Thoughts about "The Doctors" - March 1972

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 March 1972. 

Vito came to Hope Memorial for a visit. We discovered that Vito and Hank knew each other in New York, as Hank used to work in the same hospital. Vito's nickname was "Mack the Knife", and he was a ladykiller. Dr. McCray also went to Martha's house to see Toni. He dropped off Mike's class ring in person. Toni gave Mike his ring back, and now both are wearing rings for their engagement. Mike and Toni told Maggie and Matt about their wedding plans tentatively scheduled for June. Matt was happy, but Maggie less so due to her mental issues. Vito is still trying to get in at Hope via Nick and the lab. Nick doesn't have the budget for a salary of any doctor. (This used to not be the case as both Ed Stark and Steve worked there, and they're physicians.) Vito was still pushing, because he hopes that Nick goes back to neurosurgery, so he could run his own lab.

Emma and Carolee spent time before the wedding with baby Stephanie. Carolee was so much happier than before, and couldn't wait for the ceremony. She called Steve making believe she was someone else, and they flirted. This was the last time they spoke until after they were wed. Steve and Carolee got married, and I bet it will take me longer to write about it then when happened on screen. Dr. Wheeler, who married Nick and Althea, performed the ceremony and he had more dialogue than the Aldriches. It felt like Althea was made the "best lady" as Nick says just for the awkward moment with her and Dr. Wheeler as she wasn't there for Carolee. She had been out of town until the day of the wedding, and there was no on screen shower for either bride or baby Stephanie. (We had to sit through a shower and vows when Carolee married evil professor doctor, but not to Steve, who we want to see marry. Even John and Althea got a better wedding. Come on show.) The guys were overdressed for the Powers living room in tuxedos, which were really nice and not outdated. This was a highlight, thank you "shallow fairy".  The only man who had a questionable outfit was Mike with the light blue and the oversized blue tie. Carolee wasn't in a typical gown, which was understandable. I would have preferred her to wear a solid instead of a print, but at least Emma gave Carolee back the pin Steve bought for her in Germany. We saw the cake, but no one got to eat it. (If it was a real cake, I hope the cast and crew did once the cameras stopped rolling, and the liquor cart was pulled out in the late afternoon.) We were told later it was a standard ceremony, but we didn't even get to see them say "I do" just the you may kiss. There were quick voice overs, where Steve mentioned how he thought when Carolee wed before that this would never happen and now it did, while Carolee mentioned how she loved Steve the day they met. (We saw that, and she was completely smitten. Thank you RetroTV for showing their first scene together.) Before leaving, Carolee threw the bouquet at Toni. She didn't know about the engagement yet, but assumed it would happen. Steve carried Carolee and a "blanket" baby, into the apartment. They canoodled, and he got stuck on the pin. They read telegrams, and had a nice night. It was cut before they went to the bedroom. Back at work, Carolee became jealous, and Steve told her about Cathy's predicament. They made up, later that day she returned to Steve's office and found her medical records. Carolee became agitated over Steve lying, confronted him, and then went to see her mother who works in the flower shop in the hospital. Emma told her to get a grip, and not be upset with Steve, as he was going to tell her within hours of her accidental discovery. Carolee apologized about overreacting, and seemed to be okay with probably not being able to have more biological children. They went home, with smiles on their faces.

Maggie's behavior went from bad to worse. While away from the clinic, Frank called, so he is real. Of course, Maggie is still "seeing" him. He plans to come from Montana to Hope Memorial, but Maggie is back in Montana instead of Trinidad. Maggie stayed in Madison long enough for the wedding and didn't do anything crazy to destroy it. She spoke with Karen and discovered that Karen does have genuine feelings for Matt. It feels like Maggie is going to give Matt to the other woman. (Weirdly, Karen mentioned Steve raping her, and Maggie had zero reaction, later saying that Karen wasn't a good wife to him. WHAT? Perhaps Maggie doesn't think what happened was rape.) We also saw Maggie flashback to her last night ever with Matt. She admitted if she had let him have her way with her, that she wouldn't have left. Maggie's Dad was also on screen, and he sounds a lot like Matt, which I guess is part of her attraction to her husband. While Maggie was away, Karen watched Greta off camera and is doing what she can to subtly entice Matt. That night, Steve wanted to visit, but Karen told him no. Earlier in the month, both Steve and Carolee went separately to Karen about potentially having Erich for a Saturday. She would have none of that, and hopefully will stop calling Carolee, anything other than Carolee.

Althea and John fought due to her mother. She left for Greenville, and decided her future. John skipped Steve and Carolee's wedding for a patient, who may or may not have existed. Nick brought Althea home, and the apartment was ransacked. Althea was upset over everything that was lost, but especially a flower pin that Nick bought when they were together. (This is a new thing.) Nick realized he was still in love with Althea, and Althea knows she doesn't love John. Meanwhile, Cathy is pregnant, but it is possible she may lose the fetus. Steve gave her some special drugs to help and some advice she didn't listen to about Nick. Cathy told Nick, who wants her to get an abortion as they aren't even a couple. She convinced Steve to talk with Nick, and he did, not that it changed anything. They each ordered a bloody mary at Pete's which nowadays would not be done, as they have alcohol. Althea showed up and Steve returned to the hospital. Then John arrived, and Nick left. Althea wants a divorce from John, but we have no idea when that will happen.

Those were the highlights of March 1972. I was disappointed by Steve and Carolee's wedding as we didn't get to see performances from the couple who should have been the focus. It could have been so much more even on a limited budget. The wedding speeches would have written themselves and could have sent up or "roasted" the happy couple. Like Steve the awful intern stories or how Carolee was the only person who would put up with all of the crap from the doctors when working for Matt. Anyway, I hope that Althea gets a quick divorce from John and we don't get months of them considering their next action.