Strong Medicine

For the Arthur Hailey novel, see Strong Medicine (novel).
Strong Medicine
Genre Medical drama
Created by Whoopi Goldberg
Tammy Ader
Starring Janine Turner
Rosa Blasi
Jenifer Lewis
Philip Casnoff
Josh Coxx
Whoopi Goldberg
Brennan Elliott
Patricia Richardson
Tamera Mowry
Rick Schroder
Nestor Carbonell
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 6
No. of episodes 132 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time 43 minutes
Production company(s) One Ho Productions
By the Lake Productions
Sony Pictures Television (2002-2006)
(formerly Columbia TriStar Television, 2000-2002)
Distributor Columbia TriStar Television (2000-2002)
Sony Pictures Television (2002-present)
Release
Original network Lifetime
Original release July 23, 2000 (2000-07-23) – February 5, 2006 (2006-02-05)

Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict, that aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006.[1][2] The series was created and produced in part by comedian and activist Whoopi Goldberg, who made a couple of cameos in the series, and Tammy Ader.[3] The series starring Janine Turner, Rosa Blasi, and Patricia Richardson. Strong Medicine was highest-rated original drama on basic cable in 2001.[4]

Overview

Strong Medicine brings together the worlds of two completely different doctors, Dr. Luisa "Lu" Delgado, and Dr. Dana Stowe. Lu is a single mother running a free clinic in the inner-city. Dana is a Harvard graduate and top female health specialist. The two come together when Dr. Lydia Emerson wants to combine Rittenhouse Hospital's practice with Lu's financially failing clinic to provide the best care for the patients of both doctors.

The staff and its visitors tend to be racially, politically, and economically diverse. A core class/political duality in the episodes' storylines tend to be driven by comparisons and contrasts (and often cooperation) between liberal Delgado, and her fellow women's health practitioner across the lobby, who sees paying patients and generally has more conservative values. When Dr. Dana Stowe leaves, Lu's partners include Dr. Andy Campbell and Dr. Dylan West. The show often places the characters in ironic, soul-searching situations in which they are forced to question the solidity of their personal beliefs or else cause them to fight for what they believe in.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Seasons

Season Episodes First air date Last air date Timeslot DVD Release
1 22 July 23, 2000 March 11, 2001 Sunday 9/8c January 10, 2006
2 22 July 15, 2001 March 3, 2002 Sunday 9/8c
3 22 July 21, 2002 March 16, 2003 Sunday 10/9c
4 22 June 15, 2003 February 15, 2004 Sunday 10/9c
5 22 June 13, 2004 January 30, 2005 Sunday 9/8c
6 22 June 12, 2005 February 5, 2006 Sunday 9/8c

DVD release

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released Strong Medicine: The Complete First Season, a 5-disc set, on 10 January 2006. It is unknown if the remaining 5 seasons will be released at some point.

First Response spinoff

Near the end of the 2004-2005 season, a special episode "First Response" aired, prominently featuring three new characters: Katie and Zack, both EMTs, and Dr. Vanessa Burke, head of the new Rittenhouse Trauma Center and adopted black sister of Katie. The TV Home website reports that this episode was meant as the pilot to a potential Strong Medicine spinoff series, Strong Medicine: First Response. Such a series would have been the first spin-off to an existing Lifetime original series. Lifetime did not order the new series into production after the ratings for the pilot were not what was expected.

References

  1. "Breaking News - Lifetime Sends 'Strong Medicine' Into Retirement". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  2. 'Medicine' running out at Lifetime
  3. "Strong Medicine: Season 01 (2000) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast". AllMovie. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  4. Barraclough, Leo (2002-01-31). "Lifetime taking 'Medicine'". Variety. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  5. 1 2 "Rape Kit". Strong Medicine. Season 2. Episode 20.
  6. "Pilot". Strong Medicine. Season 1. Episode 1.
  7. "Body Mass Increase". Strong Medicine. Season 5. Episode 13.
  8. "The Hero Heart". Strong Medicine. Season 4. Episode 1.
  9. 1 2 3 "Goodbye Slash Rest in Peace". Strong Medicine. Season 5. Episode 6.
  10. 1 2 3 "Special Delivery". Strong Medicine. Season 6. Episode 22.
  11. "Discharged". Strong Medicine. Season 3. Episode 6.
  12. "Admissions". Strong Medicine. Season 3. Episode 7.
  13. "Fractured". Strong Medicine. Season 5. Episode 5.
  14. "Cutting the Cord". Strong Medicine. Season 5. Episode 22.
  15. "Misconceptions". Strong Medicine. Season 1. Episode 3.
  16. 1 2 "History". Strong Medicine. Season 2. Episode 4.
  17. "Shock". Strong Medicine. Season 2. Episode 18.
  18. "Paternity Test". Strong Medicine. Season 6. Episode 7.

External links

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