ER, Becker and Other Medical Shows To Make You Feel Good
Diagnosis Murder courtesy Paramount, St. Elsewhere courtesy 20th Century Fox, ER by Paul Drinkwater/NBC
Wanna play doctor?
'Cause a whole bunch of our TV favorites have and scored big time. On screen, of course. And seeing how I have seen way too many doctors in the last week - two friends had babies and I had a checkup all within four days - I decided that it was the perfect time to examine some of the best medical shows on DVD. So turn your head, cough and please find someone to call me in the morning!
Becker - Before Ted Danson got his creep on for
Damages, he was a nasty Harvard-educated
House in the Bronx from '98 to '04 in this surprisingly tart CBS comedy. A merciful far cry from the Tiffany network's insult-coms of the last few years, the first season is finally available and totally worth the coin. To sweeten the deal, I'll just add that
Star Trek deliciousness Terry Farrell is on deck as the diner boss who wants to both fork Dr. Jerk and do something to him that sort of sounds like fork. Got it? Good.
Buy Becker on Amazon.com
ER - Does it feel like this show has been on for like 43 years? I swear, NBC would be nuts to lose this one (and thank god that Stamos spin-off was just a horrific rumor), since it's still appointment TV for a ton of folks. And no wonder! Just a peek at the Complete Eight Season that came out in January, I was sucked in and lost maybe 16 hours one weekend. Abby's drinking, Susan's back, there's a
Third Watch crossover, Corday becomes the Angel of Deathoooh, and Greeene makes his final exit in Hawaii. Heart.
Breaking.
Buy ER on Amazon.com
Diagnosis Murder - Because I was a bit too young to groove on this
Matlock with stethoscopes when it spun-off from
Jake and the Fatman back in '93, rediscovering it on DVD has been quite illuminating. Who knew it was so funny! That Dick Van Dyke still has it, I tells ya. And since I have loveloveloved Victoria Rowell since her days as an illiterate street urchin-turned-ballerina on
The Young and the Restless, anything with her in it is a plus for me.
Buy Diagnosis Murder on Amazon.com
St. Elsewhere - Bring up this one and everyone mentions the same thing. The finale! Well, ya'll have to wait a spell until that gem is released, because 1982's first season is the only one available so far. But man is it good one. To see the early signs of Denzel's Denzel-ness. The startling realistic visual style (think
NYPD Blue without the camera palsy). Howie Mandel with hair. David Morse being sensitive (and odd-hot). Christina Pickles for god's sake! Just don't go looking for Mark Harmon. He doesn't show up until season 2. And only the saints know when that one will show up.
Buy St. Elsewhere on Amazon.com
I know I'm missing a bunch, but that's where you come in. Who are your favorite TV docs?
Grey's Anatomy?
House? Or do medical shows scare you because they can be sort of gross? Hollaback and maybe, just maybe, I'll namedrop you next week when I give some green love to DVDs perfect for Earth Day.
Until then, don't hog the remote.
- Damian Holbrook
