St. Elsewhere (1982–1988): Season 3, Episode 8 - Sweet Dreams - full transcript

BEEPING

BEEPING CONTINUES

Great time for this to break.

BEEPING CONTINUES

BEEPING CONTINUES

BEEPING STOPS

Hello?

Hello!

(PANTS)

ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYS

No! No, no, no! No! No!



Don't do that, Jack. You'll screw up
the data on your dream sleep pattern.

Get these things off of me.

You're jeopardising
the whole experiment!

Maybe I shouldn't have
participated in the first place.

Unfortunately you're
part of the control group.

We're going to have
to start all over.

Linda, I'm sorry, but I shouldn't be
spending this time away from my son.

I haven't gotten a good night's
sleep in three days with these
wires attached to my head.

You're not the only
one who complains.

I've got Fiscus to deal with.

I know what you're doing
is important otherwise

I wouldn't have gotten involved.

And the 25 bucks you get
a night doesn't hurt either.

Do you know what it's like
sitting in that room watching



other people sleep?

Well, I'm sorry.

OK.

I'll let you go for tonight.
When do you want to reschedule?

I don't know.

Fine, tomorrow it is. Six o'clock.

Excuse me. Is this where I come to
be checked in? I'm not feeling well.

No, this is the gift shop.
Can't you read?

English, not very well.

Oh, across the lobby.

Lobby?

Yeah, over there. I'll take
you over. Thanks, Evangeline.

What's the matter with you?

Tight in my chest.
Pain shoots through my arm.

Who's your doctor?

That's why I come here, to find one.

Then we've got a problem.
Hospital rule, you can't be

admitted without a doctor.

We might have to walk around back to
the yard to get you in. Understand?

No.

Neither do I. Have you had any
problems with your heart before?

No, I've always
been in tip-top shape.

Don't worry, we'll figure it out.

Why don't you have a seat?
It's another hospital rule.

Are you a doctor?

Yeah.

I am Filipino.

Hi, Phil. Wayne Fiscus.

There's a bilateral
inflamed tenderness.

White count is
19,000 with left shift.

Urinalysis shows greater than
100 white blood cells.

Were there any white blood cells?

Yes, urine culture showed...

Donald, can I speak to you, please?

Sure.

What's up?

Boy, you look terrible.

You called me out
here to tell me that?

Wasn't Ehrlich supposed to be
on rounds with you this morning?

Yes. But he's not coming. He's
involved with a research project.

What is it with these residents?
Is every day 4th July?

I need him to assist me in surgery.
Karney dropped out just a minute ago.

Anybody know what project
Ehrlich is involved in?

Dream research.

Dream re...?

Flimflam, pure and simple.

Why these funding people let
the wool be pulled over their eyes

using hard-earned tax dollars
for useless research? I don't

know why you even let this Ellis
women have space in the hospital.

I had nothing to do with it.

Dream research! That kind of
malarkey really singes my drawers.

Ehrlich had just better be enjoying
his dreams while he can because
here comes a living nightmare.

Can't you see that I'm in a hurry?!

Where's my surfboard
when I need it?

I can't take this any more.
I'm going to swim for it.

It's shallow water. I'm crazy.

Shark attacks happen
in shallow water.

There could be a great white here!

Or an eel.

No, thanks. I like
to shower before I shave.

Twin blades. Nice.

I think I'm rescued.

What is this? Tupperware party?

You wouldn't do that if my
hands weren't tied behind my back.

You wouldn't do that if your
hands were tied behind my back.

You have trespassed upon
our most sacred of holy ground.

Our religion calls
your punishment be death.

A little extreme.

It accords with the dogma
of our most sovereign leader.

Sorry.

You must die the death
of 1,000 maidens.

I'll just go then.

You must make love with every woman

in my tribe, today, by sundown.

I'm not in that great a hurry.
When do we start?

Now.

Finally, a sexual variation
of the old death routine.

