S03.E02: Flesh of My Flesh

[Bort]

Quote

Cain tries to recruit Bell and Kit to join him on a dangerous surgery, with the intent of garnering publicity for the hospital. The Raptor finds himself with an emotional attachment to a patient whose life is put in his hands. A friend of Mina arrives at the hospital with shocking news. Devon rotates out of the ER. Nic plans a surprise for Conrad.

Airdate: Tuesday, October 1, 2019

[KittenPokerCheater]

That was......bad.

At least there were chickens.

I am vaguely wondering if Conrad is going to find himself addicted to painkillers.  I sincerely hope not.

[preeya]

11 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

That was......bad.

That was REALLY, REALLY......bad!

[Lady Calypso]

Well, AJ's bio dad is certainly a lot like him. However, I did NOT like his introduction. Who in their right mind starts off an introduction with their bio son by practically insulting him and coming on way too strong? We get it, show. AJ is like his dickhead bio dad. Also, screw AJ's bio dad for suggesting that AJ should reach out to equally dickhead bio mom. She didn't come to reach out to him. AJ doesn't need to reach out to her because she's a so called "better person" than bio dad. 

I did appreciate AJ's reaction toward his bio dad showing up, but I would have been fine if AJ had passed him off to a lesser doctor and let fate take care of things. 

So, I totally forgot for a moment that Devon had started out in oncology. With his conversation with Conrad near the end, though, I did have a brief thought that maybe Devon would leave at some point this season and go join the army as a medical doctor. I wouldn't be surprised, especially since the show seems to prefer other characters to Devon now.

The Mina subplot with her best friend was fairly good, but awfully predictable. But still, I like how Mina handled things.

Cain is still a dick, and I appreciate Kit standing up to him, but...meh on what I feel is a predictable love triangle coming at some point.

So, Conrad/Nic finally move in together, AND she gets them the place that he first picked out...along with actual chickens. That was surprising but actually pretty funny.

Speaking of Conrad, I do like the continuity of his ankle still healing from last episode's explosion, but is it JUST a continuity thing or is going to turn into a full blown story arc where he gets addicted to pain killers or something? Because I'd much rather have it just a continuity point. I like that his injury didn't just go away and I'm ok if they reference his bum ankle for a while, but I don't want it to turn into a drug addiction storyline, like so many shows would go.

[Gregg247]

That episode seemed rushed and weird all at the same time.  It asked viewers to suspend a LOT of disbelief.

So, Montel Williams has a Live TV show now?  And he's able to get the "best" surgeons in America to do his bidding because he's such a TV powerhouse?

"The Mother of all Surgeries" can be agreed to and performed all within a few days, utilizing just the doctors that happen to be on-staff (or are simply doing oncology as part of their resident rotation!).  Dr. Bell managed to shake off his wobbly hands and mediocre surgical skills and help perform a miracle, I see.

Theo Huxtable's bio-dad showed up as only bio-dads do on TV shows.  "Hey, I'm your long-lost father, and let me tell you what you're doing wrong in your life, son."  Having said that, i was enjoying their argument on the patio (it seemed raw and real) until bio-dad succumbed to the inevitable emergency medical crisis in his son's arms.

Bio-dad has major heart surgery, but his "wonderful wife" and 3 "other" children never show up to be at his bedside?  That wasn't out-patient surgery; he'd be in the hospital for quite some time.  I'm sure if they'd bothered to show up, they could have met Theo in person.

I can't believe any hospital in this day and age of lawsuits would allow a son to operate on his own father.

Nic just removed plywood barriers and restarted a medical clinic on her day off, and she already had a full house of patients!  Thank goodness Montel was still around to once again make sure the universe turns his way through the power of TV fame so that the clinic will remain open.

After 17 hours in the OR, where he witnessed (and assisted) in one of the most complex operations ever attempted, Devon decides he doesn't like oncology... or maybe corporate oncology.... or maybe the new jerk doctor on the show.....or maybe the new owners of the hospital, or...., actually I don't know what he was upset about in his conversation with Conrad.  I felt like there was a scene cut out of the episode somewhere, as this conversation didn't make sense to me.

