S04.E07: Doctor Killer

[thewhiteowl]

Bull defends a man who's already confessed.

[Bobbin]

I'm pretty sure the FDA and the hospital would never approve going directly from lab rats to human trials no matter how many consent forms were signed, witnessed and notarized. 

Sweet kid, horrible situation, an easy case to accept for a change. 

[Ellee]

Did Chunk’s daughter follow through with the abortion?  If yes, why does it seem so wrong that it was not addressed the ‘way’ one would think?  Out loud.   The way this show skips over things is getting really annoying.   Also ... where was her mother?   Not involved at all?  Don’t believe it.

Yeah, I know.  There was a whole other story to tell and bring to a conclusion.   

Old woman here ... and I lock in on things ... and can’t let go.  😁

Edited November 5, 2019 by Ellee

[SamBeckett]

 Here’s my view: Michael Weatherly seems to be calling it in. He, as an actor, has been so underwhelming this season, particularly in last night’s episode. (Another episode with NO trial science.)

Though the first season was uneven, at least he had fire. The fire, methinks, has had a large pale of cold water thrown on it.

As to the supporting cast — they all do the same thing (little things) each and every episode.  Yes, I know with each of them there is an undercurrent of a subplot, but it gets eked out so minutely it will take ten more years to see what it is. This show doesn’t have ten years.

[Bobbin]

1 hour ago, SamBeckett said:

 Here’s my view: Michael Weatherly seems to be calling it in. He, as an actor, has been so underwhelming this season, particularly in last night’s episode. (Another episode with NO trial science.)

Though the first season was uneven, at least he had fire. The fire, methinks, has had a large pale of cold water thrown on it.

As to the supporting cast — they all do the same thing (little things) each and every episode.  Yes, I know with each of them there is an undercurrent of a subplot, but it gets eked out so minutely it will take ten more years to see what it is. This show doesn’t have ten years.

Most series that run for three or more seasons eventually turn into soap operas about each of the characters.

Some case resolutions remind me of all of "The A-Team" episodes, where an elaborate scheme is set up, but in the end it all gets settled in a big shoot-out that has nothing to do with the scheme. In this case, the boy's testimony was all the defense he needed. Granted, Chunk needed to convince him first that he was innocent.

In defense of the entertainment industry, making up fictional stories to satisfy thousands of outlets, both channels and theaters, is a challenge. But there are literally millions of incredible true stories out there that never get told.

[HurricaneVal]

Since abortion is such a wedge shaped hot button political issue, I'm amazed that this show is taking the subject on at all.  But they're doing it very obliquely, short of the rather frank discussion Chunk finally had with his daughter a couple episodes ago.  We don't really know what happened last night.  Maybe Chunk's daughter (what's her name?) went through with the abortion, sobbed her eyes out on her father in the car back to the dorm, and Chunk went to pray for her eternal soul.  Maybe Chunk's daughter didn't go through with it, sobbed her eyes out on her father in the car on the way back to the dorm, and Chunk went to give prayers of thankfulness.  Maybe Chunk's daughter lost the baby in a miscarriage before she had to make the final decision (typical TV "brush the third rail, don't embrace the third rail" polarizing subject avoidance trope), sobbed her eyes out on her father in the car back to the dorm, and Chunk went to pray for the sake of the baby. 

Unless I missed something, nothing definitive was said either way.  If you missed the original scenes between Chunk and his daughter, and all you saw was from last night, you might be left thinking that Chunk's daughter came out of that building after getting told some really bad news, sobbed her eyes out on her father in the car on the way back to the dorm, and Chunk went to pray about the situation. 

It was all left deliberately vague.  I'm still just amazed this show is taking the subject on at all.

[meira.hand]

wanted to delete my post but there is no option for it, and cannot submit an empty one.

Edited November 5, 2019 by meira.hand

[Ellee]

Something I wanted to ask ....

Did anyone else think the taxi cab driver at the end reminded them of the janitor in the church?  Don’t ask me why but that was my thought instantaneously.  SMH, I may just be losing it in my old age.   I kept the show just to rewatch that part.  And was it last episode that Chunk talked to the janitor?  Because I might just have to try to see for myself.

And, for the record, I will not be upset if you tell me ‘Ellee, you are nuts.’   😁 

[Grrarrggh]

3 hours ago, Ellee said:

Something I wanted to ask ....

Did anyone else think the taxi cab driver at the end reminded them of the janitor in the church?  Don’t ask me why but that was my thought instantaneously.  SMH, I may just be losing it in my old age.   I kept the show just to rewatch that part.  And was it last episode that Chunk talked to the janitor?  Because I might just have to try to see for myself.

And, for the record, I will not be upset if you tell me ‘Ellee, you are nuts.’   😁 

No, not nuts but (and I mean this with no rancor or meanness) you are (probably) not black. Which makes sense. For any race it's hard to recognise people of another race. It's why witnesses of different races so often get things wrong. Black men of a certain age seen once for not long look alike to non blacks. 

But I do want that smart, kind janitor to be featured again. He was great. 

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, Ellee said:

Did Chunk’s daughter follow through with the abortion?  If yes, why does it seem so wrong that it was not addressed the ‘way’ one would think?  Out loud.   The way this show skips over things is getting really annoying.   Also ... where was her mother?   Not involved at all?  Don’t believe it.

