****SPOILERS*** Social worker for the poor and downtrodden Neil Brock, George C. Scott, makes time from his busy schedule to help a group of crippled veterans who need help to get them back on their feet again. That's by the innovative Doctor Warren, Vincent Gardenia, getting the government funds, well over 10 million dollars, that he needs for a new way of treating them with the help of his new electric shock treatments he invented with his still on the books leg & foot regenerating nerve stimulator.
Dr. Warren using the crippled from the belt down Mr. Sam, Alex Cord AKA Alex Viespi,as his first subject things don't go too well with Sam the center of the wheelchair bound basketball team the "West Side Wheelers/Dealers" in him not getting anywhere with the treatments. It's when Brock stepped in that Sam had a change of heart and went along with Doctor's Warren program that finally got him, if only half way, back on his feet.
****SPOILERS***** A lot like the 1950 Marlon Brando film "The Men" this "East/Side West/Side" episode shows how the public treats its coming back from the wars fighting men, and now women, with pity not the respect of them serving their country that greatly turns them off. Here we have Sam the "Fighting Man" trying to reclaim his shattered life but only getting empty talking points and lip service, about how sorry everyone feels about him and his plight, without really doing anything to both help and encourage him. It's only, who else, social worker Brock and Doctor Warren who know whats needed, millions in government funds, to help them and as we see at the end of the episode no one seems to care or give a sh*t about helping them: Even taking the time to sign a petition to their local congressman to get them the help that they so desperately need to get them back on their feet.
