S01.E03: Fallback

[WendyCR72]

When Dr. Connor Rhodes takes the case of a close family friend who's been impaled by glass shards, he's reunited with his sister, Claire Rhodes, and forced to confront his past. Meanwhile, Dr. Natalie Manning convinces a young musician to undergo a surgery that will save her life but could destroy her hearing.

[CoyoteBlue]

I'm pretty much watching this for Rhodes, the shrink and S. Epatha.

 

What's with the Chicago Civil Servants trilogy making all their villains so ham-fisted? D. W. Moffett and Fredrick Lehne given over-the-top evil storylines? Eh.

 

Luckily, I only kinda wanted to slap the shit out of the dead-eyed pregnant woman this week. (Did the musician lose her speech along with her hearing? What was with the pad and pen at the end?)

Edited December 2, 2015 by CoyoteBlue

[betsyboo]

I'm pretty much watching this for Rhodes, the shrink and S. Epatha.

 

Luckily, I only kinda wanted to slap the shit out of the dead-eyed pregnant woman this week. (Did the musician lose her speech along with her hearing? What was with the pad and pen at the end?)

WORD. (Do the kids still say 'word'?)

 

I couldn't understand why the violinist wasn't speaking either!! Prob because it was much more dramatic! to wonder what she was writing! on the legal pad! that she could hold up! (I totally wiki'd Torrey and she is/was an accomplished violinist.)

 

That poor Ranger. I kept saying (out loud) to the wife - was this really your last resort?? Instead of having a hard conversation with your husband, you chose this instead? (Now, I have no experience as a military spouse, and can't possibly imagine the toll it takes. #caveat)  However, I will be turning in my TV card as I thought the husband was doing it to himself up until it was obvious.

 

The glass shards - ACCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. Nice to see Kelly not being jacked around by Patterson. 

 

I rolled my eyes into a near-stroke at Dr. Douche's "I became a doctor because I want to save lives!!" Don't let Rocket Romano hear you say that, gingerboy.

 

Nice to see Lulu Spencer again. And not as a damsel.

 

Maggie continues to be the star, natch.

Edited December 2, 2015 by betsyboo

[Calamity Jane]

Yawn.  I am not getting any feels from this show at all.  But I will watch just for my beloved Lt. VanBuren.  I wish I liked it better because she is awesome and deserves a wonderful show.

[MakeMeLaugh]

Must buy prednisone....

I can't believe how utterly dorky "Halsted's brother" is. Where is the somewhat interesting bad boy plastic surgeon who fled Manhattan for mysterious reasons? Now he is this redheaded Opie-ish dork who stumbles around Dr Madonna. Did we forget the backstory, Show?

I was so hoping deaf violinist was writing "I'm suing your ass" (not that she necessarily had grounds to).

We need a one-note villain, right? Good to see Moffett on my screen.

[scarynikki12]

Looks like my initial assessment was correct and the nurses are my favorites.  Maggie is walking the line between tough and kind perfectly, though I feel like the supervising MD should be the one making sure Med School (Reese?) knows how to do basic stuff like IVs. 

 

I probably wasn't pay as close attention as I should have, but, was the hearing loss on both ears?  I initially thought it was one side but the doctors writing things down post op tells me it must have been both ears. 

 

I really liked the trauma attending and I'd like to see her again.  She and Rhodes worked well together and were drama free.  I want to hold on to that.

 

They're obviously pushing Halstead 2.0 and Manning as a future couple, which I'm not a fan of because I want to know who they are before their personal lives start tangling up.

 

As long as I get quality Maggie and/or April scenes each episode I'll stick with it.

[Lady Calypso]

I am also quite fond of the nurses, as well as Rhodes, Reese and Charles. 

 

I am NOT looking forward to anything Dr. McDouchebag and Dr. McPregnant. They bore me, and I hate their dynamic a whole lot. Are we supposed to forgive Dr. McDouche just because he 'didn't know how much loss he would experience as a doctor'? LOL, yeah no. And sad thing is, Manning fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Not that I think he was faking it, but she fell too easily into that and forgave him quite easily. She's not a charm either though, but I just don't care in seeing them form their own little family. 