If she is over 18 and did not want to tell her mother it's possible. If she is over 18 her mother would not have to sign consent/notification forms. Whether or not the mother finds out all probably come down to insurance and who pays the medical bills. 

Once again, I was dissapointed we didn't get to see jury selection. I was thinking about all the different ways it could go in terms of intent vs impact, cause and effect, motivation, but we didn't get any of that. 

Edited November 6, 2019 by Sarah 103

[jabRI]

Agreed about hospital protocols, seems unrealistic to me.  I'm not even sure why I watch this show any more, except for Benny I don't really like any of the characters. And it's not a particularly compelling procedural

[Sake614]

So...I know the kid didn’t mean to kill the doctor. BUT. He did push him. He did fall and die. The kid did leave the scene. I understand he was upset and rightly so. But he wasn’t ‘innocent.’  I guess the DA was going for murder because he kept harping on intent. Involuntary manslaughter might have been a better option to secure a conviction. 

[Bobbin]

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

If you missed the original scenes between Chunk and his daughter, and all you saw was from last night, you might be left thinking that

Like I said, a typical soap opera. If you're not a regular series viewer with a score card or watching with someone who is (and constantly asking them, "Who's that? Why is she crying? What was that about?"), you're left in the dark.

[Dowel Jones]

I agree about the DA and "intent".  Why you did something doesn't matter.  What you did is how you are judged.  Several times on law shows they make the point that some guy who punched someone else at a bar is now up for manslaughter instead of assault/battery because the victim died. 

Kind of confused about the testing protocols.  They were making a big deal about the drug not being tested on humans before testing it on humans.  Someone has to be first, although I concede it would have to be in a much more controlled fashion.  Apparently the drug company was quite upfront about its methods, so they're not trying any subterfuge here. 

TAC is a private company with an attorney on its staff, correct?  Benny, as far as I can tell, does not have an independent practice, and TAC does not practice law, per se.  Yet, the guy walks in and starts talking about the case to the first person he sees, not knowing that Bull is not an attorney.  Shouldn't there be a more logical procedure here, or would that take up too much screen time?

TAC is lucky that no one in the drug company took notice of the fact that Benny was asking questions that could be answered only if he already knew the confidential information.

[Ellee]

8 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

No, not nuts but (and I mean this with no rancor or meanness) you are (probably) not black. Which makes sense. For any race it's hard to recognise people of another race. It's why witnesses of different races so often get things wrong. Black men of a certain age seen once for not long look alike to non blacks. 

But I do want that smart, kind janitor to be featured again. He was great. 

Yep I am nuts.  When I initially watched it I got such an instant feel good moment when Chunk told the driver he was looking for a church.  (Lol, and I really really need any feel good moment I can get these days.) 

[Showthyme]

On 11/5/2019 at 6:06 PM, jabRI said:

 I'm not even sure why I watch this show any more, except for Benny I don't really like any of the characters. 

I would watch a show where Benny is the key instead of doctor Bull.

I just cannot seem to warm up to any of the women on the show and Michael Weatherly has gotten complacent.

[Grrarrggh]

59 minutes ago, Showthyme said:

I would watch a show where Benny is the key instead of doctor Bull.

I just cannot seem to warm up to any of the women on the show and Michael Weatherly has gotten complacent.

I like Dani and the new Cable. Marissa annoys me, and Bull seems to be pointless. His team does 95% of the work, and even then they too often don't look into obvious things until the very last minute. The drama is too manufactured. Plus it makes no sense that they haven't represented a guilty person or lost a case. 

[LuvMyShows]

On 11/5/2019 at 8:46 PM, Sake614 said:

So...I know the kid didn’t mean to kill the doctor. BUT. He did push him. He did fall and die. The kid did leave the scene. I understand he was upset and rightly so. But he wasn’t ‘innocent.’ 

What was distressing to me as a thinking human being, was the whole part about discovering how the doctor's contract was about to end so he looked even more evil.  It's completely irrelevant in terms of what the kid actually did, especially since the kid didn't even know that additional stuff.  So why show it, unless it was to sort of make him seem more deserving of dying....which is an awful terrible slippery slope that should be irrelevant in court proceedings, but unfortunately isn't.  

On 11/5/2019 at 10:20 AM, Bobbin said:

In this case, the boy's testimony was all the defense he needed. Granted, Chunk needed to convince him first that he was innocent.

On 11/5/2019 at 8:46 PM, Sake614 said:

But he wasn’t ‘innocent.’  I guess the DA was going for murder because he kept harping on intent. Involuntary manslaughter might have been a better option to secure a conviction. 

What Chunk convinced him of, was that he didn't "cause" what happened....except that he absolutely did.  He may have been innocent of whatever he was actually charged with, but he was not innocent.  

On 11/6/2019 at 12:19 AM, Dowel Jones said:

TAC is a private company with an attorney on its staff, correct?  Benny, as far as I can tell, does not have an independent practice, and TAC does not practice law, per se.  Yet, the guy walks in and starts talking about the case to the first person he sees, not knowing that Bull is not an attorney.  Shouldn't there be a more logical procedure here, or would that take up too much screen time?

What i was confused about was that Bull answered in the affirmative about whether there was attorney/client confidentiality if the man started talking, but Bull is not an attorney.