The Placebo Effect - Recap

Doctor Leslie Coburn arrives at her medical office and deals with her first patient: a young girl receiving a shot. Leslie calms the girl down and distracts her long enough to get her flu shot. As she goes to her next apartment, a nervous man, Mr. Harry Raditch, runs in and demands to see Leslie. She agrees to see him and explains to her nurse Rhonda that he’s a hypochondriac.

Leslie goes to see him and Harry shows her a ruptured blood vessel in his left eye. He then grabs a scalpel and cuts a finger, and claims that it won’t clot. Finally he opens his shirt and reveals a series of painful black skin protrusions.

Leslie runs tests and compares notes with her partner, Dr. Marks. She admits that the tests don’t show anything specific and Dr. Marks believes it’s probably a manifestation of his hypochondria. Marks leaves for an AMA luncheon and Leslie tries to reassure Harry. As she takes tests, Harry talks about how he never leaves his home. He realizes that his housekeeper may have the same disease he has and is spreading it. Leslie tries to calm him, noting that it may just be an allergic reaction. As Leslie leaves, Harry admits that her optimism is encouraging.

Leslie has Rhonda send the test results to the CDC and the nurse notes that Harry’s a book dealer. Leslie gets an idea and asks Harry if he gets books from all over the world. Harry is sure she won’t believe him, but shows Leslie a book that he believes is responsible. It’s a science fiction novel that describes the virus that he has. Harry believes the virus is from another planet, the one described in the book. Leslie doesn’t believe it and walks away. As she tells Rhonda what Harry said, Harry’s housekeeper comes in and collapses, bleeding from the eyes. She dies, and Leslie realizes that she’s dead from the exact disease that’s in the book. Leslie pulls back her sleeve and reveals that she has the protrusions as well, and wonders how they can cure a fictional disease.

The authorities quarantine the building and start taking tests. Leslie talks to Dr. Marks and explains that so far, she’s the only one who has manifested symptoms. She doesn’t tell him about Harry’s book. Leslie checks on Harry and determines that he hasn’t gotten any worse since he came in. They figure he’s a carrier and Leslie goes in to talk to him. Harry admits that he didn’t tell her because he didn’t want her to think he was crazy. Leslie gets him to explain that he was reading the book last night and was swept up into the story. Harry admits he couldn’t get it out of his head, and begs her for forgiveness.

As Leslie examines herself in the bathroom, Rhonda comes in and shows her the protrusions developing on her body. Leslie has an idea and figures that Harry convinced himself he has the virus. This time his imagination brought the virus to life. She figures they have to get Harry to imagine a cure. Leslie sees a newspaper article on a passing meteor and shows it to Donna. She calls Dr. Marks and has him set things up.

A little later, Leslie tells Harry that a single meteor crashed to Earth the previous night. He seizes on the idea, insisting that many climatologists believe a meteor could cause an ice age. Leslie has the CDC bring in a residue from the meteor and tells Harry that it could provide a cure. He wonders if it could make things worse but Leslie insists that he has to test the vaccine or everyone will die. She asks him to trust her and Harry agrees. He takes the shot and Leslie waits as the patients and staff get worse.

A little later, Harry wakes her up and shows her that the protrusions have disappeared from his chest. The blisters on Leslie’s arms are also gone. Harry worries if he might have a relapse and is concerned about the meteor strike. Leslie goes out, telling him to forget about it, but Harry says that he can’t.

Leslie goes out to call Dr. Marks while everyone recovers. She gets no answer and goes outside. The entire planet is shrouded in ice: Harry made the meteor strike come true. And Leslie has doomed the planet.

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