Thoughts about "The Doctors" - February 1971

Another month's worth of episodes of "The Doctors" has aired on RetroTV. Below are my thoughts on what has aired for the month of February 1971.

This month we said hello to Anna Stuart playing Toni Ferra, a new lab tech, at Hope Memorial Hospital. Anna is best known for her many years playing Donna Love on "Another World". Toni came to town at her lab in New York City closed, and she's Dan's niece. They reminded the audience how she is also Billy's half-sister, which is why Dan doesn't want to be around her. Toni even mentioned how it feels like Carolee is her relative and not her Uncle Dan. All she knows is how about 10 or so years ago, her mother abandoned her and her now deceased father. Toni interviewed for a job in Nick's lab and was given the position. She isn't scared of Nick because he reminds her of her Italian father. Martha offered Toni a room in her home, as she had enough of being alone. We'll see if they will be successful housemates.

Mike took the interim internship at the hospital. If he does well, it will be extended after the initial six months. This was on Hank's advice, even though Mike felt it was a step down and Matt was trying to control him. Mike moved out of the house and into hospital housing. We're mainly seeing him in the white intern clothing on screen. Mike nearly gave a patient the wrong medicine, and Hank stopped it. Later another intern had nearly done the same thing that Mike had been told off about. Matt hadn't seen that Mike wasn't responsible and berated his son.

Maggie offered to help John Morrison with the outpatient files. He was glad for her assistance, and knew that Dr. Powers cared a lot about mentally ill patients due to her own daughter Greta. Greta continued to get worse, she started to fight with Maggie. While visiting Billy, she sat behind a desk. He wanted to play, and she got so upset that she broke his plane. Dan blamed Billy for what happened, since Greta is the chief-of-staff's daughter. It was about politics at the hospital instead of dealing with the truth.

Early in the month, Carolee was dealing with the stress of being pregnant with Steve's baby, while married to Dan. She told Dan, she was pregnant and changed his behavior towards her. During a one-sided phone call, Dan told Steve their good news. He then decided unilaterally that Billy had to go away to boarding school. Billy was too much work for Carolee, so he needed to go. Carolee didn't agree with this, and Billy ran away because he rightly believes that Dan doesn't love him as he should be loved. After spending a full day away, Billy went over to Steve's home for help. Steve called Carolee, and she brought the boy back promising that he wouldn't have to go. Dan said fine he wouldn't have to leave for this semester, but he is grounded for running away.

Carolee's love life continued to be a big story. Steve admitted to her that he hadn't stopped loving her. Her marriage and pregnancy doesn't make him feel any less for her. After a fight with Dan, where he said he would be the boss of "their child", Carolee went to the office to cry. In a moment of weakness, she told Steve the truth about everything. Neither was sure what to do next, and she went home. As a point of reference, Steve still has to finish the last of his exams for his specialty of obstetrics. They are going to discuss this situation. Althea was glad that Steve knew the truth also. Carolee confided more in her mother, and we know that she still loves Steve, but tied to Dan. The whole situation is extremely messy and she blames herself. Carolee also wants to protect Billy, as she loves the boy. If she had only known she was pregnant before the wedding, none of this would have happened. (Of course, due to the morals clause, Carolee couldn't have stayed unmarried for long and still remained at Hope Memorial.)

Althea and John Morrison got along better though it is uncertain if they will be an actual couple. She knows everything now as do Matt and Maggie. Maggie was in the clinic, while Althea and John got into an argument. She was in a backroom and heard everything. Althea and John went out to eat, and they decided to start again acting as if the cruise never happened. He did give Althea a similar stuffed animal to one that Penny nearly won. Nick doesn't know what happened between Althea and John, but is trying to protect her from the psychiatrist Dr. Morrison.

Those were the highlights of February 1971. As a viewer, I'm wondering for how much longer Carolee can keep the truth a secret as she's due in August, and should be showing relatively soon. I also wonder how long Althea can keep two men interested even if she only wants one of them. Matt and Maggie have rough seas with Greta and Mike. Will they become a stronger family or is it the end of the Powers clan as we know it?