S04.E17: Letting Go

[helenamonster]

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Claire and the team must face hard truths about what lines they are willing to cross when one of Claire's idols becomes her patient.

Original airdate: 5/17/21

[KaveDweller]

I don't know if I was supposed to, but I cracked up when Shaun yelled at Lea's mother. "A girl would love dinosaurs just as much as a boy, dinosaurs are fascinating." It is science nerdy and feminist at once.

But I feel bad for Lea's mom, not knowing about the miscarriage. She is going to feel so awful when she finds out what happened, but I get why Lea didn't want to tell her yet.

Meanwhile, of course Claire has to be disappointed by one of her heroes.

[Annber03]

11 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

I don't know if I was supposed to, but I cracked up when Shaun yelled at Lea's mother. "A girl would love dinosaurs just as much as a boy, dinosaurs are fascinating." It is science nerdy and feminist at once.

But I feel bad for Lea's mom, not knowing about the miscarriage. She is going to feel so awful when she finds out what happened, but I get why Lea didn't want to tell her yet.

I liked his dinosaur rant, too :D. 

I was afraid Shaun would get so angry and frustrated that he'd accidentally blurt out the news about the miscarriage to her mom. Thank goodness he didn't. I don't envy Lea that conversation with her mom when she does finally have it :(. 

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Meanwhile, of course Claire has to be disappointed by one of her heroes.

Yeah, I was almost as upset as her at the revelation about that story. Unfortunately, though, politics being the kind of business it is, stunts like that also aren't surprising. The senator seemed resigned to the fact she had to play the game on everything, up to and including keeping her health problems secret lest she appear "weak" to the public and her opponents. And sadly, that's true to reality as well :/. 

[Leeds]

The best thing about tonight's episode?  Dr Andrews' stripy socks.

[possibilities]

3 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I don't know if I was supposed to, but I cracked up when Shaun yelled at Lea's mother. "A girl would love dinosaurs just as much as a boy, dinosaurs are fascinating." It is science nerdy and feminist at once.

I LOVED that. It's the most I've loved Shaun all season. I don't even want him to apologize. I mean, yes, it's rude. But grandma needs to rethink her attitude, and he was trying to get off the phone really obviously and she wouldn't have it, so I give him a pass on blowing up. Sometimes people need to be shocked awake, and he TRIED to be polite but she just kept pushing.

That thing of everyone trying to express sympathy, but really just exhausting you... that was very real. I don't know what the answer is, because people not expressing sympathy doesn't feel good either.

Shaun wanting to call it a fetus and not a child would probably have helped him if he'd stuck to it. I'm not saying he was wrong to abandon that viewpoint, but that's the thing about bonding... it hurts more when it ends.

Why did Lea charge her phone at work instead of just retrieving and taking the charger home? Surely the phone will die again and it just doesn't make sense to not have a charger at home. 

 

 

[HerkyJerky]

Can't Shaun be wrong at least ONCE?

[CatLady]

Shaun is characterized as an autistic savant so I expect him to be right most of the time.  He was wrong last night but not completely.  He has been wrong before.  His grasp of anatomy and diagnostic skill was the vehicle to gain his acceptance among the dismissive "normal" doctors and patients.  Shaun uses his skill at medicine as an emotional life raft, if you will.  Were he to stumble in that regard, I think he would have much more serious issues than he already has dealing with those who misunderstand or even worse expect him to be like other people.

Lea and Shaun dealing with the loss of their daughter is being written well.  Lea feels she has to protect Shaun and yet feels so alone.  At the end it was wonderful to see Shaun realize they could comfort each other and that he could acknowledge the loss.  Still wondering where Dr. Ted is. :(

I found the senator to be repulsive.  Of course, I find politicians repulsive in general.  I quite enjoyed seeing Claire get a dose of reality.  I find her idealism to be grating at times and completely incomprehensible.  Given Claire's history and life experience it seems unrealistic that she should feel that way at this point in her life. Idols are for the young and inexperienced. Most learn that idols are just a fictional picture presented for public consumption.  Morgan, for all her rough edges, is much more tuned in to the real world.

I quite liked the surgeon and loved Dr. Andrews patience with Shaun.  Surgeons have a mindset that generally does not allow one to even contemplate that one might be "past it".  Good for him for caring more about his patients than his ego.

[statsgirl]

As the mother of a daughter who was totally into dinosaurs and still has her stuffed Gobi from The Dinosaur Project, Shaun's rant was the most I've ever liked him.

