Nightingales (American TV series)

1989 American television series

Nightingales

Genre| Medical drama
Created by|

* Rita Lakin
* Frank Furino
* Howard Lakin

Written by|

* Frank Furino
* Howard Lakin
* Rita Lakin

Starring|

* Suzanne Pleshette
* Barry Newman
* Susan Walters
* Chelsea Field
* Kristy Swanson
* Taylor Fry
* Fran Bennett
* Gil Gerard
* Jennifer Rhodes
* Roxann Dawson
* Kim Johnston Ulrich

Composer| John E. Davis
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 1
No. of episodes| 13
Production
Executive producers|

* Aaron Spelling
* Douglas S. Cramer

Production company| Aaron Spelling Productions
Original release
Network| NBC
Release| January 21 (1989-01-21) –
April 26, 1989 (1989-04-26)

Nightingales is an American medical drama television series that aired on NBC from January 21 to April 26, 1989.[1] It was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions.

## Premise

[edit]

The series follows the stories of Christine Broderick, a supervisor of student nurses, portrayed by Suzanne Pleshette, and her five nursing students: Sam, Bridget, Yolanda, Becky, and Allyson. Other hospital personnel include Christine's love interest, Dr. Paul Petrillo; the head nurse, Lenore Ritt; and the chief of staff, Dr. Garrett Braden. Nurse Sam also has a daughter, Megan.

## Cast

[edit]

* Suzanne Pleshette as Christine Broderick
* Chelsea Field as Sam Sullivan
* Kristy Swanson as Becky Granger
* Susan Walters as Bridget Loring
* Roxann Dawson as Yolanda Puente
* Kim Johnston Ulrich as Allyson Yates
* Taylor Fry as Megan Sullivan
* Fran Bennett as Lenore Ritt
* Barry Newman as Dr. Garrett Braden

## Episodes

[edit]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date|  Viewers
(millions)| Rating/share
(households)

|
|
|
|
|
|

0| "Pilot"| Mimi Leder| Story by : Rita Lakin & Frank Furino and Howard Lakin
Teleplay by : Howard Lakin| June 27, 1988 (1988-6-27)| N/A| 18.9/33[2]
1| "Episode 01"| Unknown| Unknown| January 25, 1989 (1989-1-25)| 20.5[3]| 15.1/26[3]
2| "Episode 02"| Unknown| Unknown| February 1, 1989 (1989-2-1)| 18.0[4]| 13.1/22[4]
3| "Episode 03"| Unknown| Unknown| February 8, 1989 (1989-2-8)| 15.9[5]| 11.6/18[5]
4| "Episode 04"| Unknown| Unknown| February 15, 1989 (1989-2-15)| 18.0[6]| 13.4/24[6]
5| "Episode 05"| Unknown| Unknown| February 22, 1989 (1989-2-22)| 18.1[7]| 13.1/22[7]
6| "Episode 06"| Unknown| Unknown| March 1, 1989 (1989-3-1)| 19.2[8]| 14.0/25[8]
7| "Episode 07"| Unknown| Unknown| March 15, 1989 (1989-3-15)| 15.9[9]| 11.4/20[9]
8| "Episode 08"| Robert Becker| Don Roos| March 22, 1989 (1989-3-22)| 17.8[10]| 12.9/23[10]
9| "Episode 09"| Unknown| Unknown| April 5, 1989 (1989-4-5)| 17.6[11]| 13.2/23[11]
10| "Episode 10"| Unknown| Unknown| April 12, 1989 (1989-4-12)| 17.5[12]| 13.0/23[12]
11| "Episode 11"| Unknown| Unknown| April 19, 1989 (1989-4-19)| 16.2[13]| 11.9/22[13]
12| "Episode 12"| Unknown| Unknown| April 26, 1989 (1989-4-26)| 15.3[14]| 11.6/20[14]

## Production

[edit]

The series was developed from a pilot television film, also titled Nightingales, that was directed by Mimi Leder and originally aired in June 1988. Field, Walters, Swanson, Bennett, and Jennifer Rhodes (as Effie Gardner) are the only members of the cast to appear in both the film and the series.[15]

## Reception

[edit]

The series was described in the Chicago Tribune as portraying nursing students as women who "don't spend much time studying...[but] do hang around in their underwear a lot".[16] Nightingales was criticized for "demeaning the nursing profession...by portraying five student nurses as lusty bimbos", and the American Nurses Association initiated a letter-writing campaign that prompted several of the show's sponsors to withdraw their advertising.[17] The series was cancelled after 13 episodes. Aaron Spelling briefly revived the show's premise in syndication as the 1995 series University Hospital, with a completely different cast. This variant only lasted one season as well.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Brooks & Marsh 2003, p. 859.
2. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. July 7, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306067407.
3. ^ a b "Midseason entries boost NBC". Life. USA Today. February 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306144802.
4. ^ a b "Comedies sweep up for NBC". Life. USA Today. February 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306179902.
5. ^ a b "CBS gallops to a tie with NBC". Life. USA Today. February 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306163263.
6. ^ a b "NBC's back alone on top". Life. USA Today. February 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306175741.
7. ^ a b "CBS up despite Grammy drop". Life. USA Today. March 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306152931.
8. ^ a b "Hit-and-miss program changes". Life. USA Today. March 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306184202.
9. ^ a b "Glad tidings for all networks". Life. USA Today. March 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306198820.
10. ^ a b "A 'Brewster' boost for ABC". Life. USA Today. March 29, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306173300.
11. ^ a b "ABC's hit-and-miss week". Life. USA Today. April 12, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306166319.
12. ^ a b "CBS squeaks by into second". Life. USA Today. April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306176608.
13. ^ a b "Sitcom rewards ABC's faith". Life. USA Today. April 26, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306174966.
14. ^ a b "We loved CBS' 'Lucy' tribute". Life. USA Today. May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306197470.
15. ^ "Nightingales". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved October 23, 2016.
16. ^ "Sour Notes On 'Nightingales'". Chicago Tribune. March 16, 1989. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
17. ^ Superville, Darlene E. (May 2, 1989). "Suzanne Pleshette Meets Nurses, Asks Them to Help Save "Nightingales"". Associated Press. Retrieved January 10, 2013.

### Sources

[edit]

* Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2003). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9th ed.). New York City: Ballantine Books. p. 859\. ISBN 978-0345497734.

## External links

[edit]

* Nightingales (TV movie) at IMDb
* Nightingales (TV series) at IMDb

*[No.]: Number