Lou Grant Season 1 Episode 10 Psych-out

Lou Grant season 1 episode 10, titled "Psych-out," follows the staff of the Los Angeles Tribune as they cover a story about a young woman who commits suicide by jumping off a building. As the Tribune investigates why the woman jumped, they discover that she was a patient at a psychiatric hospital and had been under the care of a psychiatrist named Dr. Eldon Sutro.

Lou Grant, the newsroom's tough but fair editor, assigns Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joe Rossi to cover the story. Rossi is initially hesitant to write about a sensitive topic like suicide, but Grant convinces him that it's an important story to cover. As Rossi delves deeper into the story, he learns that the psychiatric hospital where the woman was treated has a high suicide rate and that Dr. Sutro has a questionable reputation.

Meanwhile, the Tribune's publisher, Margaret Jones, is concerned about the story's impact on the hospital's reputation and the potential legal repercussions. She orders Grant to kill the story, but he refuses, arguing that the public has a right to know about the hospital's practices.

As Rossi continues to investigate, he faces resistance from Dr. Sutro and the hospital staff, who refuse to talk to him. He eventually connects with a former patient of the hospital who reveals that Dr. Sutro had prescribed her with drugs that made her feel suicidal. Rossi confronts Dr. Sutro with this information, but the doctor refuses to take responsibility for the woman's suicide.

As the story unfolds, the Tribune's staff grapples with the ethical implications of the story. They debate whether they should publish the story, knowing that it could harm the hospital's reputation and potentially lead to lawsuits. In the end, the staff decides to go ahead with the story, believing that the public has a right to know the truth about the hospital's practices.

"Psych-out" is a thought-provoking episode that explores the role of the media in exposing injustices and holding powerful institutions accountable. It also highlights the ethical dilemmas that journalists face when covering sensitive topics like mental health and suicide. The episode is a powerful reminder of the importance of responsible journalism and the value of holding those in power accountable for their actions.