The Doctors

[amybrickwallace]

Today, the debut episode of Nurse Mary Jane "MJ" Match aired. The role was originated by Lauren White, who stayed on the show until 1978. After she left, MJ was played by Carla Dragoni, Kathy Glass and Amy Ingersoll until the role was phased out in early 1982.

 

Lauren White is now a jazz singer. She is married to writer/producer Alex Gansa, who is probably best known for creating Homeland.

[Soaplovers]

 

I liked how they introduced MJ... and I'm glad the relationship between Carolee and her was answered right away.  MJ isn't related to Carolee except through marriage and I loved that there was a reference to how young MJ reminded Carolee of herself several years ago.  Lastly, I liked that Carolee got to display some whimsical humor.  At least the Pollock's knew to keep some of the sarcastic edge to Carolee... I'll be curious how Depriest saps the character of that last strand of the old Caroleee.

 

 

[amybrickwallace]

Here's Lauren White in concert:

 

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[rlj]

Don't like Alan or Carolee, Althea is stupid cuz Tom is fine.  Who the heck is this new Dr. Bellini dude?

[Soaplovers]

 

Rico bellini...nick bellini's nephew....a shame the character didn't get reintroduced when Nick was on the show.

 

Althea was obsessed with Nick hence why most of her relationships don't work out..even though he was an abusive SOB.  I don't get why they were popular back in the day as a couple.

[amybrickwallace]

When Rita Lakin was writing the show in the late 1960s, the Althea/Nick relationship (and the show in general) was magical. It was under the later writing regimes that they became toxic.

[Soaplovers]

As July 1975 comes to a conclusion... there is a lot of change/transition to the canvas.. with an interesting emphasis on one plot per episode it seems.

 

-I guess Lauri has left the show without any good bye scenes or anything.. with her on screen husband Hank stuck as the sounding board for Mike.

 

-Oddly, I like Armand Assante as Mike.. more then I would have thought.  He certainly has the hotheadness, stubborness, and one track mind obsession of the previous long term Mike (the other actor that Armand replaced seemed too laid back and sedate so I get why the recast was done).

 

-MJ had a nice introduction.. she's kind of like Carolee of old.. yet is her own character.. and her/Penny as potential friends and roommates looks promising (especially the scene where the two eye roll over drippy Stacy).

 

-Stacy.. I guess writers even back in the 70s created goody goody's that made you sick to your stomach.  I'm almost rooting for Penny to make her life miserable.. and I don't think that was what the Pollack's had in mind.

 

-Ann... I'm liking the gradual change in her character from the sweet, mild mannered ex flame of Steve to a more bitter/neurotic version of the character.  Already we've had Maggie, Matt, and Althea note the change in Ann.. even though Ann was right on the money in regards to Nick/Althea.  I have a feeling had the Pollock's stayed on.. the change in her character would have continued to be more gradual.. but 1976 will be a watershed year for this character.

 

-Karen/Carolee/Steve  Loaded with history... situations from 1967/1968 still are referenced in 1975 especially any scene Karen has with Maggie or Matt.

[TimWil]

Lauren White is now one of the producers of Homeland, too!

[amybrickwallace]

 

Really? I hadn't noticed. Cool!! 😊

 

There is absolutely no rooting for anyone in the Mike/Toni/Alan triangle. Armand and Anna look more like brother and sister than spouses. If I had been casting the show, I would have had Armand (genuine Italian that he is) play Rico and Chandler Harben play Mike. 

[watson71]

 

I agree about the Mike and Toni looking like siblings, and Rico and Mike being miscast.  On the current episodes currently being uploaded to YouTube,  there is no producer listed for the show.   Makes you wonder who was making behind the scenes decisions after Joseph Stuart left the show.  Shortly, Jeff Young will become producer of The Doctors after having recently produced  the cancelled NBC soap How to Survive a Marriage.  This is the beginning of the revolving door of producers and writers on The Doctors- virtually every NBC soaps suffered from a revolving door of producers and writers- Another World, Days of our Lives, Texas, Search for Tomorrow, Santa Barbara, and Sunset Beach.

[TimWil]

 

He’s also of Romanian heritage! I had a friend who was a friend of his family’s and twenty years ago I went up to their lovely farm upstate and had my first plate of Romanian pastrami. And about ten years ago Assante flew to Bucharest to be one of the judges for the Miss Romania pageant. I bet he had quite a time there-and got into a lot of trouble, if you catch my drift.

Edited March 11, 2018 by TimWil

[amybrickwallace]

 

Oh, I have no problem believing that. 😂

[amybrickwallace]

They've had the real recordings on the show of popular songs of 1975 lately. The Carpenters' "Only Yesterday" played as Alan was thinking of Toni. John Lennon's "Bless You" was playing on Stacy's record player as she and Rico prepared to, ahem, play some "fun and games".

 

Speaking of Stacy, that character has rocks for brains. It's a good thing she's an art student and not a med student. I wouldn't trust that flake with a paintbrush, much less a scalpel. 😨

[Soaplovers]

 

Girls like Stacy are the reason why restraining orders were invented.  Someone actually posted once on Twitter that they couldn't believe how much she's changed for the worst since she first debuted a few months ago... and I'm like 'girlfriend was thinking about suicide when she first debuted so I don't see how much worse it can get'.

 

I'm going to miss the Pollock's since their time is coming to an end.. but I am liking the gradual change in Ann.. and at this point of the story, she isn't after Steve...and even is avoiding going back to their house as much as possible.  That nightmare she had even hinted that she isn't in love with him... so I'm curious to see when that flips.

[jam6242]

They also played the theme from "Summer of '42" under one of the Mike and Toni scenes.