SILENT KILLER

 

 

'The Silent Killer' - first shown February 28 1971

 

'Dr. Woodtree had come to Virginia City to start a hospital. Fearing he wouldn't be taken seriously, he claimed he went to Harvard. Doc Martin had him arrested for fraud. But Doc Martin has bigger problems - a deadly flu epidemic has swept the Ponderosa.'

 

Guest Stars: Louise Latham as Harriet Clinton, Ion Berger as Dr George Woodtree, Meg Foster as Evangeline Woodtree, Hal Burton as Barney Bates.

 

*****

 

This is the story of a flu epidemic on the Ponderosa. Evangeline Woodtree (very well played by Meg Foster) is a nurse who knows exactly the correct treatment for influenza. Unfortunately for her she meets with stern resistance from Ben and Hoss and mostly from Doc Martin especially since Evangeline's husband is a doctor that Doc Martin believes is a fraud.

George Woodtree qualified with distinction in Ireland but lied and said he was Harvard trained (apparently so was Doc Martin - I didn't know that LOL!) as he thought his qualifications would not be accepted for the new Virginia City Hospital he wished to set up.

His foolish mistake nearly costs the lives of many of Ben's ranch hands because of the prejudice against the Woodtree’s - his mistake and her new methods.

Meg Foster is extremely good as Evangeline Woodtree - courageous, innovative, loyal to her husband, able to be diplomatic or physically fight if necessary. However there is a serious lack of Cartwrights in this episode. I also thought that Ben, Doc Martin and even Hoss were uncharacteristically rude to Evangeline at times.

I "enjoyed" Hoss and Joe looking really cold in their winter coats and really making the weather and the epidemic seem very real, also Ben being suitably "ratty" when he catches the flu! Jamie's fears (having lost his father) of people dying from an epidemic were well portrayed and I felt really sorry for Hop Sing when he collapsed.

Had there been more Cartwrights this would have been a pretty good episode but I again felt cheated.