The Doctors Discussion Thread

[slick jones]

yes.

[amybrickwallace]

That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure. Thanks. I'm still trying to find out when Maggie returns.

[slick jones]

I have a list of guest stars from the anthology year, does anyone know what characters they played?

Bonnie Bartlett, Barbara Berjer, Mona Bruns, David Brooks, Dyan Cannon, Mildred Clinton, Gary Collins, Jacqueline Courtney,

Joel Crothers, Virginia Dwyer, James Farentino, Beulah Garrick, Judy Lewis, Anita Louise, Tina Louise, Lori March, Douglas Marland, Mercedes McCambridge, Patty McCormack, Bob O'Connell, Esther Ralston, Sylvia Sidney, Jessica Walter, and Sigourney Weaver.

Characters from the anthology:

Dr. Jerry Chandler...Richard Roat

Alec Fielding...Charles Braswell and Joseph Campanella

Mr. Fielding...Fred Stewart

Dr. Elizabeth Hayes...Margot Moser

Martha Liggett...Jean Sullivan

Judy Stratton Lloyd...Joanna Pettet

Nora Hansen Lloyd...[Maggie's sister]...Joan Anderson

Dr. Johnny McGill...Scott Graham

Dr. George Mitchell...Staats Cotsworth

Dr. Maggie Hansen Fielding Van Allen...Ann Williams

Dr. Matt Powers...James Pritchett

Michael Powers...Rex Thompson

Dr. William Scott...Jock Gaynor

Chaplain Sam Shafer...Fred J. Scollay

Ma Thatcher...Madeline Sherwood

Pa Thatcher...John Cullum

Agnes Tilford...Violet Dunn

Judy...Gretchen Walther

Corporate President...James Pritchett

If anyone knows of any other characters or actors from the anthology year, please let me know!

[soapfave06]

I wish they would do more with John. Does anyone know how long ago he had fallen for Liz? All he does is argue with that jerk Nick and visit Polly.

I felt TERRIBLE for Carolee, left a third wheel on her own date night. I really really wish we could have seen her and Steve's first date though, they could have cut out some of those long John/Polly scenes.

[DRW50]

Steve sort of hinted at this in his first scene when he joked to Carolee about having a room with psychedelic lights and purple walls.

I wonder if they'll address it any more in 1968, as many always refer to that as the year America burned. I guess they probably won't, since people would have wanted to get away from it.

Great catch.

[Susan Hunter]

Thanks for the info on Dan and Billy. I'd always assumed that Billy was Carolee's biological child.

[jam6242]

I think Carolee must be 31 at the youngest in 1967. She said she was 17 when she was first kissed and the boy was killed in the Korean War, which ended in 1953.

[YRBB]

Monday, December 18, 1967 #1315

Karen basically put her punani on the table for Matt

Althea's "is pregnancy a situation or an occurrence" was hilarious and hilariously bitter. Her explosion later in the scene, in which she asked what consequences Nick would be facing for getting her pregnant was brilliant. At least Matt had the good sense to look embarrassed.

Edited October 15, 2014 by YRBB

[YRBB]

Tuesday, December 19, 1967 #1316

Karen sure knows how to walk into a room and kill the mood. I guess it's all because she really is lonely and frustrated but does she really have to voice every opinion that comes to her at every single point?

Such class! Such elegance! Althea resigning so she doesn't have to put Matt in a difficult position. Nowadays, you'd see Althea forcing Matt to go through it & making it as difficult as possible.

For some reason, the little marital bits between Matt and Maggie didn't feel all that authentic to me. They were almost too showy.

Nick feeling shy about getting a present for Greta & Maggie draping her arm around Matt following Althea's resignation were really touching moments.

[amybrickwallace]

Yeah, I too loved Althea getting riled because Nick wouldn't face any consequences because he was a man!!

[amybrickwallace]

Today's episodes (SPOILERS):

I loved the little scene in the first episode of Carolee and Liz in the elevator, chatting about doing each other's hair, making brownies and going to a really bad movie - and how much they enjoy being roommates. It's fun seeing Liz in those carefree moments, and shows that Pamela Toll can play light scenes as well as the heavy drama.

Her panic attack in the staff cafeteria with Nick being at the next table and John encouraging her to stay, concentrate on her food and look neither to the right or left was a great scene. Of course, she didn't listen, but his and Carolee's concern for her was very apparent. She's lucky to have friends like them.

I also felt John's agony being stuck in the clinic all day with Karen. Poor thing, I would have felt the same way. I could tell he was counting the minutes when he learned Maggie would be back the next day. LOL

On to the second episode. Maggie's back and not a moment too soon!! For now, she is still being played by Bethel Leslie.

We get our first glimpse of little Greta, an adorable little girl with long hair.

Matt is still oblivious about Dr. Karen Werner's feelings for him, but his lovely wife sure isn't!! I love the way Maggie's eyes were like daggers when she looked at Karen throughout the episode.

It was funny when John was so relieved to see Maggie enter the clinic. Now that both of them know the truth about Althea, it will be interesting to see how the news will travel - especially to Nick.

I can't be alone in thinking the scenes with Polly just drag on. They could be cut in half and still get the point across. I wonder how much longer she'll be on.

BLOOPER ALERT: Watch closely in the second episode when John enters Matt's office. You will see one of the cameras in the shot for about two seconds.

Edited October 15, 2014 by amybrickwallace

[~bl~]

Is Greta, Matt and Maggie's child or is she adopted?

[Matt]

Greta is Maggie's daughter with her 2nd husband wealthy Kurt Van Allen (who, if I remember reading correctly, was rather nasty & died). Matt adopted Greta once he and Maggie finally married. Kurt's sister, Theodora, came to get custody of Greta because Greta inherited Kurt's fortune in trust and Matt/Maggie turned over all of Greta's inheritance to Theodora just to be rid of her. Years & years later, Theodora would factor into the storyline because she was dying and had willed her entire estate to a now grown Greta. This is while Alec Baldwin's Billy Aldrich was so determined to marry Greta - to get her hands on the money. His partner in crime, Natalie Bell, had been Theodora's nurse (I *think*) in California.

[slick jones]

Loving the shade being thrown at wet blanket Werner from Maggie!

[Susan Hunter]

I was talking about the show today with someone and we both were quite surprised at how different it was from the show we remembered growing up (77 through cancellation).

I think what we both agreed on was how unapologetically adult this show is. A bunch of damaged 30 somethings and poor teenaged LIz dragged into the mix working under the same roof. Even the show's #1 couple isn't a story about sweet first love. It was about two people who had been around the block a few times. Also, this was also an era of soap when characters were very black and white, not so on The Doctors. I can't imagine that there was anything else like it in daytime. Well, there was General Hospital, but I'm not sure the two shows had anything in common other than being set in a hospital.