Halfway between a sitcom and a dramedy, the British series A Very Peculiar Practice was the story of idealistic, newly divorced young doctor Stephen Decker (Peter Davison). Accepting a position with the Student Health Service of Lowlands University, Stephen tried to do his job to the best of his ability, and to pursue romance with a variety of toothsome young ladies, among them student-policewoman Lyn Turtle (Amanda Hillwood) and fellow doctor Greta Growtowska (Joanna Kanska). Unfortunately, Stephen was surrounded by eccentric, backbiting, and downright incompetent co-workers, including nutty vice-chancellor Ernest Hemingway (John Bird), hypersensitive lesbian Dr. Rose Marie (Barbara Flynn), vainglorious Dr. Bob Buzzard (David Troughton), and chronic drunkand Dr. Jock McCannon (Graham Crowden). An endless succession of bizarre events and surreal running gags paraded through the halls of Lowlands, especially after the college was taken over by corporate-invading American Jack B. Daniels (Michael J. Shannon). Debuting May 21, 1986, A Very Peculiar Practice ran for 14 50-minute episodes, the last of which aired on April 6, 1988. A 90-minute spin-off, A Very Polish Practice, was seen on September 6, 1992.
by Hal Erickson
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