St. Elsewhere (TV series)
"St. Elsewhere" is a critically acclaimed ensemble drama that aired from 1982 to 1988, notable for its complex storytelling and character development. Set in the fictional St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, the series follows a diverse cast of medical professionals, including veteran physicians Dr. Donald Westphall, Dr. Mark Craig, and Dr. Daniel Auschlander. The show tackled a range of sensitive medical issues, such as impotence, addiction, and was the first prime-time drama to feature an AIDS patient, reflecting its commitment to addressing topics often considered taboo.
With a unique blend of dark humor and surreal elements, "St. Elsewhere" explored ethical dilemmas faced by its characters, making it both thought-provoking and entertaining. Its influence on television is significant, having launched the careers of many actors and writers, including Mark Harmon and Denzel Washington. Despite struggling with ratings, the show garnered critical acclaim, winning 13 Emmy Awards during its run. The series concluded with a groundbreaking finale that recontextualized the entire narrative as a fantasy within the mind of an autistic child, leaving a lasting impact on the medium of television.
On this Page
St. Elsewhere (TV series)
Identification Television drama series
Date Aired from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988
Unlike some previous medical shows that centered on patients, St. Elsewhere focused on doctors and nurses, who were portrayed as flawed and fallible. One of the major ensemble dramas of the decade, the show often emphasized the medical professionals’ career and personal problems and portrayed the workplace as a surrogate family.
Much like Hill Street Blues (1981-1987), St. Elsewhere was an ensemble drama with a large cast. There were often four story lines in an episode, and some plots and subplots continued through several episodes. The show treated medical ailments not generally discussed on television or even “polite” society, such as impotence and addiction. In December, 1983, it became the first prime-time drama to focus on an AIDS patient.
The primary characters, each of whom functioned in various ways as a role model, were three veteran physicians: Dr. Donald Westphall, played by Ed Flanders; Dr. Mark Craig, played by William Daniels; and Dr. Daniel Auschlander, played by Norman Lloyd. The show featured a dozen more central characters, including nurses, first- and second-year residents, and other hospital staff. Additional characters for each episode, some of whom were recurring, were often played by actors celebrated for their work in film and television.St. Elsewhere began the careers of many major television and film actors and writers. Actors Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel, and Alfre Woodard went on to success in film and television, and both Denzel Washington and Helen Hunt won Academy Awards. Viewers were attracted to the realism of the show, set at a deteriorating hospital, St. Eligius, in Boston. Compelling plots often explored ethical dilemmas. The series was also characterized by dark humor that mixed the real with the surreal—and by a series of in-jokes and puns. In 1993, the editors of TV Guide named St. Elsewhere the best drama of all time.
Impact
St. Elsewhere had the good fortune to be produced at a time when networks were beginning to care as much about the demographics of their viewship as they did about sheer numbers. The advent of cable television and narrowcasting, in addition to more sophisticated audience analysis techniques, made targeted audiences with expensive tastes and disposable income desirable. The series had dismal ratings: It finished its first season ranked eighty-sixth out of ninety-eight prime-time shows. However, critics recognized the superior quality of its writing and acting, and it was renewed for a second season based on the fact that its viewship was composed disproportionately of yuppies. In addition to its quality, St. Elsewhere’s focus on the personal problems of the hospital staff appealed to the so-called me generation.
Over its six years, the show won thirteen Emmy Awards but never reached higher than forty-ninth place out of about one hundred shows in the Nielson ratings; it did, however, make a lot of money for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Advertisers seeking to reach wealthy baby boomers paid top dollar to air commercials during St. Elsewhere’s time slot. The final episode of St. Elsewhere, titled “The Last One,” portrayed the entire six-year series as a fantasy, existing only in the imagination of an autistic child. This playful vision of television “reality” made media history.
Bibliography
Thompson, Robert J. Television’s Second Golden Age . New York: Continuum, 1996.
Turow, Joseph. Playing Doctor: Television, Storytelling, and Medical Power. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.