I worked for years in a place where exposed pipes had asbestos wrapped around them. After about ten years, a crew came in and removed it. I recall thinking about the implications. I have long passed the time whenI could have been infected but it was scary. Several events take place in this episode, but this, to me, was the most educational.
2 Reviews
Asbestos
jarrodmcdonald-118 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The maintenance guy in this episode is a recurring character, and he dies at the hospital later, though not from asbestosis. This plot seems very mid-80s, because I remember as a kid, there were reports of the dangers of asbestos on the news. And one of the schools my sister attended still had asbestos in it, which by law, the district was required to rip out. This was a big concern at the time, but of course people had been exposed to asbestos for decades.
I have to comment on Mrs. Hufnagel. A book could be written about her. First, Florence Halop was a great character actress. This recurring role during season 3 led to her becoming a full-time cast member on Night Court the following season, replacing Selma Diamond. Florence Halop was the sister of Dead End Kid Billy Halop, and she started in radio and had plenty of roles on television over the years.
Mrs. Hufnagel appears in many episodes in season 3. Interestingly, Halop has rather low billing, always billed in the end credits. She isn't ever considered a main guest star. But the writers seem to have been inspired by her. A running gag is that she keeps getting readmitted to St. Eligius with a new ailment, and the next resident tries to pass her off to someone else. Eventually Westphall (Ed Flanders) and Craig (William Daniels) are brought in to consult when her medical problems worsen, but Mrs. H has an uncanny way of alienating everyone with her obnoxious behavior and outspoken comments.
The plot with Nurse Rosenthal and Richard the labor negotiator (Herb Edelman) picks up speed. She ends up divorcing her current husband (husband #4), and Richard moves in with her and her kids. A running gag is that Rosenthal can't stay married for more than a few years. She repeatedly trades in her husbands for "new models" and Richard is the latest.
They are still together when the show ends, so maybe this is the relationship that will last. We occasionally see Rosenthal deal with domestic issues, and she has kids from all four husbands, plus she has a pregnancy scare with Richard. Herb Edelman is an excellent character actor, and he has nice chemistry with Christina Pickles.
I have to comment on Mrs. Hufnagel. A book could be written about her. First, Florence Halop was a great character actress. This recurring role during season 3 led to her becoming a full-time cast member on Night Court the following season, replacing Selma Diamond. Florence Halop was the sister of Dead End Kid Billy Halop, and she started in radio and had plenty of roles on television over the years.
Mrs. Hufnagel appears in many episodes in season 3. Interestingly, Halop has rather low billing, always billed in the end credits. She isn't ever considered a main guest star. But the writers seem to have been inspired by her. A running gag is that she keeps getting readmitted to St. Eligius with a new ailment, and the next resident tries to pass her off to someone else. Eventually Westphall (Ed Flanders) and Craig (William Daniels) are brought in to consult when her medical problems worsen, but Mrs. H has an uncanny way of alienating everyone with her obnoxious behavior and outspoken comments.
The plot with Nurse Rosenthal and Richard the labor negotiator (Herb Edelman) picks up speed. She ends up divorcing her current husband (husband #4), and Richard moves in with her and her kids. A running gag is that Rosenthal can't stay married for more than a few years. She repeatedly trades in her husbands for "new models" and Richard is the latest.
They are still together when the show ends, so maybe this is the relationship that will last. We occasionally see Rosenthal deal with domestic issues, and she has kids from all four husbands, plus she has a pregnancy scare with Richard. Herb Edelman is an excellent character actor, and he has nice chemistry with Christina Pickles.
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