 

So....lemme guess: either Daddy Rhodes is going to stick being a villain and then get his own spinoff next season (Chicago Politics?) or he's gonna die by the end of the season. Rhodes' sister just looks like she's joining the 'Ant Man trend' this season. As in, women who have that short hair with bangs, dress professionally and are initially cold to others until we get to know them...or whatever. Agents of SHIELD this season have Rosalind who looks the exact same as well. 

 

I cheered when Sharon told off Daddy Rich Rhodes. But yeah, that's about it. I liked Rhodes and other doctor and how there wasn't anything pointing to them hooking up (...yet....). 

[John M]

All I could think about is what kind of shoddy ass hospital is this that lets potential donors make medical decisions on their employees. I get that it was a big stand up moment for the administrator but come on, why would she even have to entertain such an idea.

[juliet73]

I really thought the deaf violinist was going to write "I can hear!" since the entire episode was all happy endings.

[starri]

Dr. Lulu Spencer can stay.  At least the hospital has one attending.

 

Reese (?) might have more success listening to her heart if she'd bothered to put her stethoscope in the right way.  It's an awful pet peeve of mine, and I will try to make it the last time I mention that for medical dramas this season.

[Sonja]

I am also quite fond of the nurses, as well as Rhodes, Reese and Charles. 

 

I am NOT looking forward to anything Dr. McDouchebag and Dr. McPregnant. They bore me, and I hate their dynamic a whole lot. Are we supposed to forgive Dr. McDouche just because he 'didn't know how much loss he would experience as a doctor'? LOL, yeah no.

 

So....lemme guess: either Daddy Rhodes is going to stick being a villain and then get his own spinoff next season (Chicago Politics?)

 

I cheered when Sharon told off Daddy Rich Rhodes. But yeah, that's about it. I liked Rhodes and other doctor and how there wasn't anything pointing to them hooking up (...yet....). 

Couldn't agree more to all of this. McDouchebag and McPregnant deserve each other, even though I see no chemistry there (and could the production department please spring for some acting lessons for her?). How the heck did he not realise that doctors lose patients before? I can't believe this was the first time he bollocksed it up either. It's not like this is his first week in the job.

 

Chicago Department Store has a nice ring to it...

 

I really like Sharon so far, she doesn't suffer fools lightly. I'd like more scenes with Charles and Rhodes, they seem to gel pretty well and the delivery of the line about fathers like Daddy Rhodes keeping Charles in business cracked me up.

 

I also liked Rhodes giving Reese something to do after 'never apologise' McGibbs (I really can't remember her name) pushed her out of the way.

 

 At least the hospital has one attending.

This! I was starting to wonder if they had any or were running some kind of cunning money saving scam.

 

So Sister Rhodes knows enough not to move Russel when he's impaled by the chandelier in the department store but later gets all worked up about them not just yanking it out? Not very consistent, show...

[Sandman]

I rolled my eyes into a near-stroke at Dr. Douche's "I became a doctor because I want to save lives!!" Don't let Rocket Romano hear you say that, gingerboy.

 

I'm trying to find reasons to like this guy, God help me, but when he got to "I never expected it to involve this much loss," I just thought "Well, that's a lie." It's a line that's inauthentic for this particular character and untrue for physicians generally. This is purely the product of a screenwriter's imagination, unconnected with anything in life -- a screenwriter, moreover, who thinks his audience is really dumb. (I've just noticed that Michael Brandt, one of the writers of this show, wrote the screenplay for the craptastic Wanted, and so much makes sense now.)

 

I do love Dr. Charles and Maggie, though; could they please be part of a better show? One not involving the mustache-twirly villain stylings of D.W. Moffet, who's so much better than this material. As are Donnell and Platt and Marlyne Barrett. And S. Epatha, of course. I'll continue to watch Sharon be a boss.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Sandman

[Tazmania]

This was the weakest episode of the show so far. 

The only thing I truly liked was any and all conversations between Dr Charles and Dr Connor Rhodes. Another character that works well with both these gentlemen is Sara Reese. Give her more to do. Would love to see them both mentoring her. 

