S01.E05: Memento Vivere

[thewhiteowl]

 

When a Jane Doe wakes up in the coma ward with no memory of who she is, Cat and her team are stunned to find that she has memories that belong to other deceased coma patients. Len and Sophie find a surprising connection to Will.

 

[sinkwriter]

Okay, this week I really found it hard to believe that not one of the doctors seemed to have heard of the phenomenon of people in comas being able to hear conversations going on around them. Not one of them (before the surgeon brought it up to Cat) came up with it as a theory. To me, that should have been their FIRST theory. It made much more sense than the coma girl absorbing all the other coma patients'  consciousness and stories in the moment the rest of them all died. Seriously? It never occurred that her brain might have overheard family members talking to other coma patients in the same rom? It's been used in TV shows over the years. Come on.

 

I did really feel for the Jane Doe, and was glad that at least her her brother finally got reunited with her. I know it's all fictional, but it would be my hope that she wakes up again.

 

I also felt for Cat and her whole family with the side story about the organ donor. I'm not sure that information would be so freely given out, even to a doctor requesting the info, and via email (!) where anyone could intercept the information, but out of everything on this show, that's hardly anything but a very small nitpick.

Edited July 15, 2015 by sinkwriter

[topanga]

 

Okay, this week I really found it hard to believe that not one of the doctors seemed to have heard of the phenomenon of people in comas being able to hear conversations going on around them. Not one of them (before the surgeon brought it up to Cat) came up with it as a theory. To me, that should have been their FIRST theory. It made much more sense than the coma girl absorbing all the other coma patients'  consciousness and stories in the moment the rest of them all died. Seriously? It never occurred that her brain might have overheard family members talking to other coma patients in the same rom? It's been used in TV shows over the years. Come on.

 

I really enjoyed this episode since I ignored all of the medical and medical-legal implications of just about every plotline. Jennifer Beals and her sidekicks were interesting, compassionate, and warm. I liked Zed's conversation with Jane/Kristi, when he mentioned making new memories once he came to America since his memories from Sudan (?) where full of things he didn't want to remember.

 

--No one thought it strange that four coma patients died at the exact same time? I know there was a throwaway line about an infection that spread though out the "garden," but even a widespread injection would cause concern and outrage. None of the family members asked questions or seemed to be upset, there were no outside lawyers, and not even the Chief of Medicine or the hospital's Legal department seemed to be involved.

 

--It is a violation of federal law to share medical information about an organ donor. Sometimes you might hear surgeons say that the donor was a 19-year old kid or a 40-year old mom in a car accident, but no one is allowed to share the name of a donor patient, especially through un-encrypted email.

 

--Doctors are not supposed to discuss patient information in busy hallways or on elevators where there are other passengers, even though this does happen routinely.

[sinkwriter]

 

--No one thought it strange that four coma patients died at the exact same time? I know there was a throwaway line about an infection that spread though out the "garden," but even a widespread injection would cause concern and outrage. None of the family members asked questions or seemed to be upset, there were no outside lawyers, and not even the Chief of Medicine or the hospital's Legal department seemed to be involved.

 

Yeah, exactly. That was pretty baffling too. Four other people DIED and no one really bats an eye, not even a single family member? I suppose at some point the family members might find it a relief, because their loved ones had been comatose for so long, but everyone at the hospital seemed so blasé about it, like "oh well, the entire vegetable garden died, that's a disappointment but what are you gonna do?"

 

I enjoyed the episode anyway because it was unusual and because the story affected not only Cat but her whole family (and I loved that scene with all three of them as they talked about how the daughter really shouldn't continue to see Charlie, the donor recipient). But this episode was definitely rife with "WTF, seriously" moments in regard to expecting major hand-waving from the audience about their plot. 

Edited July 15, 2015 by sinkwriter

[Clanstarling]

I found it strange too when the research regarding coma patients actually hearing people wasn't really addressed. I think they did try to address it in a way that was really, really subtle (JB wanting to know basically whether Kristi/Jane had sufficient brain waves to hear - but the "to hear" wasn't in the statement).

 

Also, the yeah, four people died at once, but we're not going to investigate this at all.

 

On the other hand, JB was a lot softer and had more empathy and compassion this time, so that was a plus. I will admit to being a little choked up at times in this episode.

 

Does the hospital director not know the billionaire is dying? I don't recall exactly, but I thought he had brain cancer. It seemed odd to put so much emphasis on his issues - but then, maybe they're just amping up the ticking clock.

Edited July 15, 2015 by clanstarling

[sinkwriter]

 

Does the hospital director not know the billionaire is dying?

 

I don't think he knew before this episode, but he noticed the aphasia issues the billionaire was having and tried to subtly bring it up by talking about how some donors to the hospital contribute because they're looking for cures for people in their lives. And then the billionaire submitted to that MRI (or whatever that claustrophobic machine is), and the hospital director was looking at all his brain scans and just kind of breathing out like, "Oof, yikes, that is not good." So he knows now, whatever it is. (I can't remember either, from the pilot, what the billionaire said was wrong. As I also apparently keep forgetting what his name is because we see him so sporadically!)

Edited July 15, 2015 by sinkwriter

[walnutqueen]

I can see the path this show is taking, and it is every trite cliché an unimaginative mind can muster.  So much promise; so little return.  Meh, it's summer, so what can one expect?

[andromeda331]

--No one thought it strange that four coma patients died at the exact same time? I know there was a throwaway line about an infection that spread though out the "garden," but even a widespread injection would cause concern and outrage. None of the family members asked questions or seemed to be upset, there were no outside lawyers, and not even the Chief of Medicine or the hospital's Legal department seemed to be involved.

 

Yeah, that was really weird. There's no way the hospital wouldn't be all over that or the

patients' families wouldn't be asking questions. One death would be normal, four at the

same time is too suspicious.

Edited July 15, 2015 by andromeda331

[DXD526]

Amidst all the WTFisms throughout this episode, I found the most objectionable thing to be the opening scene. The two young orderlies making out in the coma patients' room was all kinds of creepy. Just disrespectful and wrong. I don't know if that kind of thing actually goes on in hospitals, but if it does, I certainly don't want to watch. 

 

That aside, this show has many shortcomings, but it's interesting enough, and Jennifer Beals is always an intriguing presence. And as has already been stated, it is the summer. In the fall with the TV schedule more crowded, this would likely be bumped off my DVR, but I'll enjoy it for now.

[alias1]

I can see the path this show is taking, and it is every trite cliché an unimaginative mind can muster.  So much promise; so little return.  Meh, it's summer, so what can one expect?

On the plus side, Jennifer Beals has great hair. 

[zxy556575]

On the plus side, Jennifer Beals has great hair.

 

I paid more attention to the variations in frizz level from scene to scene than I did to any of the dialog.

 

Still have no idea what the young female assistant is supposed to be bringing to the table. The role, the actress, and the premise itself all blow.