Classic Episodes: St. Elsewhere – Time Heals

Another entry in our classic episodes series, this time we focus on a key two part episode from St Elsewhere, one of the most popular and important series of the early 80s. The kind of adult, willing to take chances series that paved the way for much of the style of drama now in vogue.

The past is the bridge to the present — and you never stop paying the toll. So suggests “Time Heals,” a masterwork of dramatic writing that proves this most-eccentric medical series was also the most mature and imaginative.

The saga of St. Eligius Hospital’s 50-year history is told mostly through the flashbacks of longtime employees. Every move, every utterance activates our twenty-twenty hindsight: When Dr. Westphall forgets to bring home ice cream one night, we already know that the action will trigger the tragedy of his life; when the maintenance man stuffs insulation into the new emergency room’s ceiling, we know it’s filled with cancer-causing asbestos. This two-parter underscores the lie of its title: On St. Elsewhere, time merely puts a bandage on the wound and hopes you find your way home.

Original Airdate: February 19 & 20, 1986