One month after the shutdown, St. Eligius reopens under the health corporation Ecumena and Dr. John Gideon. As everyone returns, Ehrlich and Papandrao have a passionate reunion; Fiscus finds a baby with AIDS; Dr. Westphall experiences many misgivings; and Dr. Craig is offered a chance to head an artificial heart program.
b: 16 Sep 87 pc: 7301 w: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Bruce PaltrowJoanne blames Morrison when her former husband takes their children back to Seattle; Dr. Westphall clashes with Dr. Gideon over an AIDS clinic for St. Eligius; Dr. Kiem uses hypnosis as anesthesia for an obese patient; and Ehrlich wanders around Boston on the day before his wedding, pursuing an elusive redhead.
b: 23 Sep 87 pc: 7303 w: John Masius s: John Masius and John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark TinkerThe AIDS clinic becomes a showdown between Dr. Westphall and Dr. Gideon; Griffin tries to avoid his AIDS patient's homosexual lover; Fiscus' mother drops by for a visit; and Luther tries to help a man who insists he's pregnant and about to deliver.
b: 30 Sep 87 pc: 7302 w: Tom Fontana s: Tom Fontana and John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark Tinker NOTE: "Moon For the Misbegotten" is not only a fitting pun for Westphall's final scene in Gideon's office, it's a tribute to Ed Flanders, who won a Tony and later an Emmy for his role in the play of the same name.Wade suffers from the quarrels of her temporary lodgers; the orderlies asks Dr. Auschlander to help them reach Dr. Gideon about their grievances; Rosenthal learns one of her nursing students is an epileptic; Dr. Craig warns Ehrlich about the pitfalls of marriage as they begin the artificial heart program with a sheep.
b: 21 Oct 87 pc: 7304 w: Eric Overmyer s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Eric LaneuvilleAs Halloween approaches, Chandler tries to diagnose an old friend of Dr. Gideon's as part of his campaign to be named Chief Resident; Dr. Craig, Wade, and Ehrlich try to corral the next artificial heart recipient; Ellen meets John Gideon; Griffin's impatience with his AIDS patient has tragic results; and the room where Mrs. Hufnagle died seems to be haunted.
b: 28 Oct 87 pc: 7305 w: John PiRoman s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Michael FrescoDr. Craig and Ehrlich attend a meeting of the Cushing Society, an all male medical society; Wade gets herself into more surgery than she bargained for; Novino takes a special interest in two lonely children; Dr. Gideon offers Ellen a new career; and Chandler is made new chief resident.
b: 4 Nov 87 pc: 7306 w: Emily Potter s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Eric LaneuvilleNovino, Ehrlich and Chandler screen artificial heart candidates for Dr. Craig, who will have to make the ultimate choice of life and death; Luther reflects on his dreary round of work and home life; and Ellen and Dr. Gideon get together over cafeteria food.
b: 11 Nov 87 pc: 7307 w: Glenn Merzer s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: David MorseCraig proceeds with his artificial heart implant despite some questions about his choice of candidates; Morrison tries to deal with the departure of Joanne for Seattle and Dr. Craig becomes suspicious about the relationship between Ellen and Dr. Gideon. AIDS patient, Brett Johnston, and his lover are victims of gay bashingan and as a result of his injuries, Brett is readmitted into the hospital.
b: 18 Nov 87 pc: 7308 w: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Michael FrescoFiscus pulls one last prank on Gideon before turning thirty; Morrison and Novino compete to deliver the 100,000th baby at St. Eligius; Dr. Craig puts on the boxing gloves again; and Lucy walks the Freedom Trail with a dying man.
b: 2 Dec 87 pc: 7323 w: Tom Fontana, John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark TinkerAxelrod's cousin Pee-Wee checks in and checks out Novino; Fiscus tries to help his father deal with his stroke; Mr. Spooner takes his first post surgery steps with the media in full attendance; and Dr. Auschlander considers his future medical treatment.
b: 9 Dec 87 pc: 7310 w: Douglas Steinberg s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Eric LaneauvilleA man claiming to be the true inventor of the Craig 9000 kidnaps Ehrlich; AIDS patient Brett Johnston's rib injuries have led to pneumonia and he is now determined to break with his lover; Dr. Kiem helps Amy Jeffries, a lonely St. Eligius neighbor; Griffin treats a driven young broker determined to make a million before he dies; Lucy worries that she might be pregnant; Helen returns to work; the company that owns the hospital finds itself sued for infringement and Mrs. Spooner ends her husband's suffering.
b: 16 Dec 87 pc: 7311 w: D. Keith Mano s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: David MorseMr. Bevine returns for foreskin reconstruction; Dr. Auschlander seeks an alternative for a fellow cancer patient; Novino frets over Pee-Wee and tests Lucy, who has trouble telling Victor the news; Fiscus returns to work. but has trouble putting his father's death behind him; Morrison's false confidence as `Dr. Adam Logan' evaporates when Pete is rejected by an exclusive private school.
