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 December 1976.
Jerry and Penny are engaged, as Jerry asked and she accepted. He got her a coral ring, instead of a diamond, but she loved it. Virginia wouldn't come out to celebrate at Andre's, as she felt it was wrong due to the situation with the upcoming trial, but Althea was with the happy about it.
Early in the month, Nola upset everyone as she did an interview with a newswoman. She acted as if she cared about Nola's singing career and her point of view. Instead it made it sound like Nola had inappropriate feelings for Matt, and that Sara was really close to the family due to baby-sitting Michael-Paul.
Jason now has a temporary office in Madison, and had a party to celebrate Wayne Spaulding came from Texas to help in his practice. (I'm hoping the use of Spaulding was a coincidence as in late 76 the first Spaulding characters appeared on "Guiding Light", but I digress.) Stacy had a crush on Wayne as a teenager, and Wayne asked Nola out, and later Jason did.
There is a potential of a strike of the food workers at Hope Memorial. Althea wrote an offer, but they never saw it as Paul hid it from her. He wants to get the position of chief of staff, solo and full time. Stacy and Paul were a bit estranged, as he wouldn't make their marriage public. Once she realized she was pregnant, and tests proved it, they grew even further apart. Paul had no interest in having any more children, and wanted Stacy to abort. Stacy started spending more time with her family who have no idea what is going on, though Ann does know about Paul and Stacy and Joan Dancy. Paul blackmailed Ann about Carolee, so she gave up the proof. So Carolee is stuck without her memory and barely able to speak.
This month we lost two characters from the canvas as two actors departed. Hank (Palmer Deane) went to New York City to get special training from a doctor he had in medical school, and Mike (Armand Assante) went to California to be with Toni. Mike was jealous that Allen Stewart was going to do surgery on Toni's mother, and decided he needed to be there. Little Michael-Paul was staying in Madison at the Powers house. Mike felt that Matt could have been some compassionate to pull the plug on Joan Dancy, so when he left his relationship with Matt was damaged, as father couldn't believe son would think so little of him.
Matt continued to drink, and spend time in bars instead of with his family. He was happiest with someone who didn't judge him like Michael-Paul. Earlier in the month, Billy asked Steve for help on how to be there for Greta, as she is upset over Matt, as is Maggie. Greta's school had a father/teen event, and Matt/Greta went along with Steve/Billy who are getting along much better. Matt had too much to drink, and Steve took him on a walk (off screen). We met Cynthia Lakin (I hope that was her name) Greta's friend, the girl's father and one teacher. They asked in front of Matt about Steve talking to the students' and Steve demurred, but Matt said he was a good doctor. Then Matt lost it about getting challenge and everyone was upset.
Carolee continued having memories of life with Steve, and vice versa. We saw them at the holidays setting up the tree alone, and with Steffy and Erich at Christmas with a camera. There was also a dream scene where Steve was torn between the women. Steve tried to move on with MJ, but MJ felt that Steve was using her as a replacement. (It felt like that especially after seeing a "flashback" of Steve proposing, as there never was a scene with them when he gave her an engagement ring - they were in the car.) MJ and Steve kissed, though Ann was still interested in Steve, and was horrified when MJ told Ann that if she wanted to that she (MJ) could be getting married to Steve as he asked. MJ spent Christmas away due to Steve. Steffy started feeling awful, and Jason convinced Steve to put away the photo albums. Prior to Christmas, Steve and MJ took Steffy and Erich to see Emma. Emma wanted Steve to move on so the kids had a mother, as she felt that Carolee would never come back. Emma allowed the kids to pick out a Poinsettia of their choice to take home, and later came to Madison after the holidays. As the month went on Carolee added more words, and they believe she is in Madison, but since Paul got the information, probably this will go nowhere.
Christmas in Madison meant celebrations, though everyone was separated. The Aldriches were together (plus Ann), the Powers (minus Mike as he left town) plus Billy who wasn't with his siblings, though he was with his nephew Michael-Paul, and Penny and Althea were with the Dancys thankfully Althea and Penny with Jerry made it to Matt's by the end of the episode. Most of the cast interacted at Jason's party though. James Pritchett (Matt) made the holiday speech out of character breaking the fourth wall.
After Christmas, Luke and Eleanor still spent time together, but he hasn't taken advantage of her. Stacy hasn't returned to volunteering, and Sara isn't really working all that much yet helping Eleanor raise funds for Hope Memorial. Matt brought a drunk Barney into the hospital after meeting him, at the bar due to health problems.
Those were the highlights of "The Doctors" for December 1976. December 15th's episode was missing, and December 23rd was too degraded to air. Unfortunately the 23rd was Armand Assante's last episode. I'm glad that Billy and Steve are getting along better, but I wish that Billy saw his siblings at Christmas.
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