Doogie Howser, M.D. (TV Series)

What You See Ain't Necessarily What You Get (1992)

Kathryn Layng: Nurse Curly Spaulding

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Curly, humiliated, walks over to the tray line and grabs her tray. Doogie follows suit] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : They're right. I didn't sing cause I'm a coward.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Don't you think you're overreacting a little bit?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Look, it's the story of my life. I've always been afraid to just jump in and join in the fun. This karaoke thing is just the last in a long line of personal wimp-outs. And I'm not gonna change, not at this age.

  [Curly stops and faces Doogie] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : I'm 30-years-old today. I am who I am. And I'm boring.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : It's your 30th birthday. Congratulations.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Don't speak to me. You're 18.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Hey. Hey. Hey. Lift that chin right up! So what are you doing tonight?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Who knows?

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Are you trying to tell me you don't have plans for your 30th birthday?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : I thought I'd just treat it like any other natural disaster. Go home, bolt the doors, wait for further instructions.

  [Doogie thinks about it for a moment and then has an idea] 

• [Sheila is doing her makeup in front of Doogie and Curly] 

  Sheila Davidson : Are you sure I'm not too jaundiced? I don't to give away the diagnosis.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : No.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : It's very subtle. It whispers Hepatitis "A".

  [Curly and Sheila both chuckle. Curly lovingly wraps her arm around Doogie, who is rather nonplussed] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Oh, don't worry, Doogie. It's a girl thing.

  [She unwraps her arm] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Right. Um... now remember that each student will examine you alone, so uh... so you can freshen up your jaundice between exams.

  Sheila Davidson : OK. Enlarged liver-- tenderness on the right side. Sclera are icteric. And it's Angela Connor, Hepatitis victim. Keeps plants, goldfish, and boyfriend Marvin. He has inappropriate body hair, but she loves him anyway.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : [chuckles]  Love works in mysterious ways.

• [Doogie's car driving into the hospital parking lot. Curly is still singing as Doogie laughs along] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Still like that ol' time rock 'n' roll/That kind of music just soothes my soul!

  [Doogie's car eventually parks and Curly stops singing and begins to laugh as well] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : No way! No, you are not going to get me to dance the tango.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : That's the old Spaulding talking. The new Spaulding just cries out for castanets.

  [both continue laughing] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : It feels really good just to break out and do something completely crazy.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Yeah.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : And I never would've gotten on that stage if it wasn't for you.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : You never would've gotten off the stage if it wasn't for me.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : True! So thanks. You're a good friend, Doogie.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Hey, I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself on your birthday.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Are you kidding? I had a better time tonight with you than I would if I'd gone on a regular, you know, "date" date.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Yeah?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Yeah!

  [Doogie and Curly proceed to stare into each others eyes for several seconds. Curly eventually breaks out of the trance] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Well, thanks again for a wonderful birthday.

  [Curly kisses Doogie on the cheek and gets out of the car. Doogie sits there contemplating what just happened] 

• [Doogie opens the supply room where Curly in doing inventory. Curly notices Doogie and starts climbing down the ladder] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Oh, hi, Doogie. You want me?

  [Doogie enters the room, closes the door behind, pulls Curly into his embrace, and kisses her. She immediately pushes him away] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : What are you doing?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : I think that's my line.

  [Doogie realizes he still has her in his arms and lets go immediately] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Oh. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

  [he starts to back away from her] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Um... the other night, uh... I thought the feeling was mutual. You were attracted to me, too.

  [Curly looks at the floor with her left arm to her hip. She then looks back up to Doogie] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : But, obviously, you aren't. Um... I apologize. I better go.

  [Doogie opens the door and is about to leave when suddenly...] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : I am attracted to you.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : But on the other hand, I do have a minute.

  [Doogie turns around, closes the door and leans on the wall as Curly walks up to him] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Doogie. Something did happen between us the other night. When we looked at each other, there was a moment, and we both wondered what it would be like. But it was only a moment, and that's all it can be.

  [Doogie thinks about it for a second and then gets up with his index finger pointing upward] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : OK. Hypothetical.

  [Doogie walks around Curly and goes to sit on the ladder] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : We do get together. We're both adults. All adults are basically the same age, right? Would that be so terrible?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : No! You're very good-looking. You're sensitive, kind, fun to be with. You're the perfect man for me! But... you're a boy.

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Now see, I think you're saying this cause you're scared.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Maybe. But I know we have a wonderful friendship, and I don't want to risk that because of a momentary attraction. Look. This kind of attraction is gonna happen to you many times in your life-- at a party, in an elevator, with women you know, women you don't know, women nobody should know. And you can enjoy those connections for what they are-- brief, meaningless, fun flirtations.

  [Doogie thinks about it for a moment. And then he recalls something that was said earlier and starts doing a William Shatner impression] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : So let me just get this straight. You ARE attracted to me?

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : [chuckling]  Get out of here!

  [Curly makes him get up and starts pushing him out of the room. Doogie goes back to speaking normally] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Just an honest question. You ARE attracted to me.

  [Curly closes the door once Doogie is finally out. She the smiles to herself as she stands in front of the door] 

• [Doogie enters an elevator and pushed a button. As the door is closing, he suddenly hears a voice] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Oh, Doogie!

  [Doogie immediately puts his arm through the door and signals Curly to come in. She immediately rushed towards the elevator and gets in by going under Doogie's arm. After she gets in and the elevator closes, the camera cut to inside] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Hi!

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Hi! Do you need me to help prepare anymore standardized patients today?

  Dr. Doogie Howser : No. We're all through. Irritable bowel syndrome was a no-show.

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : [chuckles]  OK. Well, then I guess I've got to go inventory supplies on four west.

  [as she says this, Curly picks at Doogie's shoulder, nonplussing him again] 

  Dr. Doogie Howser : Oh. OK.

  [the elevator arrives at Curly's destination] 

  Nurse Curly Spaulding : Well, if you want me, I'll be in the supply room.

  [Curly exits the elevator]