It Ain't Me...

I have a bone to pick with the movie and t.v. people. Whenever I see a pharmacist depicted in a movie or on television, I cringe to think that people may actually see us the way we are portrayed. Most of the time the pharmacist comes off as a dork, a jerk, a crook, or a lost cause. I can't think of a single movie or t.v. show that shows what a pharmacist actually does....maybe because it's not all that entertaining!

The South Carolina College of Pharmacy actually got a research grant to study the way pharmacists have been depicted in American film and other media over the last 35 years. Pharmacy professor Brandon Bookstaver, and pharmacy student Amy Yanicak led a team that watched these portrayals on the internet and Netflix, compiling a list of over 200 so far. The results are not encouraging. 

"Unfortunately, it's very negative, '''Bookstaver said. ''Often, pharmacists are victims of crimes or perpetrators of crimes themselves. Even in a show like 'ER' they show up only once or twice, and when they do, they're either making a mistake or appearing unprepared.'' Here is the link to the article on the University of South Carolina's website:
http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle.php?nid=6138

I decided to do my own informal research and see how many pharmacists I could find depicted in movies or television. I also noted the pharmacists' basic characteristics in each case.

Movies:

The Pharmacist 1933-W.C. Fields as himself (''Get away from me, kid, 'ya bother me!'').
In Old California 1942-John Wayne- Acts like, well, John Wayne
Pink String and Sealing Wax 1945- Puritanical, rigid, mean
It's a Wonderful Life" 1946-Drunk, mean, unbalanced
Murphys Romance 1985-Good old boy
The Check is in the Mail 1985- Frustrated, jaded, in debt
Drug Store Cowboy 1989-Bald, middle aged, frazzled
Nikita 1990-Victim (shot and killed in robbery)
Nuns on the Run 1990-character that is ''chemist assistant''
Niagra Niagra 1997-Vigilante
Signs 2002- Hallelujah! A female pharmacist!!
Are We There Yet 2005-hero (clown pharmacist)
Don't Shoot the Pharmacist 2008-Frustrated, jaded
The Pharmacist 2012- Obedient, compliant
Pharmacists, Unsung Heroes (PBS)- documentary

Television:

Caeser Presents (1955, Sid Caeser)-overworked, underpaid

The Andy Griffith Show-female! Plucky, confident, capable

Monty Python's Flying Circus-''chemist''- zany, mock professional

Grace Under Fire- impeccable grooming, dependable, dorky

Fridays (ABC)- pill popping, hallucinating, crazed
Desperate Houswives- filanderer, unethical, seeks revenge
Curb Your Enthusiasm- respected and moral
Family Guy-needy, whiney, dorky, renaissance fair attendee
The Simpsons- (pharmaceutical sales rep Ned Flanders)-religious, timid, a pushover
The Simpsons-Homer sees pharmacy in new superstore-"WooHoo!! Free medical advice!!''
Friends-Phoebe's dad is a pharmacist
Law and Order- unethical (dilutes cancer drugs)
House MD-longsuffering (he has to deal with House!)
House MD-billionaire owner of pharmaceutical company, unethical, on board (big donation$$$$$$)
Scrubs-pharmacy/pharmacist in background of scenes
ER-Invisible (drugs magically appear in the drug locker)
Grey's Anatomy-over-the-hill, retiree, second career
Girls (HBO) clean cut, responsible kid

I saved this ''gem'' from Jerry Seinfeld for last....makes me wish I didn't like the show so much:

'' Why does that pharmacist have to be two and a half feet higher than everybody else? Who the hell is this guy? 'Clear out everybody, I'm workin' with pills up here. I'm taking pills from this big bottle and then I'm gonna put them in a  little bottle! That's my whole job. I can't be down on the floor with you people. Then I'm gonna type out, on a little piece of paper. And it's really hard'.''

Yeah, well, so is a show about Nothing, Jerry...

BP

Grace Under Fire, 1993-1998- Russel Norton- fussy neatnik



Girls on HBO

Hannah goes home for her parents anniversary,  meets up with Eric, a former classmate who is now a pharmacist. Hannah is a free-spirit and a bit of a mess, Eric has his life together. Doesn't go anywhere.

Miss Ellie on Andy Griffith

"Well, now, that's a nice smile, just as toothy...I 'spect people will pay for that!''


Grey's Anatomy

House MD
Marco the hospital pharmacist

Nurse Jackie

Jackie has chronic back problem which leads to pill addiction, which leads to an affair with hospital pharmacist Eddie Walzer, who becomes her supplier.

Fridays

Russell the Pharmacist 2 and 1/2 Men
Who has been known to both abuse and sell illegal drugs, and swig cough syrup straight out of the bottle. ''What, are you a cop?''.