The Doctors Discussion Thread

[robbwolff]

I really like Steve and Karen, too. I find Karen to be one of the most fascinating characters in the history of soaps.

And I have to say that I am loving Peter Burnell as Mike Powers. In just a few episodes, he's won my heart.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes, Peter Burnell's Mike is definitely breathing new life into the proceedings.

Count me in with the others who love Althea/Nick. When Retro began airing the episodes, I didn't like him at all. Once they took him out of Liz's orbit and back into Althea's, I began to like him. Now, he's my favorite of the male characters.

[Susan Hunter]

Today's episodes really highlight the superiority of the 30 minute soap. I never understood why great soap writers like Bell and Nixon had to be dragged kicking and screaming into expanding their shows to an hour, but now I get it. I loved the way they played Nick and Althea along with Steve and Karen. You could see what Rita Lakin was trying to say about these two stories by playing them together like that. I think the meaning would have been lost in hour show.

I kept thinking that Karen was going to back out at the last minute, but they married. Loved the end credits scenes of them alone in their twin beds. Since I don't know much about early The Doctors, I would assume that Karen's coldness will eventually lead Steve to find comfort somewhere else, very soon. Can't wait.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes, even take the end credits scene with the newlyweds miserable in their twin beds - and then cut to Althea/Nick who can't keep their hands off each other. Take Althea who glows and has a spring in her step, and then take Karen who looks like she is being led off to the electric chair.

Susan, I've been thinking the same thing you just wrote. I'll see your theory and add that the bride will have a change of heart while he looks for warmth elsewhere.

They really did pack a lot into those half-hour shows, didn't they? I know this show never expanded to an hour, but I think you are right that a lot was lost in translation when other shows did.

[Susan Hunter]

I like the way that Lakin has developed Karen as a character. A fish out of water trying to understand American customs and language (mostly colloquialisms) and not very likeable. But now she's softening, slowly. The conversation with Mike about fathers was great. Then the scene with Steve at the end. Nice touches. Even though it looked as though Steve was going to strangle her while smooching her neck. Another great show. Loved the original sponsor plug.

[amybrickwallace]

Between Nick's "for crying out loud!" and Karen's "You Americans!" - I'm surprised no one has invented a drinking game for this show yet. LOL

[~bl~]

Did RTV show two episodes on Friday? I got the same one twice.

[amybrickwallace]

Yeah, they showed the same episode twice. Hopefully that will be straightened out tomorrow.

Edited February 15, 2015 by amybrickwallace

[amybrickwallace]

Here's a real treat for everyone watching the reruns now. This video was made in 2012 - the Sally Draper of the show, Jami Fields aka Penny Davis:

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[All My Shadows]

OK, I am TERRIBLY behind in my watching of the show. Like, I understand they're now in September? I'm still in February. For those who have been watching steadily, should I just skip ahead? If so, where should I skip ahead to (September, or maybe some point during the summer?)? Or should I just watch some highlights from throughout the gap? Or should I just keep watching where I am? I'm looking through this thread, and it seems like I'll miss a lot of stuff if I skip through, but I also feel like it'll take me forever to catch up.

[DRW50]

I don't think you should skip. I'm still in April, as I'm watching with my mother, and everything builds pretty steadily, especially in the Maggie/Matt/Karen saga. There's also the Bunker story which you'd miss, and I think you'd like that.

Edited February 16, 2015 by DRW50

[All My Shadows]

That's what I was worried about. Everything does slowly build and build, and I feel like I wouldn't be doing the show justice if I skipped. I guess I'll just see it through. I'm really enjoying it, it's just that I barely have time to watch it

[DRW50]

I know what you mean. I know a lot of what's going to happen (I almost wish I didn't), so I could try to watch the April and current episodes simultaneously, but I'd just decided to wait.

There are some short-term stories you could always skip over, but there's no way of knowing if you would have enjoyed them and wanted to watch them, so...

To me the February stuff dragged a bit but a lot starts popping in March,

and April is also very exciting so far. There's one ridiculous beauty shot of Steve playfully chasing Liz through the entire hospital that I can't wait for you to see. It felt so...alive, while today's soaps are so dead.

Edited February 16, 2015 by DRW50

[amybrickwallace]

No, you don't want to skip, especially where Althea/Nick is concerned. They'll be teamed together on a tough medical case that will eventually lead to all sorts of things happening for them.

Carl, I agree with you about the episodes we are seeing feeling so alive. To me, they don't even feel "soapish". Althea/Nick remind me a lot of Samantha and Darrin of Bewitched, which was still going strong in 1968. Many of the end credit sequences are like mini-sitcoms. There's just the sense of TLC given to each character and story that the genre at large lost somewhere along the way.

[robbwolff]

By all means, do not skip ahead. There are amazing moments and compelling performances coming up on many fronts. Overall, the story moves along fairly quickly and can be damn riveting at times. Better than anything currently on daytime.