[cathmed]

Not much activity on this board for the 2nd episode.  Somewhat understandable as this season just hasn't piqued my interest as did S1 and S2.  I feel the writers are changing the characters and bringing in others that aren't really necessary just to create a storyline--and a not very good storyline at that.   I hope there's no triangle among Kit, Bell and Cain - puh-leeze, just no! "As much as I like Morris Chestnut as an actor, I don't feel he's really needed as he is reminiscent, imo, of the earlier version of Bell--initially.  I'll say again, what has happened to the villainous HODAD?   

Glad that Connic returned to the original house and she' decided to move in with him.   BUT, when will the other shoe drop?  We know Conrad will look into her sister's death since her dad gave him the paperwork (and almost an ultimatum).  And absolutely, suspend belief with Mena and Nic breaking into the house and it's full of patients - how did they know the clinic was open that quickly?  Did someone alert Chastain to send them over?   Crazy!

I don't know, this episode just fell flat to me.  Didn't care for the "reunion" of AJ and his dad whatsoever.  As others stated, Mena storyline was predictable and Dr. Prevesh--what's going on there?    As a matter of fact, granted, it's early and only 2 episodes in, but this season has not provided the excitement or drama from S1-2.  I hope the writers/showrunners won't change the formula that made it successful, initially.

[suebee12]

7 hours ago, cathmed said:

 I hope there's no triangle among Kit, Bell and Cain - puh-leeze, just no!

But, but, but didn't Kit choose to go back to her ex-husband? Or am I dis-remembering? And what happened to Bell's shaky hands?

And no one has mentioned the con-joined twins...now that was a strange scene!

[SuzieQ]

Question for those of you with a better memory than me:

Did they just forget that Bell practically murders ever patient he operates on? What happened to that story line? He used to be such a great morally corrupt ass!  This new improved Bell with actual surgery skills and scruples is boring!

Edited October 4, 2019 by SuzieQ

[Brookside]

What happened to the "scars" on Mina's face?

[bros402]

9 hours ago, SuzieQ said:

Question for those of you with a better memory than me:

Did they just forget that Bell practically murders ever patient he operates on? What happened to that story line? He used to be such a great morally corrupt ass!  This new improved Bell with actual surgery skills and scruples is boring!

I think they wanted to make him seem more human after he tried to protect Hunter. However, at the start, it seemed more like in recent years he had become HODAD because of the tremors he was experiencing - not that he never had skills. It would be nice if they brought the tremors back.

[Efzee]

Wasn't it implied the tremors were caused by stress/anxiety since the heavy meds he was taking didn't work? I figured that removing cause of the stress (no longer doing surgeries, feeling better about himself and the hospital etc) was responsible for the lack of tremors.

What was the new guy's specialty? I was confused by him coming in at the last minute with his "mother of all surgeries" and barely doing anything. I thought he was a neurosurgeon. Was he supposed to be performing surgery on the spinal cord? And if he's a neurosurgeon then why would his billing pose a risk to Kit? Her specialty is very different and, considering she's the only one called on when it's required, the only surgeon in the hospital that's actually specialized in it.

[RealityCreator]

I don't see the point of the new star surgeon with a Messiah complex.  We already have a star surgeon with a Messiah complex who is far more compelling as a character.  Why do we need two of them?  I feel like new dude is stealing thunder from AJ as a character and making AJ less interesting  - just another one of the gang - as a result.  Boo.  

[SuzieQ]

12 hours ago, bros402 said:

I think they wanted to make him seem more human after he tried to protect Hunter. However, at the start, it seemed more like in recent years he had become HODAD because of the tremors he was experiencing - not that he never had skills. It would be nice if they brought the tremors back.

Yes, i'm sure he was a very skilled surgeon at one time or he would have never got to where he was.  I just recall that he knew he had issues and was a danger and didn't seem to care.  Him being a major part of a surgery this episode made me wonder where that whole story line went, so thanks!.

4 hours ago, Efzee said:

Wasn't it implied the tremors were caused by stress/anxiety since the heavy meds he was taking didn't work? I figured that removing cause of the stress (no longer doing surgeries, feeling better about himself and the hospital etc) was responsible for the lack of tremors.

