I was an occasional viewer of St. Elsewhere back then and though I generally liked it, I couldn't watch it regularly mainly because my own medical institution job directly conflicted with the primetime show's broadcast times.
Waaay before ER, Gray's Anatomy or any of the other myriad hospital dramas comprised of an eclectic ensemble cast and lots of action-packed handheld camera work, St. Elsewhere set the bar on this trope that continues to today. Quick witted, heavy character development and occasionally quite funny, this show broke out of the previous hospital scenario dramas like The Doctors, Emergency! and Marcus Welby, M.D. by incorporating multiple plot arcs, topical and controversial subject matter of the day and the feeling that the stories were taking place in the comfort of a big, diverse, and rowdy, yet ultimately loving and caring family environment rather than a workplace.
I'm currently on the latter half of Season 2 and so far we've dealt with rape, disabled rights, in-hospital smoking, terrorism, The Troubles, racism, sexism, medical marijuana use and even a very early look at the then-blossoming AIDS crisis.
In my next episode, Dr. Ehrlich, played by Ed Begley, Jr. (looking quite a bit younger than his Better Call Saul character Clifford Main), is getting married. Aw...this show delves well into the professional and private lives of its well-fleshed out characters. Too bad, as of course I already know, were going to find out in some 90 or more episodes from now that it's all in the mind of a snow-globe-gazing autistic child.