S05-E05 is a first-rate, surprisingly suspenseful and exciting episode: a whodunit set in the hospital. While staking out the supplier for a major drug kingpin in San Francisco, Mac saves Sgt. Enright's life after pushing him back from an oncoming bullet, getting shot in his side. He's rushed to the hospital but, while awaiting surgery, Mac sees two faceless people in green doctors' smocks smother a man to death with a pillow in an adjacent room. Nobody believes his story two days later when he's recuperating in bed, though Sally gives him the benefit of the doubt (and that's really all Susan Saint James is required to do here, aside from questioning patient Liam Dunn whilst wearing a perplexing short wig). It's strange now (and kind of sad) seeing Rock Hudson near-death in the hospital, being wheeled around on a gurney, but he gives a good performance here. The roster of suspicious-acting doctors and nurses make for a fine list of maybe-murderers, the supporting cast (including Michael Constantine and Lola Albright) is solid, and writer Richard Danus delivers a neat denouement. Good show!
4 Reviews
****
edwagreen27 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A terrific episode where the Commissioner gets shot during a standoff with a noted drug dealer.
While at the hospital, the Commissioner witnesses a murder but no one will believe him due to the state he was in and all claim that he was hallucinating.
Nevertheless, McMillan refuses to give in and when a patient is subsequently murdered, people gradually start to come around to his thinking.
What made this episode so good was that there was a link regarding the drugs at the time that Hudson was shot and the hospital's involvement in the drug dealing. It becomes a very good guessing game who is involved in selling the narcotics.
While at the hospital, the Commissioner witnesses a murder but no one will believe him due to the state he was in and all claim that he was hallucinating.
Nevertheless, McMillan refuses to give in and when a patient is subsequently murdered, people gradually start to come around to his thinking.
What made this episode so good was that there was a link regarding the drugs at the time that Hudson was shot and the hospital's involvement in the drug dealing. It becomes a very good guessing game who is involved in selling the narcotics.
Rock takes one for Schuck
bkoganbing11 March 2015
Our where the action is police commissioner of San Francisco decides to personally supervise a drug raid where a very big dealer is supposed to make an appearance. No drugs, no mr. big dealer, and Rock Hudson takes a bullet for John Schuck. All they have is a cryptic message from their inside man.
Who turns out to be a patient at the same hospital that Hudson is taken to for his surgery to remove the bullet. While under anesthesia awaiting the operation Hudson sees a murder committed. Of course the staff says that's just not possible. But Rock has the scent.
So some hospital employees are both running a drug ring and have a murder on hospital premises. Among the doctors are Macdonald Carey, Michael Constantine, Michael Tolan, and Dick Sargent. There's also one nasty orderly around who is doing a lot of the dirty work.
Susan Saint James actually helps big time in this one. A chronic patient played by Liam Dunn won't give information that Hudson needs. But when Susan questions him he's just a fount of knowledge. Her interrogation technique is the best scene in the episode.
Worth seeing for that alone.
Who turns out to be a patient at the same hospital that Hudson is taken to for his surgery to remove the bullet. While under anesthesia awaiting the operation Hudson sees a murder committed. Of course the staff says that's just not possible. But Rock has the scent.
So some hospital employees are both running a drug ring and have a murder on hospital premises. Among the doctors are Macdonald Carey, Michael Constantine, Michael Tolan, and Dick Sargent. There's also one nasty orderly around who is doing a lot of the dirty work.
Susan Saint James actually helps big time in this one. A chronic patient played by Liam Dunn won't give information that Hudson needs. But when Susan questions him he's just a fount of knowledge. Her interrogation technique is the best scene in the episode.
Worth seeing for that alone.
Not convinced
VetteRanger6 January 2023
My wife and I watched this episode and she just kept shaking her head. Not much about it came across as believable to us.
It starts out with police surrounding a drug dealer in a building. Somehow they've managed to evacuate the entire building without his catching on. Then he flees through a basement passage under a parking lot into a building on the other side of the parking lot. Of course Mac thinks about this in the nick of time.
Supposedly the supplier is scheduled to show up with a drop, and somehow miss all the cops hiding behind parked cars, holding rifles. Dumb.
The crime in the hospital is also pretty shaky on believability. Other events at the hospital don't hold up, such as an orderly's attempt to kill Mac.
Once again, Sally barely figures into the story. No wonder Susan St. James wound up leaving. There's been very little for her to do all season. Yes, I know she also wanted more money.
Just not good writing for our money.
It starts out with police surrounding a drug dealer in a building. Somehow they've managed to evacuate the entire building without his catching on. Then he flees through a basement passage under a parking lot into a building on the other side of the parking lot. Of course Mac thinks about this in the nick of time.
Supposedly the supplier is scheduled to show up with a drop, and somehow miss all the cops hiding behind parked cars, holding rifles. Dumb.
The crime in the hospital is also pretty shaky on believability. Other events at the hospital don't hold up, such as an orderly's attempt to kill Mac.
Once again, Sally barely figures into the story. No wonder Susan St. James wound up leaving. There's been very little for her to do all season. Yes, I know she also wanted more money.
Just not good writing for our money.
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