b: 6 Jan 88 pc: 7312 w: James Kramer s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Beth HillshaferJudge Farnham checks into the hospital with an inoperable cancer (and asking for Floyd the Barber); Rosenthal takes Bobby Caldwell's death very hard; Dr. Craig searches for a date for a skating rink opening; Dr. Kiem is in the middle when she saves the life of a young black man shot by a Vietnamese gang member; Griffin befriends the new chaplain, who's a descendant of the hospital founder, Father McCabe; Novino and Luther compete on the ER simulator and Ehrlich tries to find his elusive parents.
b: 13 Jan 88 pc: 7313 w: Ann Reckling s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark TinkerMorrison counsels a family about genetic testing and Huntington's disease; Rosenthal's drug problem causes a death; artist Alex Corey does a shocking piece of performance art; the Craigs proceed with their divorce and the hospital undergoes a name change.
b: 3 Feb 88 pc: 7314 w: Ann Reckling s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: John HeathPhil returns from a training course at the Weigert home office; someone takes a shot at Dr. Gideon; Dr. Craig loses Flash during a rescue attempt by animal activists; the new security cameras upset Rosenthal, who continues to lose control; Novino tries to correct a misdiagnosis made 60 years ago.
b: 10 Feb 88 pc: 7315 w: Lydia Woodward and Grace McKeaney s: Channing Gibson and John Tinker d: Michael FrescoFiscus can't understand his nihilistic cystic fibrosis patient or her punk friends; Dr. Gideon suspends Dr. Craig because of the Spooner malpractice suit; Ehrlich and Lucy are unable to console each other when she miscarries; and Rosenthal admits herself to the chemical dependency unit.
b: 17 Feb 88 pc: 7316 w: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Eric LaneuvilleDr. Craig, Ellen, Lizzie and Novino drive to Peterborough, New Hampshire to visit Dr. Westphall on his birthday; Ellen tries to deal with changes to her hometown; Novino stirs up a lady carpenter; Lizzie finally expresses her resentment; and Dr. Craig almost destroys his friendship with Dr. Westphall.
b: 20 Apr 88 pc: 7317 w: S.J. Lewis s: Tom Fontana and John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark TinkerWade and Kiley liberate their psyches during a study of OR infection vectors; Dr. Auschlander meets the son he never knew; Morrison and Novino grow closer as they work in the ICU; and Rosenthal adjusts to life in the chemical dependency unit.
b: 27 Apr 88 pc: 7318 w: Grace McKeaney s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Michael Frescorc: Richard Clarendon, Marcy Eisenberg
Ehrlich stands up to Dr. Craig's verbal missiles; Griffin fails in an attempt to pass along spiritual support; Axelrod faces emergency heart surgery as a patient; Rosenthal finds it hard to face her children during family therapy; and Luther uses Penny's video equipment to record Dr. Gideon.
b: 4 May 88 pc: 7319 w: Lydia Woodward s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Bill MolloyBrett Johnston's parents come to visit; Rosenthal waits for her release while her roommate runs away; Luther proposes to Penny; and Dr. Craig returns to St. Eligius to do a multiple transplant.
b: 11 May 88 pc: 7320 w: Aram Saroyan s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: John HeathAn ebullient Novino pursues Morrison; Fiscus tries to revitalize his mother's life; Rosenthal returns to duty; Wade tries to help a dying child deal with her bitterly divided parents; Dr. Turner returns and helps Chandler come to a decision about his future; and the Oseranskys return to take Lucy to the "Doctor of the Year" dinner, which ends in a flaming disaster.
b: 18 May 88 pc: 7321 w: Tom Fontana s: John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Eric Laneuville NOTE: Featured in the guest cast of this episode, were most of the regular bit players from Steve Allen's version of The Tonight Show.rc: Dr. Donald Westphall
The Craigs' reconciliation faces its first test; Drs. Auschlander and Gideon struggle together to save St. Eligius when Weigert decides to get out; Novino pushes Morrison to decide between her and Joanne; Griffin places his future in God's hands; Ehrlich returns from his odyssey; and Fiscus' last E.R. patient is a lady from the opera...
But is it really over? The jaw-dropping climax culminates in a blue-collared dad placing his young autistic son Tommy Westphall's miniature St. Eligius snow globe on the living room TV set, having summoned him to dinner. "St. Elsewhere's" entire six-year saga had all been a figment of little Tommy's imagination! Finally, the poor MTM kitten lay wavering on a respirator during the final slew of end credits; after which, he flat lines and expires.
b: 25 May 88 pc: 7322 w: Bruce Paltrow and Mark Tinker s: Tom Fontana, John Tinker and Channing Gibson d: Mark Tinker NOTE: This final episode is full of puns, TV in-jokes and word play.Editor's Note (3/98): I am saddened to report that Donna died unexpectedly last month. I will try to answer any questions regarding this series, but since I've only seen sporadic episodes I probably will not have an answer for you.
Thanks to Robin L. Bristow for helping filling in some of the missing information and Aaron Handy III for his contribution to the description of the final episode.