Still, I find it hard to believe that the mother of Lea who works on tech and can fix cars thinks of the baby as being so girly. (Is this the writer's version of a story that is not true but goes over well to the audience? )

Also, Lea text your parents and tell them what happened. Say that you're not ready to talk about it. But it would be easier on you all if they knew.

Andrew's hero: I liked Dr. Nakamura (I was supposed to, he was rather perfect) and I rreally admire  him if he actually is able to quit.

Claire's hero: it was a very Housian tale which is not surprising since Doris Egan, the writer of this episode, was a producer on House. Everybody lies, the question is whether the good that the lie does (the money for disabilities, coastal protection, Claire becoming a doctor) can justify the lie itself. This is the question that Claire grappled with at the end. And it must be a lonely place being unable to be truthful with her husband.

Personally I find it hard to believe that someone who wants to do genuine good in the world doesn't have a problem with constantly lying. And in 2021 there  is no way that someone wouldn't find out that they are lies and publish it. Like the senator's, it was a story created for effect rather than truth.

Finally, as fun as Morgan's cynicism is, why was she in this story at all?

[tennisgurl]

I was obsessed with dinosaurs as a little girl so I loved Shaun's rant to Lea's mom. Kids of all genders like dinosaurs damn it, they are not for boys only. If Shaun and Lea do end up having another kid, grandma needs to work that shit out. I do feel bad for Lea's mom though, she's going to feel horrible when she finds out about the baby, although I cant blame Lea for not being ready to tell her family about the miscarriage. Everything with Shaun and Lea dealing with the miscarriage was just so sad, especially both of then them struggling with actually talking about it. When someone terrible like this happens everyone always means really well and their "I'm so sorry's" and "I understand how you must be feelings" are all very kind, but they can also be exhausting when things are still so raw. I just feel so bad for both of them. 

I liked Andrews mentor, and good on him for retiring as soon as he realized he wasn't operating at his best anymore. That must be a hard thing for him to admit, but its great that he is putting patients safety over his own ego. A lot of good scenes with Shaun and Andrews as well as Shaun and Park. 

Claire meets one of her heroes, but because Claire isn't allowed to have nice things, the woman is a major liar, both to the public and to her own husband. Its not surprising that a politician lies about things to better get votes or pass their agendas, but it honestly seems like she's putting unnecessary work into all of these lies. People do get really weird about politicians being sick, but its not like its impossible to spin that. It also seems like it would be easy for someone to double check any of her stories to see if the people she talks about are real, she really should have been caught before now if she is that public of a figure in politics. If her work has done so much good, why cant she just find real people to talk about? No cute kids she can take pictures with who were helped thanks to her healthcare reform? Her marriage must be a very lonely one if she wont even tell her husband about a major medical issue, if she can even be real with her own family. 

Edited May 18, 2021 by tennisgurl

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

If her work has done so much good, why cant she just find real people to talk about?

This!! Her making up a story like that shows she actually isn't spending any time around actual people with disabilities, because it's not hard to find amazing people if you actually try. Also, why the hell did the parents in that story oppose their daughter going to school? That immediately raised a red flag for me. I spend most of my life in disability world and I've yet to meet anyone who wants their kid to NOT be educated. It was an insulting story, from that perspective, and showed she really doesn't respect us and doesn't consult us, but is just in it because she thinks of herself as some kind of noble savior. 

[Fable]

I've finally come to like Shaun and Lea as a couple, so that means their relationship is going to go south, right?  

I also really enjoy the dynamic between Shaun and Park.  Park is so much like a protective big brother. 

 

[rmontro]

20 hours ago, Annber03 said:

I was afraid Shaun would get so angry and frustrated that he'd accidentally blurt out the news about the miscarriage to her mom. Thank goodness he didn't.

 I almost wish he would have told her.  Let's face it, there's no good way to hear that news.

The mentor stories were interesting, but I can't say I enjoyed watching Lea moping around all episode.  Perfectly understandable, but not very entertaining.  Next week looks like loads of fun too (not).

+1 on the dinosaur rant.

[jabRI]

How is Morgan in surgery again??

[possibilities]

She isn't. I think she's still at the clinic, but sometimes she consults on patients who did their intake with her, and then later were deemed in need of surgery.

----

I just realized Shaun lied to Lea's mother, telling her he had to get back to work (as a reason to hang up the phone quickly). I don't recall if he ever got over his inability to lie, or if this is the first time. But he did it seemlessly, and that seemed like a big deal to me.

[nokat]

15 hours ago, HerkyJerky said:

Can't Shaun be wrong at least ONCE?

He was wrong, at first.

[HerkyJerky]

So, he was wrong about being wrong? LOL!

[nokat]

Just now, HerkyJerky said:

So, he was wrong about being wrong? LOL!