[Sandman]

Yeah, those glass shards were horrendous! Even before it crashed, that thing looked like the Crap-Ass Amoeba Chandelier of Death. Once it poked its poked its gouge-ey tendrils into poor Russel, I could barely look at my t.v.

[statsgirl]

I liked Dr. Lulu Spencer too. I'm on board with Rhodes making googly-eyes at her instead of at the pregnant one. They really are chem-testing all over the place these episodes.

 

I wondered why the violinist lost hearing in both ears since they only operated through one side that we could see.  Did they turn her over later and do the other side?

 

Also, I was waiting for someone to mention Beethoven, or any of those real-life musicians who are deaf and play by vibration.

 

Since Dr. McDouche has presumably gone through his years of internship and residency to become the senior resident in an emergency department, he should be used to people dying on his watch by now.  People die.  More people die in a hospital than in other places but that's because we take dying people to hospitals.

 

 

All I could think about is what kind of shoddy ass hospital is this that lets potential donors make medical decisions on their employees. I get that it was a big stand up moment for the administrator but come on, why would she even have to entertain such an idea.

I wanted her to ask him why he's trying to sabotage his son's career.  Okay, so she couldn't but at least ask him where he gets the knowledge to make medical decisions.

[Artsda]

Loved seeing GH's Lulu Spencer as a badass doctor. Love her character and hope she stays.

 

Rhodes dad is a jerk. 

[Sandman]

I was glad the violinist's story didn't invoke Beethoven, actually. I think it would have been overkill. Similarly, I don't think Sharon needed to dignify Mr. Rhodes' presumption with anything like a response about his utter lack of qualification to make medical decisions.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Sandman

[Samantha84]

I am in the complete minority here but I LOVE this show! Dr's Halstead and Manning are my faves. [Plus Sharon Goodwin b/c S. Epatha!] Will they become a romantic pairing? Likely but I genuinely love their friendship.  PS: How is Halstead the douche? Rhodes is the one. Though I'm warming up to him after this episode. Which by the way, was my favorite thus far.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Samantha84

[torqy]

Chicago Department Store has a nice ring to it...

With D. W. Moffett as a younger, meaner Mr. Grace?

 

No one else picked up on the knockoff Dale Chihuly chandelier?

[Sandman]

Knockoff and also bump-off, heh.

[SnarkySheep]

 

I can't believe how utterly dorky "Halsted's brother" is. Where is the somewhat interesting bad boy plastic surgeon who fled Manhattan for mysterious reasons? Now he is this redheaded Opie-ish dork who stumbles around Dr Madonna. Did we forget the backstory, Show?

 

I don't mind his current persona, but you're right, it's completely different from the persona he was given on PD. Remember when he was off to his first day (that episode of PD where the hospital got bombed?) Will was calmly getting dressed for work as Jay gaped at some random one night stand going through the kitchen. That was indicative of an ENTIRELY different Will than we're seeing now, and the show has barely begun.

 

 

God help me, but when he got to "I never expected it to involve this much loss," I just thought "Well, that's a lie." It's a line that's inauthentic for this particular character and untrue for physicians generally.

 

Well, but don't forget, the guy just came from a private practice in New York, doing plastic surgery for rich women...I doubt he saw a lot of death there. So maybe he sort of forgot what "real" doctors tend to be faced with, until it came crashing back.

[Sonja]

With D. W. Moffett as a younger, meaner Mr. Grace?

Oh, I didn't even think of that! They could also remake season 2 of The Paradise with Moffett taking over Ben Daniels' character.

 

I wondered why the violinist lost hearing in both ears since they only operated through one side that we could see.  Did they turn her over later and do the other side?

 

Also, I was waiting for someone to mention Beethoven, or any of those real-life musicians who are deaf and play by vibration.

I was wondering about that too. When McPreggers held up the tuning fork, I thought the issue was on the left side, but then they showed the right side of her head being shaved.

 

How is the housing situation in Chicago? I live in Vienna and there are A LOT of  'Beethoven Houses' because he had to move every few weeks for hammering so loudly into his piano that he was constantly evicted. ;-)

 

I'm not so sure how far you can get as a violinist when you can't hear at all. Learning new pieces must be extremely difficult if you can't listen to them beforehand, but at least she could use her muscle memory to play for herself.

