Nightingales (American TV series)
1989 American television series
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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.
- Rita Lakin
- Frank Furino
- Howard Lakin
- Frank Furino
- Howard Lakin
- Rita Lakin
| Nightingales | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Medical drama |
| Created by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Starring | |
| Composer | John E. Davis |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Production company | Aaron Spelling Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | January 21 – April 26, 1989 |
Premise
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
- 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
| 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 | N/A | 18.9/33[2] |
| 1 | "Episode 01" | Mimi Leder | Deborah Zoe Dawson & Victoria Johns | January 25, 1989 | 20.5[3] | 15.1/26[3] |
| 2 | "Episode 02" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Don Roos | February 1, 1989 | 18.0[4] | 13.1/22[4] |
| 3 | "Episode 03" | Nancy Malone | Dianne Mesina & Lou Messina | February 8, 1989 | 15.9[5] | 11.6/18[5] |
| 4 | "Episode 04" | Michael Fresco | Kimmer Ringwald | February 15, 1989 | 18.0[6] | 13.4/24[6] |
| 5 | "Episode 05" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Ann Donahue | February 22, 1989 | 18.1[7] | 13.1/22[7] |
| 6 | "Episode 06" | Nancy Malone | Larry Barber & Paul Barber | March 1, 1989 | 19.2[8] | 14.0/25[8] |
| 7 | "Episode 07" | Robert Becker | Don Roos | March 15, 1989 | 15.9[9] | 11.4/20[9] |
| 8 | "Episode 08" | Michael Vejar | Story by : Deborah Zoe Dawson & Victoria Johns Teleplay by : Jean Clarke | March 22, 1989 | 17.8[10] | 12.9/23[10] |
| 9 | "Episode 09" | Kevin Hooks | Ann Donahue | April 5, 1989 | 17.6[11] | 13.2/23[11] |
| 10 | "Episode 10" | Jerry Jameson | Story by : Ann Donahue & Isabella Benson Teleplay by : Ann Donahue | April 12, 1989 | 17.5[12] | 13.0/23[12] |
| 11 | "Episode 11" | Unknown | Unknown | April 19, 1989 | 16.2[13] | 11.9/22[13] |
| 12 | "Episode 12" | Reza Badiyi | Victoria Johns & Deborah Zoe Dawson | April 26, 1989 | 15.3[14] | 11.6/20[14] |
Production
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
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.