I guess, but I would think throwing him back in surgery would bring it right back.  His total lack of empathy for anything other than his ego made him an interesting character, but I guess it couldn't go on forever if they want to keep him on the show.

2 hours ago, RealityCreator said:

I don't see the point of the new star surgeon with a Messiah complex.  We already have a star surgeon with a Messiah complex who is far more compelling as a character.  Why do we need two of them?  I feel like new dude is stealing thunder from AJ as a character and making AJ less interesting  - just another one of the gang - as a result.  Boo.  

So true!  Plus that actor is annoying.  I like Theo so much better, lol.

[Ohwell]

2 hours ago, RealityCreator said:

I don't see the point of the new star surgeon with a Messiah complex.  We already have a star surgeon with a Messiah complex who is far more compelling as a character.  Why do we need two of them?  I feel like new dude is stealing thunder from AJ as a character and making AJ less interesting  - just another one of the gang - as a result.  Boo.  

I'm convinced Morris Chestnut has dirt on some tv executives.  

[bros402]

16 hours ago, Efzee said:

Wasn't it implied the tremors were caused by stress/anxiety since the heavy meds he was taking didn't work? I figured that removing cause of the stress (no longer doing surgeries, feeling better about himself and the hospital etc) was responsible for the lack of tremors.

I thought the meds reduced the tremors - although I believe they kept it super generic/broad and just had him take benzos - so the tremors could've been anything from anxiety to parkinsons

[alexvillage]

This show...

Did Nic buy the house? She drove there with Conrad, his eyes shut, managed to get him inside and he was "Oh, so surprised!" when he realized where he was? And is Atlanta so affordable that a nurse can buy that house, with a big yard and a chicken coup (with chickens!) and the house doesn't even need a cleaning? I think Conrad has so inheritance money but he is so proud, and residents don't make money, so maybe Atlanta is affordable

I was also wondering with Bell's tremors. He was taking some meds, they caused some trouble then I forget what happened.

The new doctor: I don't understand why TV writers need to introduce characters like that. The show is full of messages related to what happens the American "WealthCare" system but the characters are so far removed from reality, it is like watching a soap opera where characters die and come back to life (this does happen in soap operas, right?)

[cathmed]

On 10/3/2019 at 11:59 PM, suebee12 said:

But, but, but didn't Kit choose to go back to her ex-husband? Or am I dis-remembering? And what happened to Bell's shaky hands?

And no one has mentioned the con-joined twins...now that was a strange scene!

I know - the writers throw a storyline line to us, then it disappears for a season.  I'm still wondering how HODAD was "cured".  It seemed Kit was giving it another shot with ex but who the hell knows with these writers!

[izabella]

On 10/6/2019 at 6:48 AM, alexvillage said:

Did Nic buy the house? She drove there with Conrad, his eyes shut, managed to get him inside and he was "Oh, so surprised!" when he realized where he was? And is Atlanta so affordable that a nurse can buy that house, with a big yard and a chicken coup (with chickens!) and the house doesn't even need a cleaning? I think Conrad has so inheritance money but he is so proud, and residents don't make money, so maybe Atlanta is affordable

I think it must be a rental.  If someone had bought it last season when Conrad took here there, I can't imagine they'd be selling only a year later.

[Tim in Cleveland]

They never resolved what happens to the patient who underwent "The Mother Of All Surgeries".  Last we knew, she had failed to awaken in the time expected.  Next we see Bell adjusting her IV machine and we can see her vitals are strong.  Then, NOTHING.  We never see her again.  I feel like they violated a etched in stone rule of medical dramas.  You ALWAYS say if the patient recovered or not!  Two more episodes have aired and I didn't see her mentioned.  Did I miss something?

[CanuckFan]

On 10/3/2019 at 11:59 PM, suebee12 said:

And what happened to Bell's shaky hands?

 

There was an episode where he was talking to the Doc that was prescribing meds for him and the doc told him it may be stress and to do something like yoga (Bell doing yoga?? riiiight) or swimming. Then, in another episode, Kit's hand was shaking and Bell gave her the same advice that was given to him. He didn't say that it worked for him or that he even tried it, but it must have, since the shaky hand is gone and he's doing fine in the OR. 

I got the impression early on in season one that he had been a very good surgeon until the issue with the hand.