What Might've Been: The Interns (1970)

Ever wonder why Mike Farrell felt right at home when he was cast as BJ Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H? It might be because he'd already done a medical show.

While Farrell had his biggest success on M*A*S*H, his first series gig was a 1-year wonder, also for CBS. The Interns had first been a book, then a feature film---two of them, actually----before William Blinn adapted it for Screen Gems & CBS. The Interns, however, landed on the wrong night, or, at least at the wrong hour of the night. Airing on Fridays, it was doomed opposite The Brady Bunch (2nd year on ABC) and High Chapparal (4th season on NBC). Enough said. In truth, it should've aired closer to 9 (ET), but CBS had a directive to run hour-long dramas at 7:30 (ET), which was the start of primetime in those days, the better to hook the younger viewers, in this case teenagers. There were few exceptions (i.e. Beverly Hillbillies) to the rule.

Interns was a comeback vehicle for screen legend Broderick Crawford (ex-Highway Patrol), who played Dr. Peter Goldstone, mentor to 5 young doctors. Character actor Christopher Stone was another of the new faces in the cast, and, if you go by the open, it seems his character might've been inspired by James Brolin's motorcycle riding Dr. Steven Kiley on Marcus Welby, MD.

Dwighttfrye uploaded a sample episode, "The Oath".  The Screen Gems logo was edited off, but scope out the funky theme music.



I barely remember seeing this show, so we'll pass on a rating.