S02.E02: Back at the Ranch

[Happy Harpy]

 

T.C., Kenny and Paul try to save a woman who was accidentally shot by her husband.

 

If you had told me that Ragosa would become my favorite character...He's competent! He turned the tables on the prankers! He doesn't fear Molly! I half-expected and was afraid that he'd become the new resident butt monkey and I'm pleasantly surprised at the twist on it. I laughed with him, not at him.

Do I smell a Paul/Ragosa friendship or alliance? I think I'd like that. I like Paul.

 

I had one Krista/Drew scene! More of it, please.

She is the one Drew should have talked to, not Kenny. I'm still meh on the latter and if trying to make him more relevant means less of my favorite friendship, it will quickly turn to dislike. And I knew that Krista wasn't that into him.

 

Did I actually see someone not buying TC's bullcrap and putting him in his place? Chavez shot straight to my favorite list. Of course, he had to admit that TC is great blah-blah and let him in his OR. Still, he's the adult to TC's little boy and I think he just owned him. I like that he isn't presented as perfect, either (remark to Krista about her hamster/mom).

 

So, Scott boarded the same bus as Landry? Can the bus come back, with her?

 

Audience's proxy of the week:

Topher: "About Jordan..."

TC: *blabbers about love story*

Topher: "Yeah, I don't care about that."

 

Most self-aware remark of the week:

Jordan: "I knew I shouldn't say it, but I can't help".

 

Next doctor in trouble: Topher, with his wife. Phone is the new anvil.

 

Still a solid guilty pleasure episode.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Happy Harpy

[Good Queen Jane]

Wow! Did Special Snowflake Surgeon TC actually make a mistake that another doctor had to fix? What is this show coming to?

 

I want to see more of Chavez (in all senses). He and Topher are the only grown-ups in this show (although Ragosa is growing on me.)

[thuganomics85]

Yeah, Chavez sure shot up to being one of my favorite in this one.  He doesn't put up with TC's crap and stands up to him, but he does it in a way where it doesn't feel "personal", like they made it happen with Scott.  He does know when to pick his battles (letting TC help out in the end), but I never got the sense he wasn't in the driver's seat.  Also loved how he trolled about possibly causing love triangles with both Kenny/Krista and TC/Jordan, only to be all "Syke!"  Hope he stays that way.

 

More prove why Topher is one of the best: his scene at the end with Jordan, was probably the most I've liked her.  Really, I feel like almost all characters are more fun whenever they play off him.  I just hope that phone conversation with his wife at the end doesn't mean we're going to get a bunch of angst from him.

 

Ragosa getting the underling treatment was fun; as was him getting revenge.  And I like the potential of a friendship between him and Paul.

 

Usually love Drew, but wasn't a fan of him dodging his problems with his boyfriend.  For this relationship to work, he really needs to be more prepared for hardship.  And, yeah, I felt like a lot of the scenes would have made more sense if it was with Krista instead of Kenny.

 

Sure did feel like a crazier night then normal at the hospital.  Drunk wrecks, drinking antifreeze (and saving them with beer!), and smuggling drugs in by breast implants.  Texas is crazy!

[Sandman]

So Drew is out of the closet, but all his patients are ... in one? There's some sort of off-book clinic for vets happening in a supply closet? Really?

I'm not kidding around, Doctor Chavez: get a damn haircut already. (Okay, so at least Other Roswell Dude Rodriguez is doing enough to make his character's name memorable to me, but, c'mon.)

[Julie23]

I never thought I'd say this either, but I like the new Ragosa! In fact, there are less people I dislike this season for some reason. TC even seems to have toned down his ego a bit -- or Chavez will do it for him- love him! The only character that seems to have taken a personality transplant in the wrong direction is Drew. He is a little more angsty this season. Maybe now that Rick got an appointment everything will be rosy in that relationship and we can get super Dr. Drew back.