What?

Three guys crash-land in the jungle.
Chief says to one of them...

I guess you heard that one, huh?

OK, let's get on with this
ugly business. Who's on first?

Be gentle with me, ladies.
Plenty of me for everyone.

Oh, you first, huh?

Well, fair's fair. After all
you must be the head honchoette.

You have lovely eyes.

What the hell's going on here?

Huh?

Ehrlich, wake up!

Dr Craig. I'm rescued.

Take off these electrodes
and get over to the scrub room.

Mrs Dorey is waiting
on her triple bypass.

You stay right where you are.
Dr Craig, I am sorry, but Victor

is in the middle of a very
important stage in this project.

And what exactly is this project?

Dreams, and their relation to
physiological occurrences at night.

Half of all disease-related
deaths in hospitals occur

between midnight and 6am. We're
trying to determine what goes wrong.

Now a man of your reputation
wouldn't want to be accused of

interfering with science, would he?

Try me.

All I remember really is being
tied up by these two Amazons...

Get out.

Chris will take the electrodes off.

If I so much as hear that you've
gotten in the way of the practice
of medicine at this hospital

I'll shut you down permanently.
Do I make myself clear?

I'm not scared of you. I am not
one of your stooge residents!

Your windbag tactics
don't work on me.

Why don't you go home
and do the wash?

Slow down, sport.
You're going to hurt yourself.

Tommy hungry.

Right. Let me start dinner.

You get yourself ready for bed, OK?

Used to be everything cooked
in this house was fresh.

Daddy play with Tommy now?

After dinner.

Daddy play with Tommy now.

Sweetheart, sometimes Daddy
doesn't feel like it. Understand me?

I work very hard at the hospital and
when I come home I want to relax.

How does French dressing sound? OK?

After that, Swiss almond
from Bringhams.

Damn it, Tommy! Are you all right?

I hope the bus is on time.
If I'm late again,

this paper's going to fire me. Yeah.

You know what that means? That will
be the fourth job I've had this year.

It started off great. I was working
days, then in March the board dropped

three afternoon editions.

Nobody got canned though,
thank goodness.

But the City doesn't get its
afternoon stock market report either.

Hi. How are you?
Good to see you. Here it comes.

SIGHING

No medical shows tonight, thank you.

Now what?

At least he came formal.

Tuxedo Junction,
the store round the corner,

is handing out old clothes to bums.

I guess it's their way of improving
the look of the neighbourhood.

Annie, do me a favour.

Sure, what?

Take off your dress.

I've told you before
it's not your size.

OK. I've got a patient
and need a second opinion.

What's the story?

40-year-old white male.

Found unconscious at a bus stop,
the corner of Mass Avenue.

Except for a cut on his forehead I
can't find anything wrong with him.

Have you done a complete
neurological examination?

I resent that, Annie.
Here I am, a second-year resident,

you treat me like some
incompetent medical student.

Did you or did you not
do a neuro exam?

No.

Which cubicle?

Here.

Stovall.

Stovall.

Hi.

I'm Dr Cavanero.

Cavanero.

Is that with a C or a K?

If it's with a C, that's like half
moon. I could hang this hat on it.

If it's with a K, that
comes later on in the alphabet.

Words with Ks are very funny,
especially if they're in threes.

I know I'm talking nonsense,
but you just have to bear with me.

Is that a B-E-A-R or B-A-R-E?

Excuse us one moment...

I'll be right back.

Yeah.

He wasn't doing that a minute ago.
Think it's concussion?

Let's admit him and have psych
take a look at him as soon as

they can shake somebody loose.

DISTANT THUD

Finally.

Tommy want breakfast.

Good morning, sport.

Let's take a walk.

Dr Craig!

You call me in on
a consult like this?

Instead of billing
the patient I'll bill you!

All the symptoms of a
myocardial infarction are there.

There's nothing on the EKG.
Let's face it.

