Season 1, Episode 7 (Season Finale)
Date of airing: June 8, 1988 (ABC)
Nielsen ratings information: 15.2 million viewers, 11.1 rating/20 share in Households
Story by: John Sacret Young
Teleplay by: William Broyles Jr., John Sacret Young
Directed by: Christopher Leitch
”Let it rip!”
In case the show were to be canceled after this short season, at least it closed the circle on one of the characters and gave her a strong goodbye, just like she was given a strong “Hello” in the pilot movie. Although I am a little sad that this was the end for Laurette, and she is off to more famous paths, making it as a singer and performer, because I have come to like the character and her non-serious, but still romantic storyline with Boonie (and giving him a couple grams of character depth in the process), I do like the fact that the show can say goodbye to character on a happy note, without the deadly war pushing itself to the foreground. When Dr. Dick came back from his R&R at home, he came back with news of his impending divorce, while soldiers generally leave this place injured or dead. That Laurette left with the USO and is now doing what she always wished to do feels like a wonderful miracle.
It felt great that McMurphy wasn’t blasted with an emotional angle of her story, that Cherry didn’t need to deal with the fear of finding her brother dead on a gurney, and that Beckett didn’t seem to have an emotional experience among his dead men. Throwing away the character depth ballast for this episode and focusing on Laurette made for a better hour, since he goodbye was already emotional enough to properly replace all the other emotional story arcs (the montage of previous scenes with her almost had me reaching for the box of tissues). With that in mind, the writers might have thrown out that ballast, knowing this was the season finale, knowing they would need new and better arcs for the characters with the next season. In a way, the second season starts with a clean slate.
By the way, the line “I didn’t even know I was dead until this kid from Missoula came out to replace me” line was pretty hilarious. If that ever happens to you – a new guy or woman replacing you at your job – you know that everyone thought you were dead. By the way, did Lazaro’s parents back home get the sad news of their son having died in Vietnam? Was the letter of condolences already sent when McMurphy threw her eyes at the still-living body? That story shouldn't have ended right there, I needed to know more.
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| Respecting each other as women and possible friends one last time. |
