does anyone know the details of McMurphy leaving Vietnam? - China Beach (1988) Discussion

[–] jamminstar32 10 years ago

She stayed a nurse and I believe she got married and had a couple of kids...I still think her and Dodger should of gotten together..sorry watching China Beach right now...lol

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[–] zoecube 10 years ago

So she did stay working as a nurse?I also read an episode summary of the episode where dr. richard runs into her down in florida and it says she is living rough and I was wondering what she was doing that constituted rough living and I was also wondering if anyone knows of a place where i could see at least season four online?

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[–] achnb 10 years ago

I can't remember if in the 80's she was a nurse or not. I think she was more like hospital administration or something along those lines.

After getting back from Vietnam she bounced around a lot, moving around the country and doing various work. She was out west, Arizona or New Mexico working in some sort of healthcare, or social services job. When Dr. Richard runs into her in Florida in 1972 I think it was, she was working in some sort of factory. Wherever she was, she was carrying the war with her, drinking a lot, and not letting people get close.

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[–] imperial1968 10 years ago

Yeah I finished season four a week or two ago and I remember the episode where she was in new mexico but I guess I missed the parts where it says she was working in social services.

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[–] achnb 10 years ago

Well I can't remember exactly what her job was, as I haven't gotten that far through the dvds yet, but it was obviously something to do with the native american reservations, cause she was heavily involved with that one guy who was abusive, or suicidal, I can't remember the details.

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 10 years ago

It's been years since I saw this--perhaps even on the original run.

But Colleen returned lost and damaged. She started drinking, and got on the road aimlessly for awhile.

The struggles portrayed were based on the experiences of the nurses who came back with PTSD but nobody expected them to have it, so they were never treated properly.

I think we find out later that she eventually got herself somewhat together in the scene when they flash forward to her coming to Washington for the dedication of the Vietnam memorial wall.

My favorite part of her journey around the country when she was messed up, and aimless (I think this part played into the nurse's interviews in which they said what do you do when you come back after that, and nobody understands you, you're emotionally isolated, and you're about 60 at only age 22, and you mattered. And now you just don't matter.)

She finally seeks out Dodger and rolls up to his place, looking rough and tumble. In the usual Dodger style, he just stares at her, as I recall, and says, "What took you so long?"

It was hilarious and touching at the same time. He knew she'd come. He was always wise like that. So she stayed with him and his son awhile and they had a comforting relationship with each other, even though it didn't last. He clearly was a haven for her--he understood it all without her having to say what was wrong with her and the alcoholism and the PTSD.

Her visit to Dr. Richard was really awkward if I recall. All I recall is Colleen showed up and he was at his practice and I think his wife was involved somehow. It wasn't that great. Not like Dodger was.

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[–] Balberith 10 years ago

I know the show went off in 1991, but I always thought it would have been cool for McMurphy to show up on a episode or two of the Wonder Years which of course took place during the Vietnam era.

"A real man would rather bow down to a strong woman than dominate a weak one"

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[–] busybook91 9 years ago

How long were Collen and Dodger together? I would guess 6 months. I'm glade they had their time together.

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[–] sarah-103 9 years ago

She worked as a nurse in Kansas. She left for Florida where she worked in an orange juice factory in the early 1970s. By 1975 she was living on or near an Indian Reservation. I don't know what she was doing in the 1980s. I haven't finished season 4 year yet, but that's the best most accurate time line I can come up with so far.

"Forget reality, give me a picture"-Remington Steele

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[–] Popcorngal (4361) 2 years ago

I remember her working at the OJ factory.

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[–] Sky_07 8 years ago

I don't remember what episode it was but McMurphy and Wayloo Holmes were together with a group of Marines on a military transport plane about to land in, I think it was California, not sure, but as they were approaching the base the flight crew strongly suggested they all change into civilian clothing. The Marines were in their service khakis and McMurphy and Wayloo in their dress uiniforms. They thought it was an odd suggestion and all decided to stay in uniform. When they landed the chainlink gate at the runway was full of anti-war protesters all in their 60's hippie garb pressing against the gate. The people were yelling and shouting at them as they got off the plane. They all had to run a gauntlet of shouting young people calling them murderers and hurling garbage at them. They and the Marines ran inside a building with their uniforms and hair splattered with trash. They all dived into their duffel bags and begin changing into t-shirts and jeans. McMurphy asked if there was a ladies restroom and one of the guys scoffed so they went into the men's room to change. Wayloo began to fluff and tease out her hair into a Carole King frizzy do and McMurphy was trying the same with her short hair. After they had all changed they and the Marines, now in jeans and shirts with ball caps hiding their buzz cuts prepared to exit another door and run a second gauntlet of angry protesters shouting in the parking lot.

It was a sobering, gut wrenching scene that left me in tears and I've never forgotten it after all these years. But I think it set how the characters behaved in the episodes that showed them dealing with life back home.

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[–] infoed 8 years ago

By 1985, McMurphy was working hospital administration but one small thing (the death of her dog) suddenly triggered her PTSD and she applied for disability. It wasn't said how long it would have been for but there was a scene of her at the hospital with some WW2 vets. This was the penultimate episode when McMurphy is finally dealing with the horror of what she went through and it's finally the beginning of her healing. It's probably one of the best episodes in a TV series full of powerful episodes. Just the final line of the episode alone is like a punch to the gut.

The episode after is the final one. It is set in 1988, three years after the previous one and McMurphy has a little daughter. I think you are led to believe that by her finally going to the Vietnam wall, seeing the name of her final patient and having remembered his name all these years that she may be wounded for the rest of her life but she will be ok.

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