These tests are more reliable than
the Pentagon's fail-safe system.

Yes, sir, but...

The man's a faker, Fiscus!

Any nurse's aid could
have spotted that.

I'm surprised a resident of
your calibre would be duped

by a character who's only interested
in a free meal and a warm bed.

You think so?

I just said it, didn't I?

You've been spending too much
time in dreamland with Ehrlich.

When I was a resident
we didn't get paid to sleep.

We got paid to stay awake. If my
mentor Dr David Dominion were alive,

today do you know what he'd say?

What? Something profound I'm sure.

Yeah, I finally saw you
on health spot last night.

What did you think?

They pay you to do that?

Yeah.

You were very funny.

Great. It's not supposed
to be funny.

Either of you two got any food left?

I got stuck with a patient all night
and haven't eaten anything. Thanks.

Your patients have anything exciting?

I don't know, you tell me.

Symptoms are loud snoring, agitated
sleep coupled with normal movements,

excessive daytime sleepiness, early
morning headaches, hallucinations,

foggy mind and bed-wetting.

This guy's a mess!

Originally I thought it was
all related to the bump

he got on his forehead,
but...now I'm not so sure.

Is he experiencing...

sudden muscle weakness
that comes to strong emotions?

No.

Then my guess is...

Sleep apnoea. During sleep
the throat muscles relax

to the point they collapse,
cutting off the flow of air.

The diaphragm continues to contract,
building pressure against the airway

until the patient wakes
and begins breathing normally.

Right. Right, and the deprivation
of oxygen in sleep causes

hallucinations and other symptoms.
If I were you I'd send him up for...

Polysomnoligraphy.

Yeah. Polysomnoligraphy.

I'd pull Caulwell in for...

Plastics consult. If this
guy keeps up his bed-wetting,

I have another suggestion.

What's that?

Buy him some Huggies.

Yeah.

Can I talk to you
for a minute? Back here.

I don't know what to do.
I need your advice.

Is this union related?

Yeah, kind of.
I'm thinking of dissolving one.

You and Ira?

Mm. I'm honestly so confused.
I've been married four times.

Four times.
What does that say about me?

It's hot in here.

I'm trying to work
this whole thing out.

Is my marriage falling apart
because of the vasectomy, the kids,

work? I don't know.

All I know is I want
a divorce from Ira. What then?

I can't ever marry again because I
know I'll end up a five-time loser.

I have to open a window.

Be my guest. They painted them shut.

Open the door, will you?

I'd rather this was between us.
Do you want some water?

Yeah, please.

What's really worrying me
is the effect this chaos

is going to have on my kids.

They're used to that by now.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing. I'm sorry. I've got
to get out of this room.

Yep, definitely sleep apnoea.

The abnormal loss of tone in
the throat causes his brain,

heart and other vital tissues to be
deprived of needed oxygenated blood.

I should do something quick.

He's looking
at possible hypertension

and permanent heart damage.

That's why I called
Bob in for a consult.

Shall we try mipromine or
colmipromine or should we
flip all the cards

and go for plastic surgery?

Thanks for the use of the hall.
Any time. We're open day and night.

With his prolonged history I'd say
his case is too severe

to wait around for the effects of
medication to wear off.

Tracheostomy is a relatively
simple surgical solution.

OK, I'll call his wife.

I'll set up surgery first thing
in the morning.

MAN HOWLS

What?

He was asleep. I was checking up
on him and then

he screams for no reason.
Next thing I know, he's dead.

Call the code.

No, look.

According to his autopsy,
nothing physiological

caused his heart attack.

We've ruled out foul play, suicide,
heart disease, you name it.

Should I have him run
through it one more time?

Yes, and I'll talk to the family.

Cantancio - what's
the nationality here?

They're from the Philippines.

I've got a hunch.

So did Quasimodo.

About this case.

Care to enlighten me?

Bangungut.