[Ohmo]

Yeah, Chavez sure shot up to being one of my favorite in this one.  He doesn't put up with TC's crap and stands up to him, but he does it in a way where it doesn't feel "personal", like they made it happen with Scott.  He does know when to pick his battles (letting TC help out in the end), but I never got the sense he wasn't in the driver's seat.  Also loved how he trolled about possibly causing love triangles with both Kenny/Krista and TC/Jordan, only to be all "Syke!"  Hope he stays that way.

 

More prove why Topher is one of the best: his scene at the end with Jordan, was probably the most I've liked her.  Really, I feel like almost all characters are more fun whenever they play off him.  I just hope that phone conversation with his wife at the end doesn't mean we're going to get a bunch of angst from him.

 

Ragosa getting the underling treatment was fun; as was him getting revenge.  And I like the potential of a friendship between him and Paul.

 

Usually love Drew, but wasn't a fan of him dodging his problems with his boyfriend.  For this relationship to work, he really needs to be more prepared for hardship.  And, yeah, I felt like a lot of the scenes would have made more sense if it was with Krista instead of Kenny.

 

Sure did feel like a crazier night then normal at the hospital.  Drunk wrecks, drinking antifreeze (and saving them with beer!), and smuggling drugs in by breast implants.  Texas is crazy!

 

I don't think it's a matter of Chavez putting up with TC's "crap."  In this case, I don't think it was "crap".  TC and Scott were never going to work under any circumstances because both of them were egotistical hotheads trying to "outmeasure" each other about Jordan.  Like Chavez told TC, he and TC don't have that history, so I didn't see it as a matter of Chavez not taking TC's "crap."  I saw Chevez dealing with the situation respectfully, not as a threat to TC.  Unlike Scott, Chevez's goal was not Jordan.  In the Scott/TC dynamic, I think TC could be a hotheaded asshole, but I also think Scott was a hotheaded asshole in return.  Both men were always going to run hot because they really weren't talking about medicine.  They were talking about who (according to each of them) was the "better man" for Jordan.

 

I love me some Drew, and I thought what we saw was just a temporary thing.  I actually loved the dynamic between Drew and Kenny.  I love Krista and Drew's friendship (and the way he hugged her was AWESOME), but I also enjoyed the chance to learn more about Kenny.  The role reversal was terrific.  Drew is the military captain and the doctor, but in this case, he was given some good advice by someone who is his subordinate, and the show didn't go the typical route of having it come from a female nurse like Molly.  It came from Kenny.  I actually loved the entire reason that he explained to Krista that he became a nurse.  It was a choice, a conscious choice that came from a place of great respect.  I have no problem buying that Kenny and Krista are currently "hooking up."  They're young, they're attractive, so that's bound to happen, but I like being reminded that there's more to Kenny than him just making moves on women.  I don't think Kenny and Krista are destined to be anything long-term, but I can accept what they are at this moment.

 

Also in reference to Drew, I think the writers wanted to really continue the VA issue because it's very topical right now.  Drew was wearing hats this episode that weren't always about his character.  He was used to open up Kenny a bit and speak to a current events topic.  I'm hopeful that the Krista/Drew hug is an indication that we'll get back to the Drew I enjoy.  He was just busy doing other stuff duing this episode.

 

Continue to love Topher and Regosa.  I really like Regosa the PA who uses his knowledge as an administator.

 

The promo concerns me:

I will vomit if Scott gets shot by the guy with the gun and the ER can't save him.  I have no love for Scott, but the tortorous hand-wringing that will undoubtedly occur between TC and Jordan will make me ill.

[starri]

I'm just happy that Topher is going to stay The Boss.  He's much more competent that Jordan, and the fact that his relationship with TC is only a bromance; it's just a much better fit.  Although I don't understand Jordan's sudden change of heart, as she lobbied Ragosa for the job originally.  But it makes more sense for the character.

 

Ragosa:  "I'm a physician assistant."

 

Me:  "No, you're not!"

