Help a fangirl out?

[rivkat]

I'm looking for pop culture examples (TV, movies) of professionals doing their jobs because they're professionals, even though they know -- or strongly believe -- that there's no point to it. An example would be the final episode of Angel. (That might be an example of "the point is that this is all there is," but I hope you get the idea -- you treat the patient because that's your job, not because you think it will help or because you think it makes you especially noble. You investigate the crime not because you're doing justice or because you have a personal stake but because that's what it means to be a cop. Greg House and L&OL's Jack McCoy are, therefore, counterexamples.)

Specific episodes/arcs, please! The point is to have some examples to show students, so the more specific, the better.

Comments

[humming-along.livejournal.com]

I would look at episode summaries for ER, especially episodes involving Kerry Weaver. I can't think of any specific episodes that I'm certain fit your criteria, but she's very much a "do the job because it's your job, no matter how it fits in with your morals, ethics, or personal beliefs." One episode that comes to mind is where she refused to allow a doctor under her to force a patient to have a c-section to save the baby she (the patient)had attempted to abort by injuring herself, because the woman was their patient, not the baby, and their job is to treat their patient and respect their wishes. I'm not sure it that's exactly what you're looking for, but it came to mind so I'm throwing it out there :-)

[rivkat.livejournal.com]

Hmm ... have to think about that example. It's a provocative one -- thanks!