Dr. Roger Farrell takes over as hospital chief of surgery and immediately overrules Joe Gannon's opinion concerning one of his patients.

Sorenson, a student (Michael Burns) makes an apparently unprovoked attack on a psychology professor. When the boy's behavior continues to be a problem, Dr. Gannon(Chad Everett) suspects the student has a physical problem which is manifesting itself in an emotional upset. Lloyd Bochner also is featured as the professor.

Big name guest stars Walter Pidgeon and Viveca Lindfors add a touch of glamor to the hospital atmosphere. Pidgeon plays an ambassador with a bad ticker that requires surgery, but his son (Linden Chiles) opposes any such move. Doc Gannon first tries the reasoning approach with the son, and then brings in outside help in the person of Viveca Lindfors, a great and good friend of the ambassador's.