Come again?

Nightmare death syndrome. In the
Philippines young men who are healthy

will sometimes without explanation be
frightened to death by their dreams.

Now where did you find
this out - Boys' Life?

Journal of the American
Medical Association.

It's a documented phenomenon.

So's psychic surgery, Fiscus,

but I wouldn't want to
trust my gall bladder to it.

Still want me to repeat the autopsy?

You're damn right.

Death syndrome. Lame.

Why MacArthur ever wanted to return
to the Philippines is beyond me.

You're looking rather
peaky around the gills.

I wish I felt that good.

Perhaps it's stress. You're
pushing yourself too hard again.

No. I'm taking good care of myself.

Maybe, but according to Helen...

I know what she was talking about, I
just felt a little claustrophobic.

You know as well as I do

claustrophobia is a symptom
of something much deeper.

No, I'm just having a
little bout of insomnia.

I haven't been sleeping
at all these past weeks...

Sleep, I never sleep. I hate
those little snatches of death.

Some people say we should
sleep less and live more.

The function of sleep, as we know,

is to provide an appropriate
time period of non-responding

otherwise you're heading for
bouts of anxiety, depression.

What are you doing to
put an end to all this?

Nothing seems to work. I tried
sleeping pills but with their

extended half life I was
afraid of the effect on my body,

so I'm not gonna bother with that.

It's an amazing dichotomy.
Just when the body is so desperate

for all the rest it sorely lacks,

the mind whirls through every
conceivable thought and image,

indifferent
to the needs of the body.

Yeah.

I thank you for your concern,
but I'm going to be fine, really.

Why don't you come over for dinner?

No. Tommy's waiting for me
to pick him up.

Bring the lad along.

You don't really want that,
but thanks for asking.

Army Navy retractors.

Thanks, cutie pie.

2.0 silk and a needle.

Let me ask you a question. Do you
dream in colour or black and white?

Don't be ridiculous,
everyone dreams in colour.

Really?

Everyone who dreams in colour
raise your hand.

I dream in black and white. 8mm MOS,
like watching an old Lucy Show.

22 French tracheostomy tube, please.

I wonder what the fat guy
is dreaming about?

How many times have
I got to tell you?

Don't talk about the patients.

I'm a strong believer that no matter

how far under they are, they
can hear what we're saying.

Come on, Bob.

Watch this.

Mr Stovall, you drink your bathwater.

See.

Victor, can I talk to you for
a moment by the X-ray screen?

Sure.

This is our last operation together.

I don't want you to assist me
any more.

What?

You're a good surgeon,
but ever since I came here

you've done nothing but bad jokes.

What do you mean?

Remember that line about Helen and
fun bags? You're not insensitive,
you're offensive.

I have one suggestion.
Why don't you do mankind a favour,

quit medicine, take up your true
calling? Professional phoney.

Come on...

Read my mask, you're out of here.

All I said was,
"you drink your bathwater."

Jeez.

RADIO PLAYS FUNKY MUSIC

RADIO: 'What you're going to need
tonight is a warm overcoat and

'a friend cos the temperature's
going way down tonight. Bundle up.

'It's gonna be cold. C-O-L-D.

'Here's something to heat you up.
The boys from Texas.

'I'm talking about ZZ Top
and they're talking about Legs!'

INTRO PLAYS

# She got legs

# Knows how to use them

# She never begs

# She knows how to choose them

# She's got legs

# Wonder how they're feelin'

# Would you get behind me

# If you could only find them?

# She's my baby

# She's my baby

# Yeah, it's all right

# Oh yeah

# She's got hair

# Down to her fanny

# She's kinda jet set

# Go to her parties

# Every time she's dancin'

# She knows what she's doing

# Everybody wants to see

# If she can use it

# She's so fine

# She's all mine

# Girl, you got it right

# She got legs

# She knows how to use them

# She never begs

# She know how to choose them

# She's got a dime

# All of the time

# Stays out at night... #

Hi.

