SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.
This was another episode in which I didn’t connect on an emotional level – or any level for that matter – with the patients and their cases.
I was on Julianna’s side concerning the case of the single mother with the burned face; the proposed procedure – bio-printing – was under ban by the FDA and this was not an emergency case in which an exception could be made. She could have gotten skin grafts and waited until the ban was lifted. And from what Julianna said, the time frame she implied, the wait would not have been long to begin with.
I understand that after being promised so much by James (her old face being restored) and having to struggle with the scar, any more waiting – no matter how short the period – would have been undesirable. But still.
I was disappointed that Julianna changed her mind and even more so for the reason; because the mother’s very young daughter felt responsible for her injury. Sure, that’s sad and all, but that didn’t feel like much of a reason to lift the FDA ban after she had said no. Twice. Get the little girl some psychiatric help perhaps?
The hockey player’s case was meh. He was the second patient in this episode for whom James made big promises he was unable to keep. But he did not get so lucky as the mother with the burned face; James ultimately could not deliver on said promise. Not in the span of this episode at least. So he got a little consolation prize of a chip implanted in his brain that sped the recovery of the use of his hand.
Still can’t play hockey though.
It was made very clear that he didn’t understand what he was asking for when he demanded the surgery, during the scene in which Dr. Channarayapatra was telling him what his recovery would be like. The doctors did not do their job of explaining to him what to expect following the surgery. He said he wanted the surgery and then they just did it. They did not prepare him for his post-op experience at all.
The only part of the episode that had any real heart was at the end when James and Louis were playing chess. Louis’ assertion that he knew that he would beat James when he walked through the door was funny in a heartwarming way.
Random thoughts:
- Angie needs to mind her own business. I am so glad that Dr. Pastor blew her off when she asked about his shirt.
- Why was James the one to tell the cameraman not to film anything and instruct the players to form a circle around the fallen player? Those moments felt very odd.
- Drinking when you’re lying in a hospital bed is not a good idea.
- Julianna 1, James 0.
- Julianna 0, James 1.
