"Hospital for Hire" (also known as "The National Health Service" and "Doctors"[citation needed]) is an episode of the British comedy television series The Goodies. Written by The Goodies, with songs and music by Bill Oddie.
| "Hospital for Hire" | |
|---|---|
| The Goodies episode | |
| Episode no. | Series 4 Episode 3 |
| Original air date | 15 December 1973 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
Plot edit
The National Health Service is having problems, and the Goodies are disgusted with the poor services. In a frustrated response to their criticisms, the National Health Service suggests to them that they study medicine and become doctors themselves in order to improve things. As a result, the Goodies become doctors. They pass all the tests — including beer drinking and nurse chasing.
Later, Graeme develops a special tonic and the Goodies sell it at a medicine show. They also set up their own eccentric outdoor hospital, performing X-rays (one scene shows Graeme being frightened and running away at the sight of a skeleton emerging from behind the X-ray machine) and operations, as well as setting bones and delivering babies.
The Goodies become obsessed with curing people, and collect patients from all over, including a patient from the back of an ambulance. Soon, all of Britain is cured by Graeme's tonic. Even a mummy, in a museum, is brought back to life by Graeme's tonic.
When the Goodies later become ill, they discover that curing the nation from sickness has unexpected disadvantages.
References edit
- The Complete Goodies — Robert Ross, B T Batsford, London, 2000
- The Goodies Rule OK — Robert Ross, Carlton Books Ltd, Sydney, 2006
- From Fringe to Flying Circus — Celebrating a Unique Generation of Comedy 1960-1980 — Roger Wilmut, Eyre Methuen Ltd, 1980
- The Goodies Episode Summaries — Brett Allender
- The Goodies — Fact File — Matthew K. Sharp