Donald, take a peek at these.

Pretty healthy to me.

Yeah, well, he died last night,
an hour after they were taken.

I must be missing something.

Well, sometimes there's
nothing to find, you know.

I can't buy that.

The body can be broken down
into minute parts,

but you can touch every one of them.

The only way to heal is to have

something physical
to get your hands on.

Well, I am not going to
let this get me crazy.

I am heading home.

Anything special planned?

No, my regular routine.

Pump a little iron, have a meal,

try to get through that vulgar
Arthur Hailey book.

I envy you.

You can shut this place
out when you go home.

No, I take it there too.

But while Ellen is pottering
around in the kitchen,

I sit in my den and I make a list of
all the things I have to do tomorrow.

I type it, I fold it and I put it
with my right hand,

inside the breast pocket of
tomorrow's sports jacket.

I always coordinate my
clothes the night before.

Something, Donald, you
obviously should try.

Well, I'll tell you something.

I live in my bedroom.

I work there, I eat there.

The only thing I don't do
is sleep there.

Me, I'm upstairs by 10pm.

I brush my teeth, wash my face,
I set the alarm and I go to sleep.

There are only two activities
I associate with the bedroom.

Neither one of them have
anything to do with medicine.

Maybe if you weren't alone all
the time, you would get some sleep.

Because let's face it,
most guys our age have bags

under their eyes but you, my friend,
are carrying around steamer trunks.

So that's it, a tube down his
throat? That's happily ever after?

Yes. Now he'll be able to sleep
and breathe through the night.

And he can live a normal life
with a tube in his throat?

The only thing he won't
be able to do is swim.

No sweat, he never could before!

Look at the size of him.
The man's a floater.

Your husband has apnoea.

It's as serious and
debilitating as any disease.

It makes him totally unprepared
to participate in an active world.

Then you live with him.

Hi ho, Annie.

Mr Stovall, you don't look
any worse for the wear.

What's that? What did he say?

Thanks for the surgery?

No, he said only a pig would
drink his own bath water.

I'm sorry.

I got something...

Thanks a lot.
I'll see you tomorrow, same time.

Same place?

Same thing.

Jack, you missed your appointment.

I'm not doing it any more.

You signed a contract!

Well, I'll pay back all
the money I've made so far.

Why is it that everybody
in this hospital treats

their responsibilities like some
kind of a joke?

Believe me, this is no joke.

What is the big deal?

I can't explain it. I just don't
want to go through it again.

Jack! What did you dream? What could
possibly have you this rattled?

Look, I don't owe
you an explanation!

I don't owe anybody an explanation.

I'm sorry if I screwed up
the research, but I'm out of it.

You understand? I'm out of it.

CLATTERING

Scusi, Jack, but that's what happens
when you try to learn Italian

in your spare time.

No problem.

What are you doing sleeping? Aren't
you supposed be saving that up?

I dropped out of the project.

You quit?!

Jack Morrison, a quitter?

Wow! I promise
I won't tell your mother.

I didn't think it was very important.

Am I still dreaming?

Weren't you trying to convince me
how important sleep research was?

I changed my mind.

What happened?

This will sound dumb,

but I had a bad dream and it's
not a dream I care to go back to.

You're right, Jack.
It does sound dumb.

Even so...

When I was in high school
there was a cheerleader.

She wouldn't give me
the time of day.

She wouldn't tell me
what day it was.

I was afraid to approach her.
Every night before I went to sleep,

I promised myself
I'd break the ice. I never did.

One night I dreamt we talked.

It was great,

because in the dream she was
incredibly boring so the next day

when I saw her in biology
I ignored her. It drove her crazy.

She ended up asking
me to the Junior Prom.

Why'd you take biology
in your junior year?

I was stupid,
but that's not the point.

What's the point?

What you're avoiding in your
dream may be worth exploring.