Yes. :)

[bros402]

Morgan just felt out of place in this episode.

[thuganomics85]

Yep, while Shaun might have arguably at fault for yelling at Lea's mom, I love his rant about just because the child is a girl doesn't mean she can't like dinosaurs.  Come on, grandma!  Drop that dated viewpoint and get with the times, lady!  On a more serious note, I do feel bad that she doesn't know about the miscarriage yet, and I can only imagine how she will feel once Lea can tell her.

Lea and Shaun pretty much handled everything the way I figured they would.  Lea was clearly depressed and barely could talk to anyone (and was clearly drained over all of the people coming up to express their sympathies, even if they clearly meant well), while Shaun dove headfirst into going back to work and almost messed things up.  Of course, I wasn't surprised that they made him right about the patient at the end, but he still not only misdiagnosed things at first, he wrongfully blamed someone else for it, which is a bad look (not to mention ignoring his superior in general.)  Glad it worked out for now, but Shaun's really going to have to address his feelings before this gets out of hand.

Enjoyed seeing Andrew's mentor and it ending with him realizing that it was time for him to call it quits, after making a small mistake and knowing how easy it is for it to get bigger.  Certainly helps that he was played by Hiro Kanagawa: one of those actors who has pretty much been in every show shot in Canada ever (although, this was a bit of a change since usually plays police captains or detectives!)

Of course Claire meets one of her heroes and it goes south.  Look, I certainly won't deny that even the most honest politician sometimes has to resort to "bending the truth" or embellishing, and I do think it's fair to point out that they can sometimes be under a microscope and any mere whiff of them not being 100% healthy can cause damage in the public eye (especially with female politicians, from what I've seen in past elections.)  But all the stuff about completely fabricating stories and keeping her supposed loved one completely in the dark about a potentially deadly surgery?  Yeah, that's kind of scummy. 

[CatLady]

Just an addendum.  Hiro Kanagawa was s sight for sore eyes.  Loved his part in "The Man in High Castle".  Now that was a great series!

[Fable]

18 hours ago, possibilities said:

I just realized Shaun lied to Lea's mother, telling her he had to get back to work (as a reason to hang up the phone quickly). I don't recall if he ever got over his inability to lie, or if this is the first time. But he did it seemlessly, and that seemed like a big deal to me.

I didn’t think Shaun wanted to lie, but felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.  That may be what caused him to blow a fuse and go off on Lea’s mother.  I did laugh about that, but I also felt bad for Lea’s mother.  I would be so hurt and embarrassed if I were prattling on about things I wanted to do with and for the baby, only to find out later that my daughter had already lost the baby. 

[Driad]

Yes, if someone tells you to stop talking, it might be a good idea to do so.  Goes along with "If someone offers you a breath mint, take it."

[Daff]

On 5/18/2021 at 4:50 PM, Fable said:

I've finally come to like Shaun and Lea as a couple, so that means their relationship is going to go south, right?

Given the ending scene coupled with the hospital director’s views as he and Shaun walked out together, I believe we’ve just seen a  pivotal growth opportunity for Shaun (there was a spark in his eyes as he listened to Andrews). As a matter of fact, on personal/social topics throughout the episode, Shaun seemed open to hearing his colleagues’ opinions. He’ll definitely be driving some counselor mad in their future. 

1 hour ago, Fable said:

I didn’t think Shaun wanted to lie, but felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.  That may be what caused him to blow a fuse and go off on Lea’s mother. 

Other signs of growth, he knew he couldn’t blurt out the news (and earlier, maybe seasons ago, he’s had a “lying” debate with someone-Glassman, maybe?). 
This episode was engaging and I really liked the exchanges Shaun had with his colleagues. It might be an indication of just how “lost” he’s feeling right now, but his facial expressions seemed to indicate he was really seriously considering what they had to say. 
Didn’t mind at all that Morgan took a backseat on this one. 

[Electruck]

22 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Certainly helps that he was played by Hiro Kanagawa: one of those actors who has pretty much been in every show shot in Canada ever (although, this was a bit of a change since usually plays police captains or detectives!)

Funny, he had a small recurring role on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist as a doctor last season, and Noah Galvin (Asher) had a brief appearance in it this season. He sings! Noah, I mean.

[bros402]

22 hours ago, Electruck said:

Funny, he had a small recurring role on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist as a doctor last season, and Noah Galvin (Asher) had a brief appearance in it this season. He sings! Noah, I mean.

THAT'S WHERE I RECOGNIZED THE SURGEON FROM

I was like "wait that guy looks familiar where is he from???"