Friday 23 April 1999
By eBroadcast Staff and agencies.

Producer David E. Kelley is firing up the defibrillators in an effort to revive his flatlining hospital drama

Jenny Craig shake, stat!

Chicago Hope has not been nearly as popular with fans and critics as either of Kelley's two legal dramas, Fox's Ally McBeal and ABC's The Practice. And now TV's top producer, and one of the Hollywood's most physically unappealing men, has announced he's returning as executive producer in an attempt to save his program.

Hope, which competes with NBC's Law & Order on Wednesday nights, is clearly having a difficult time. And, with producer Steven Bochco’s announcement that his new project for the Eye network will be a doc drama (CBS is already airing joke-of-a-drama, L.A. Doctors in Hope's old Monday-night time slot), the ward is only going to get more crowded.

To make matters worse, several of Hope's veteran stars, including Christine Lahti, Jayne Brook, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Stacy Edwards, are due to scrub out at season’s end. The show's long-time producers, John Tinker and Bill D'Elia, are also leaving after this season.

Ouch.

Kelley hasn’t given up hope yet (n'yuk, n'yuk). CBS confirms he's written this season's finale, which will air during May sweeps. If the show is picked up for another season, he'll write next season's premiere episode, and approve all future scripts.

If Hope still has vital signs by season’s end, veterans Adam Arkin (Dr. Aaron Shutt) and Hector Elizondo (Chief of staff, Dr. Phillip Watters) will still be in residence, along with Mark Harmon and Rocky Carroll.

Of course, our insiders (mostly extras with porno careers on the side) say the show cannot survive without a weekly dose of Christine Lahti’s luscious bosoms.

We tend to agree.