WOMAN ON TAPE: 'Buona sera.'

Buona sera.

'Dov'e un buon albergo?'

I've no idea.

But I think I'm in love.

Less than 50 years ago,
sleep was thought to be simple,

passive and uniform. Uniform, like
all the kiddies wore Dr Dentons.

Today, sleep is regarded as an
active and complex state.

A state not unlike New Jersey.

Hence we use the term
sleep architecture

to describe its stages and cycles.
There are two varieties of sleep.

Good and rotten.

What I mean is non-REM and REM,

or Rapid Eye Movement - the dream
stage which reminds me of a joke.

PHONE RINGS

TV MUTED

Hello.

Yes, operator,
I'll accept the charges.

Hi, Lizzie.

What a surprise. What's up?

No, you're not calling too late.

You don't need a reason
to call here.

No, Tommy's fine. He's fine.

No, I'm finishing some paperwork
and about to go to sleep.

Read any good books
in freshman English?

Spectre Bridegroom.
Never heard of it.

You might, next week?

Terrific. I didn't think I'd get
to see you until parents' weekend.

Sure, bring a friend.

That's a terrific.
I'm looking forward to it.

All right. Bye-bye.

Lizzie... Go to class!

Bye. I love you, too.

PA: 'Dr Farrington.
Dr George Farrington, 6974.'

Dr Craig.

Mr Cantancio? How are you?

I'm sorry to take up
your valuable time.

Not at all. Sit down.

I was going to call you anyway.

I finally found out
what caused your nephew's death.

Look here.

It was a small leak
in the left ventricle right there.

Thank you for working so hard.

Not at all.

It's important as a man of
medicine I don't have any

loose threads clogging the drain.

We're satisfied with
our own explanation.

What explanation?

Ferdinand died of Bangungut.

Did Dr Fiscus put you up to this?

Every man's mind
is his own universe.

There's no limit to its power,
either great joy or terror.

My nephew saw visions that
night that coaxed him into death.

I'm telling you it was a leaky
ventricle like this one right here!

Don't you understand, Dr Craig?
It really doesn't matter.

My nephew is dead
and the family grieves.

Thank you so much for your time.

Hi. I'll give it another try.

Daddy?

LOUD ELECTRIC GUITAR MUSIC

MUSIC STOPS

Come in. I've been waiting for you.

Come on, come on!

I don't think I should.

J-Jack, we're friends.

Nothing's going to hurt you.

Just because I'm dead
doesn't mean I'm dangerous.

You're still dead, then?

Oh, yeah. Totally.

How have you been?

Not good.

Listen, I heard what you said
for me at the memorial service.

Thank you.

Peter, can I ask you something?

Sure.

What's it like? Being dead?

Classified information, Jack.
I can't talk about it.

But, Peter, we all spin our wheels
trying to get ahead and find

a purpose in our lives,
we work as doctors...

trying to extend life. Just to
avoid the unknown. But if we knew,

we might not have to be so afraid.

Atta boy, Jack.

You're always looking out
for mankind.

But listen, trust me...

a little fear isn't a bad thing.

By the way, I saw Wendy
Armstrong the other day.

And Eva Lleyton.

And I saw Nina.

Nina?

They're all fine.

And they all send their love.

Can I see them?

No.

Are you happy now?

Happy isn't something
to even try to be any more.

Let's just say less tormented.

It's like the things in my life,

things I should have taken
as significant, my loved ones,

family, work,

all I ever did was play one
of them against the other!

But Jack, you...

you've got the juggling act down.

You may not see this,
you may not see this,

but you're doing OK.

You are trying to be
the best person you can be

and trying is everything.

Really?

Would I lie to you?

You'd better get on back.

Who shot you, Peter?

That's not important.

What's important...

is I deserved it.

(LAUGHS MANIACALLY)

Do you want to tell me
about your dream?

I don't remember anything.