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"St. Elsewhere" (1982) More at IMDbPro »

The Very Best of St. Elsewhere - Four Tape Set (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Long before the angst-ridden tension of ER and Chicago Hope, television audiences tuned in to St. Elsewhere for their weekly dose of hospital hijinks. From 1982 to 1988, this Boston-based NBC series shared the spotlight with Hill Street Blues as cutting-edge TV drama, paving the way for shows as diverse as Northern Exposure and L.A. Law.

Once dubbed by TV Guide as "the greatest dramatic series of all time," St. Elsewhere wears this accolade remarkably well, as evidenced by this four-tape boxed set. For example, many dramatic series now incorporate humor as a vital element, but St. Elsewhere may be the first long-running dramatic series to consistently use intelligent humor in a compelling, off-beat manner. Each of the eight episodes in this boxed set demonstrates this nuanced humor.

Representing the most highly acclaimed shows from each season, The Very Best of St. Elsewhere showcases the work of several cast members who continued their careers after the series' demise, including Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel, Helen Hunt, Alfre Woodard, and of course, Denzel Washington. St. Elsewhere lent a much-needed human element to the never-ending trials of a frenetic, big-city hospital, and the drama was made real with the pioneering use of handheld cameras, looping story line episodes, and overlapping dialogue. The show's fresh urban edge revitalized a genre long stale with the likes of Marcus Welby, M.D. and Medical Center. Garnering 13 Emmy Awards and a fiercely loyal following, the show endured a five-year run, despite increasingly poor ratings. Finally, on May 25, 1988, St. Elsewhere closed its doors to the public, as well as network television. --Stephan Magcosta