeons on the show to balance that.  I
can't remember the last time we say a psychiatrist portrayed in a
sympathetic light on that show.)

    Can someone please fill me in on the last 15 min.
    my tape ran out. How did the show end.
    
    Thanks,
    Renee

    
    	Not sure where you saw it to, but , 
    
    	Kid  with OCD will get operation.
    
    
    	Teenage boy with heart disease has operation and survives, but is
    really depressed that lady doctor rejects him.
    
    	Cronk's girl/boyfriend must give up hormones and relizes that
    she/he will not be able to be either man or woman and commits suicide
    in the hospital.
    
    
    ed

    >>	Kid  with OCD will get operation.
    
    Will NOT get operation, you mean.  Right?
    
    >>  Cronk's girl/boyfriend must give up hormones and relizes that
    >>  she/he will not be able to be either man or woman and commits suicide
    >>  in the hospital.
    
    ... and Cronk responds by skating around ice rink like a maniac,
    finally stopping and issuing Klingon-like howl to end the show.
    

   >> Will NOT get operation, you mean.  Right?


      I think that is WILL, as Phillip "over-rode" the
      ethics committee and is going to allow it.....
      

    Aye, I forgot that part.

    Thanks for the info.
    
    Renee

    Dr. Sensitive Hockey Goon and Dr. Cute Overbite, what a terrific
    couple. And such lovely names! Right out of a Slovakian tractor
    factory. They should marry and have fifteen children. Alas the rule of
    TV romance sez they'll probably split up in another episode or two,
    maybe due to the suit against Austin.
    
    Getting rid of Patinkin was a great idea, this show is way better off
    without him. I don't think they miss Peter MacNichol much either. It is
    better balanced and the remaining characters now have breathing room.

Getting rid of Patinkin got rid of about 1/3 of the decent scenery in the
show, leaving only Dr. Schuthead and Dr. Cute Overbite.  Dr. Bix woulda
been ok, too, if they'd refrained from trotting the crazy mental health
care worker plot out still one more time.

	don't write off Dr. Geiger yet....he's coming back for
	2 or 3 more episodes this year....