Route 66 (TV Series) City of Wheels (1962) User Reviews

Good Look at VA Hospital

[dougdoepke · 3 July 2015]

Best part of this episode is the extensive look at VA hospital center in Long Beach, CA. The dramatics are mainly staged in the various recreation and rehab facilities where Buzz and Tod work. Seems one of the patients, Frank (Hill), is too emotionally scarred by wheelchair confinement to relate to others, especially Buzz whom he sees as a rival. This causes a breakup of his budding romance with nurse Lori (Leslie) which he blames on Buzz. Among the many good guys, he's a hard case, for sure.

Catch that water basketball game where anything goes among the floating patients. My gym classes were never like this. The plot is more a character study than anything suspenseful. Nonetheless, the acting is first-rate, as usual (note Milner and Maharis expressively subtle eye movement). Also, can't help noticing the facial resemblance between Maharis and Hill-- nothing hangs on this, of course. Dialog is straightforward without the philosophical notes the series (Silliphant) sometimes sounded. All in all, it's an interesting behind-the-scenes 60- minutes that makes good background use of real patients.

Tribute to our hero veterans

[frank4122 · 10/10 · 8 January 2020]

George Maharis and Martin Milner give wonderful performances here in telling the story of our heroes. I have volunteered at verterans hospitals and am always available when they need me. I have also studied trauma which is critical in treatment and recovery. Steven Hill played the role of a tormented individual whose only ability is to lash out even at people trying to help and the woman he loves, well played by Bethel Leslie. We are finding out more about PTSD and the devasting effects it can have to military personnel who have experienced combat. Some are living in a world they can't control and we have to understand what we can do for them. Our veterans gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. They should be first in our hearts.

2/12/62: "City of Wheels"

[schappe1 · 27 May 2015]

Another strong episode. The boys get a job helping out at a VA Medical Center. One of the patients is Frank Madera, (Stephen Hill, decades before he became the DA in "Law and Order"), who was a heroic fighter pilot in two wars and a test pilot who has become a paraplegic due to a plane crash. He doesn't much like his new life and takes his displeasure out on everyone else. He is falling for Bethel Leslie, a nurse at the facility but holds back because "she wouldn't want half a man". He develops a grudge against Buz specifically because he wants to help and then because he starts romancing the nurse.

Some episodes of this show focus on the guest characters. Some focus on Todd. Some focus on Buz. This is a "Buz" episode, although he's clearly co-staring with Hill. George Maharis does a good job of depicting Buz's emotional journey through this particular job: He starts out wondering if he wants to spend his day with crippled or ill people, a discomfort most of us would probably have beginning in such a job. Then he gets into it, starts to relate to and respect the men he's working with, (as most of us would.) Then he runs into a brick wall with Frank and wants to quit in frustration. Finally, when he saves Frank from drowning himself in the pool and Frank realizes he wants to live, he's rejuvenated (as we would be.) it's a show where it's easy to step into the character's shoes and feel what they would feel.