Episode 304--"new baby"

Writer Ann Lewis Hamilton Director Marshall Herskovitz Air Date 10/24/89, 6/5/90 Guest Star

Patricia Heaton as Dr. Karen Silverman; Andi Chapman as Clara; Diane Delano as Isabel; Lynne Thigpen as Rosie

Synopsis

Susannah has the baby.

Summary

11:15 P.M. Susannah is in the last stage of labor, but things aren't going well. Her concentration is shot and even though she's crowning, the baby isn't emerging.

10:10 P.M. Susannah is in a lot of pain from the labor even though she's already on a bunch of drugs. Her contractions are coming very close together and she's not getting any rest. She asks Gary to stay and he promises. Hours earlier: Gary calls Melissa's machine from the hospital, but hangs up. Michael shows up for support, giving a few fatherly tips. Dr. Silverman starts Susannah on Pitocin, a drug to make the contractions "more productive." Susannah is very set against the notion of any drugs or an epidural. Isabel the nurse arrives and is pretty efficient, though she refers to Gary as the husband and Susannah pointedly corrects her. Meanwhile, Susannah is convincing herself and Gary that she doesn't need any help, and between them they send Gary off for coffee.

5:10 P.M. With Pachelbel's Canon in the background, Gary and Susannah get settled into the room, doing crosswords, and chatting with the nurse, who refers to Susannah as the wife and Gary simply accepts it.

Several hours earlier: Gary calls Melissa's machine and tries to apologize for something, saying that he needs her. Melissa is screening calls, but does not pick up. The nurse shows Gary and Susannah to their room, which apparently is just a regular room and not the "ABC Room" which they had really counted on.

Hours earlier: Gary and Susannah frantically pack, looking for the Pachelbel's Canon tape, and run out the door, arms and bags flailing, as her contractions are just minutes apart.

Days before at the baby shower, Melissa shows up with her present for Gary which is a huge hulking rusted out car with a convertible top. Gary is put off balance and doesn't accept it very graciously. He invites her to the shower, but things blow up and they get into the issues of how Gary wasn't there to help Melissa accept the baby and his new life.

Earlier, at the shower, everyone swaps gifts and stories while Susannah looks a bit distant and has her first contraction, though she doesn't say anything.

Before the shower, while Susannah and Hope are carrying things in, Susannah actually opens up and shares some of her fears. Michael and Gary assemble the crib and do much the same thing. Earlier, Susannah has been sent home from the hospital as she isn't having the baby fast enough. A few sharp words are exchanged and Susannah actually apologizes for shutting Gary out of the process.

Days earlier, Gary and Susannah take a tour of the hospital facilities and Susannah's water breaks in the midst of it.

Before that, Susannah is somewhat amusing, talking to her stomach, and refusing to practice LaMaze. He wants to make love, but she's afraid it will induce labor (which was sort of what Gary had in mind).

Earlier, Hope is planning the baby shower with Ellyn watching on. Melissa shows up and startles them, then finds out they're throwing the shower.

Two weeks before the due date, Gary and Susannah go shopping and run into Melissa, who sorta tries to dodge him. Gary wants her to come to the shower and presses her about what he can do to fix things between them. Susannah shows up and Melissa leaves.

Before that, at LaMaze class, Susannah doesn't really want to practice very much.

Snapping back to the present, Susannah is still having trouble. Gary pulls it together and tries to pull her back. She gives it one last shot and manages to push the kid out. Understandably, there's a lot of crying by parents and baby alike. Out in the hallway, Melissa has come to see the nursery. Gary apologizes again, then offers to take Melissa to see the baby. Everyone is quite civil, including Susannah, and it's a nice scene of reconciliation.

Notes

This is the first time that Patricia Kalember received mention in the opening credits.

Fashion

Gary wears the Knights jacket

Hope's hair is very short, well above her shoulders.

Quotes

"Why did you do this to me? Stop looking at the damn monitor!" --Susannah, shortly before throwing up

"Play Pachelbel's Canon one more time and I'll jump out that window." --again, Susannah, gracious as ever

"Why don't you just swing by the shower and throw a gift at the door?" --Ellyn to Melissa

--What's the point of being a vegetarian if you eat all this junk?" --Gary

--"Makes up for tofu." --Susannah

Analysis

• Joseph Dougherty has commented in an interview that he "suggested [writer Ann Lewis Hamilton] lift the [episode] structure from Harold Pinter’s 'Betrayal."

• OK, I'm sure that this is all very realistic, but I get kinda tired of people getting unbelievably insecure about babies, asking all these "What if...?" questions. Marshall Herskovitz is more than a little enamoured of the childbirth experience.
• For someone who is portrayed as so confident, self-sufficient, and assertive, Susannah manages to come across as extremely insecure and a big wimp. OK, so something the size of a small frozen turkey was trying to come out of her, but still. I hear this is part of the "charm" of having children, that you suddenly lose the ability to function at all.
• There are times when Gary reminds me overwhelmingly of Charles (don't ask--he's gone and that's what counts) and this is definitely one of those episodes. It's not a good thing.

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