Thoughts about "The Doctors" - March 1976

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 1976.

Matt had a board meeting, and it was decided that Mike would lose his job. So Matt needed to fire Mike, but was told they would do it. Matt's mood as of late isn't that great either. Jerry also convinced Matt to get him a job at the hospital (it seems like he is an orderly). It was decided that perhaps running fingerprints on the comatose woman would reveal her identity, as Hank wanted to know his patient's identity. It did, she was Joan Dancy: Jerry's drug-addicted sister. Matt was upset that Jerry didn't tell him much earlier.

Althea being the most accident prone person in Madison continued, as she ended up in the hospital again with a head injury. This time was she visiting Eleanor and helping to put up curtains, Eleanor accidentally hit into her back, and Althea fell out the window. Nick returned to Madison to be Althea's brain surgeon, as that was what Penny wanted. Nick was on vacation from Arizona when the call came, and he rushed back, except he got stuck. Nick got a few minutes with Rico in the ambulance trying to get to Althea. If Nick had not arrived, Hendryx (who was off screen would have done it) with Hank assisting. There were many minutes of Nick doing surgery for her. Maggie was glad to see Nick, but wished it was not due to Althea's accident. Scott wanted to use Althea's accident to get Eleanor committed again, but Althea would not let that happen. Wendy was still upset her mother was freed, and Dr. McIntyre knew Stacy's therapist also. MJ and Penny bought wigs for Althea to try on also. Due to the stress of Althea's accident, Penny wasn't studying enough. She wanted to postpone a test, but then decided to steal the exam, after the professor said no. Penny was caught, and now may be thrown out of Hope University. Upon being told what Penny did, Rico was upset and not sympathetic, as what Penny did was wrong, while Penny thought everyone was overreacting.

Rico and Stacy tried to be romantic, but when he got the call about Althea, he had to leave. Later they were alone again, and Stacy freaked out, clawed at him, and called him a rapist or nearly. Rico could not put up with this, and broke up with her again. Stacy couldn't cope, and the therapy didn't help, though Mona said if Rico married her perhaps her issues of premarital sex would fade. As it was, her therapist decided to quite Hope Memorial for private practice, and Stacy asked Steve for tranquilizers. He gave them to his niece, but she didn't listen to his instructions and had more than one and mixed it with alcohol. He made Stacy give back the tranquilizer prescription.

Carolee arrived at Ann's apartment and saw Steve with his former wife. She was devastated, and left before she and Steve spoke to one another. Carolee had no idea that Steve who wanted to cheat didn't want their family to be destroyed, but he did so anyway. Mona didn't want Steve to lose the kids, which he may due to this behavior. Carolee left home without saying goodbye to her family. Steve was worried about her, and Ernie Cadman investigated. Carolee was caught speeding, and since Billy was there, he found out about what Steve and Ann did as she said she got a ticket, but her husband was the one who was breaking the laws, (except in a more poetic way). The police had a record of this stop, which is what Ernie shared. Later a messenger came with an audiotape that Billy and Steve listened to together. Carolee needed some time away, and they should not look for her, when she was ready she would be back for the kids. Steve still believed that once Carolee calmed down, they could potentially get back together and be a family. Billy was loathing Steve for his actions, while Erich had nightmares about missing Mommy, drew a picture of her, and wanted her home for his birthday. (We still haven't seen little Steffy.) On the night that Stacy mixed the drugs and alcohol, Steve had planned to see Ann, and then they spent some time together alone in the driveway. Earlier Mona told Ann that Steve needed to be with someone who the kids liked, and she was not that at the moment.


Mike and Toni got married in the living room of Martha's home. Michael Paul was there, as were Greta and Billy (who got a little happiness). Matt and Maggie were late due to Althea, but didn't miss their wedding. Since Mike lost his job, he and Toni were living on her salary. He didn't know what to do, private practice was mentioned, but not feasible. Then the idea of them having their own lab was mentioned, and we found out that Hendryx also was in private practice (explaining why he isn't on screen - though who is running neurology). Mike and Toni asked Ann lab work, but due to contracts that would not work, but it would have made more sense to see if Ann could have another partner.

Those were the highlights of March 1976, and there were no missing episodes. On March 15, (beware the ides of March) the show aired a special 90 minute episode, which was the return of Gerald Gordon's Nick. This month also saw the last of Carolee Campbell as Carolee Simpson Aldrich, who was part of the show from the first episode during the RTV run. No surprise if one reads my posts about the program that I will miss her. Anyway, I wish the character's departure would have been written in a very different way, as she wouldn't just leave the kids' without saying goodbye even if she was in a lot of pain due to Steve's behavior.