[starri]

I was wondering about that too. When McPreggers held up the tuning fork, I thought the issue was on the left side, but then they showed the right side of her head being shaved.

NF2 causes the acoustic neuroma tumors on both sides of the brain.

[Sonja]

NF2 causes the acoustic neuroma tumors on both sides of the brain.

Thank you!

[Chas411]

I've continued my catch up today.

 

Halstead came off a lot less douchey and I thought he shared cute scenes with both Natalie and Rhodes. I'd rather see him and Rhodes become buddies then watch them butt heads.

 

Did nobody else think Russell and the sister were a secret item or something?

 

Rhodes and the attending were ok... I assume they'll be banging by the next episode though.

 

What's the deal with Reese? If she's just a student and not an intern should she really be trusted to get involved in patient care?

[Sandman]

Well, but don't forget, the guy just came from a private practice in New York, doing plastic surgery for rich women...I doubt he saw a lot of death there. So maybe he sort of forgot what "real" doctors tend to be faced with, until it came crashing back.

 

I think that's another discontinuity or inconsistency from the way the character was introduced: if he was a plastics specialist, he's not going to be working urgent care/trauma. I also think that "Patients Die" is drilled into students from the beginning of med school as Rule #1, so the whole "I never expected so much loss" thing seemed disingenuous to me.

 

I figured Russel and the sister must have been exes or something.

 

I'm not so sure how far you can get as a violinist when you can't hear at all. Learning new pieces must be extremely difficult if you can't listen to them beforehand, but at least she could use her muscle memory to play for herself.

 

Soloists have to be able to hear the orchestra or other members of any ensemble in order to function, don't they? I'm not sure enough can be distinguished through felt vibrations with sufficient subtlety.

[Sonja]

Soloists have to be able to hear the orchestra or other members of any ensemble in order to function, don't they? I'm not sure enough can be distinguished through felt vibrations with sufficient subtlety.

Yes and I also doubt you can distinguish if you're hitting the right notes if you can't hear them. That 'feel good' part of the storyline was absolute bogus.

[Raja]

I was glad the violinist's story didn't invoke Beethoven, actually. I think it would have been overkill. Similarly, I don't think Sharon needed to dignify Mr. Rhodes' presumption with anything like a response about his utter lack of qualification to make medical decisions.

 

 

I really thought the deaf violinist was going to write "I can hear!" since the entire episode was all happy endings.

I was hoping that she would write that M.A.S.H. did it better when Major Winchester was so proud about saving a man's leg and he turned out to be a pianist

Edited January 19, 2016 by Raja

[Sandman]

A tv doctor's worst nightmare! A gifted patient who's also Genre Savvy! Aiiieeee.

[TobinAlbers]

Catching up on the show and so far, I'm loving it. Even Halstead I like and I totally thought I wouldn't based on the commercials. I didn't see his previous incarnation in the backdoor pilot but on this show, I fanwank his sometimes douchey behavior and arrogance and issues with Rhodes and everyone else as he was the nerdy guy in high school who was probably bullied a bit (hence why he feels for the underdog and wants to save people) and felt inferior to the cool kids socially (Rhodes  fits that bill) but felt superior to them intellectually. And he was the one who was always right.  When he became a doctor he was the hotshot and embraced finally finding his niche.

 

And then a rich kid hotshot who embodies everything he hated in his childhood shows up and is now battling him on his turf and winning. At the same time he's not just jealous about Rhodes as a rich kid, but the man actually knows his stuff so he's also trying to one up him AND get his approval. The scene where he tells him about the surgical tool totally showcased that. Later, when we see Rhodes did buy him a tie, Halstead sincerely appreciated it and saw it as a win. He was right and impressed Rhodes. I think their bromance is the relationship I'm looking forward to see evolve the most.

 

Reese just standing around listening to her heartbeat in the ER was oddly hilarious.

 

Lulu Spencer plays a surprisingly believable, competent surgeon.

 

Colin Donnell is the main reason I watch but I'm finding the whole show to be better than expected.