 

I loved Drew getting the tag-team assist from Krista and Kenny.  The sweetness of his gratitude to both of them really surprised and delighted me.  Tough guy has a soft side.

[hacerry]

Well, I am a new- comer to the show, but am now completly and totally in love with the show and addicted to it! I saw S1E01 a week before S02E01 aired and immediaitly bought the entire S1 digitally so I could see the whole thing. Couldn't be happier with my purchase!

 

And this was the best episode yet -- real character interaction, and lots of it, and showing lots of growth for everybody since the end of season 1. Woot!

 

I correctly disliked Ragosa as hospital admin, but this new change to working "in the trenches" and earning his degree is VERY fun to watch for me, who is easily entertained. ;)

 

I feel like the EMT lady is out of place. I don't have resentment towards thec character like some do, but I just feel like she came out of no where without explaining how she knows the rest of the gang. I mean, I know she said a few lines about her and Jordan in school together or something, but it wasn't enough to even make me remember it. Dear show, if she's going to be a regular, I need a lot more on her...

 

I'm confused about Topher's wife and her seemingly quick 180-turn decision from "You need to make more money" at the start of this episode to "I want you home more." at the end of the episode, which is what? 10 hours later? Really? Are you dying?

 

No, I'm not blind; I see the flaws in the show / writing / acting once I read them here, but generally, I *haven't* watched that many hospital dramas, and not even one ER-specific drama, so a lot of the complaints agains the show don't apply to me.

 

Keep it up show! (Though I wouldn't mind if you improved, to keep a few other viewers besides me.)

[LittleIggy]

Love Chavez (and his hair)! Adam Rodriguez is a great addition to the show. I assume the Gatsby movie they were referring to was that Spaz Lerhmann travesty. TGG is one of my favorite books, and I loved the 70s movie with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow when both were young and drop dead gorgeous. Plus a young Sam Waterston!

Edited March 8, 2015 by LittleIggy

[sinkwriter]

I didn't even recognize Adam Rodriguez because of his hair, so I think he should keep it. If he cuts it, he'll just remind me of CSI (a show I never watched but for which I used to see a lot of commercials). I like that his new hairstyle made me see him as someone completely new and specific to this show.

[sinkwriter]

I don't care much for the romance of TC and Jordan (mostly because I don't like Jordan very much). But I do like TC and I like the way the show writes his friendship with Topher. The friendships are gold on this show.

 

I haven't seen all the episodes from last season, but one thing that bothers me is how much the guys talk about their feelings. Not because they shouldn't or can't, it's nice to see guys who are able to be open and honest... the issue I have is that it feels like the writers are using the dialogue to "tell" too much rather than "show" me these characters. To have them monologuing to one another about their deepest issues, while working on a patient or in front of staff or in the field, just seems unbelievable to me. Especially considering a lot of these characters are military or ex-military. I don't know a ton of military guys, but the ones I do know don't talk much about their experiences in war or their feelings as a whole. Maybe with the ones they are closest to, but it has to be under intimate circumstances, not out and about where anyone can overhear. So I find that approach by the writers to be ridiculous and a little lazy.

[Sandman]

Tragic Consequences and Topher also tell each other "I love you, brother" a lot. Like, A LOT. Not that I don't want them to express their feelings, either. But it doesn't feel all that realistic for these particular characters to do that. Especially since a big part of TC's reaction to trauma is that he is supposed to have repressed and bottled up his feelings, when he doesn't actually appear to be ... doing that.

[sinkwriter]

I also think it would show a bigger contrast in TC if he had been more closed about his feelings in season 1 and more open in season 2 now that he's started therapy. I could see him talking more (and even in unusual or "inappropriate" settings) once the proverbial dam has burst and he's started to work on his issues, almost like he can't seem to help himself from talking about it now that he's broken through the block. But before that we should have seen more of the bottled up traumatized TC.

[awesomeness19]

Really Chavez? Really had to "help" Jordan with her case? I'm pretty sure she knows how to do her job!