The Doctors

[Sedrick]

NBC just never had real affirmative leadership in daytime. It would have made more sense to pair SEARCH and THE DOCTORS in the 3EST/2CST hour and drop CHIPS. I understand that TEXAS was moved from that slot due to the heat from GENERAL HOSPITAL, but its move to the early morning was met with better ratings. Perhaps the two half-hours, coupled with a stronger block of soaps (which would have called for improved writing and consistency in cast and production) from DAYS and AW, with patience, would have resulted in better returns.

[sungrey]

I'd have to check the ratings for April-December 1982, Sedrick, but I recall Texas' ratings actually got worse. Some NBC executives were against Texas going to the morning slot because of Price is Right (which was drawing blockbuster numbers back then).

Everyone's right about NBC daytime at that time, though. Clueless. And this was with Brandon Tartikoff at the helm.

[EastMA2]

Thanks Khan for the article on Linda Grover's passing. I remember her name in the writing credits with John Porterfield. I don't think that I knew they were married. I don't really remember any specific stories she did on The Doctors or Search, but definitely remember her name.

[Sedrick]

Okay...I had read sources that claimed the ratings for TEXAS inched higher following the move to mornings, but you know how sources can be...Anyway, a solid block of soaps would have been more effective with the audience than a soap here, a game show there, a rerun over there...and yanking soaps after short periods and multiple slot changes.

[Khan]

I think the conventional wisdom is that TEXAS improved slightly when it moved to an earlier timeslot, but that that, along with a massive write-in campaign, was not enough for NBC to save the show.

[saynotoursoap]

Was that questionable? I thought that Stratton's appearance was a fact. He is shown laughing maniacally in one of my YT promos for The Doctors when his house catches fire. I'm not going to embed and pimp my own videos, but would someone please tell me how to embed videos in these posts as Carl often does?

[saynotoursoap]

I wonder, though, if those were not the actors who were more interested in what The Doctors could do for them rather than what they could do for The Doctors. The most vocal ones seem to be the ambitious actors such as Zimmer, Baldwin, and Storm. The vets that I had an opportunity to meet enjoyed the series, and it was not just the vets. Others have told me the same thing. I know John Pankow, who played Danny Martin, and he talks about The Doctors fondly: it was a good training ground, and he said that most of the cast was very enjoyable to work with. He mentions playing competitive Scrabble between takes with Jada Rowland and Lydia Bruce! I think they all knew that money was tight and the production values much lower than other shows, but the acting ensemble was terrific, and those who were really there to act may have gotten more out of it than those wanting to use it solely as a stepping stone to other things.

Edited August 31, 2011 by saynotoursoap

[Khan]

I don't think Paul Raven was questioning that fact. I think he was just making note of it here for anyone using these posts for research and/or statistical purposes.

[saynotoursoap]

You are correct, Steve. I believe people misunderstand the "improved" statements in articles. At the time Texas was moved to the morning, the series did improve dramatically in storyline and characterization. It stopped attempting to be a daytime Dallas, and also stopped the Luke and Laura, sci-fi antics. The writer, Paul Rader, shifted the focus to strong family drama and sizzling love triangles. Despite the general consensus that Texas was gaining better critical acclaim, the ratings actually dropped. At 3, the show averaged between a 3.5 and 4.0 rating. When it was moved to the morning, the ratings fell to 2.5-2.9. I would have to look to confirm it, but if I remember correctly, the last year's total average was near a 2.6.

In my opinion, NBC never should have moved the series. Actually, NBC probably should have waited until GH mania died down to even premiere it. GH was getting hugely inflated, almost unbelievable numbers, and nothing could really compete with it because there was simply too much publicity. In truth, much of GH was hype. It was everywhere. You could not get away from it, because it was a fad. Like all fads, one day it had to wane. If only NBC had waited for that to happen, I feel that Texas eventually would have flourished. In fact, both GH and GL fell in the ratings immediately after Texas was moved to the morning slot. With the improved writing and direction, Texas may have finally succeeded.

[DRW50]

That's nice to hear about John Pankow. All I know of the older cast members and their feelings on the last years is a quote Alec Baldwin had from David O'Brien. I'm glad the vets were still giving their all.

[dc11786]

Someone had asked earlier in the thread who had played Mr. Sebastian, but yes Stratton is featured in your promo on youtube. I'm not sure most of us put two and two together. I've wondered if the original plan was to reveal Penny was Althea's mysterious patient who was whispering her name in the hospital instead of the Robin / Mr. Sebastian storyline. I had dismissed this idea because I assumed Robin was younger, but seeing the actress in the promo, it seems probably that Robin may have been Penny.

[dominicmars]

I remember a couple years ago Hallmark bought the rights to air the show and never did. Too bad.

[DRW50]

From an April 1981 Digest.

[Sedrick]

THE DOCTORS was just like other shows before cancellation. With most long-running soaps that were victims of the ax,those who had been with the production and developed strong ties and allegiances and fought until the day it went down to keep it going loved the show. Those who were new kids on the block, mostly younger actors who didn't quite grasp what was being lost, just looked at it as another gig and were just as content to move onto the next one...and if the dark cloud has been hanging over a show, it is easy for those with no real investment to later look back and claim that the production was"Toxic" "Like a noose hanging around our heads" "Unpleasant" "Had the smell of death".

In regards to TD specifically, the morale on any show on NBC at the time had to be piss poor, day or night, as the network itself was in such a free-fall (SUPERTRAIN or HELLO, LARRY anyone) plus the embarrassment and misfortune resulting from the 1980 Moscow Olympics. In addition, Alec Baldwin has admitted that he was in the depths of cocaine addiction at the time, staying up all night high and playing pinball games in a seedy arcade in Times Square, and Kim Zimmer is the type of woman born to complain about anything!

Edited September 2, 2011 by Sedrick

[DRW50]

You have quite a way with words!

I didn't know that about Alec Baldwin. I wonder if he was still on it during Knots. That would explain some of the performances.