S01.E13: First Date

[thewhiteowl]

Angus' older brother, an "all-star" ER doctor, tries to secure a position at Angels Memorial. Meanwhile, Christa's romantic feelings towards Neal begin to grow; and Malaya deals with a patient who is obsessed with her.

 

 

[Happy Harpy]

I expected Angus' brother to be an OTT jerk bordering the abusive, and I loved him (plus, he's buddies with Neal; Neal needs a buddy). Such a good portrayal of a relationship between brothers, way more subtle and realistic than I expected. It was actually easier for me to identify with Mike than with Angus because I'm the Mike in my family.

 

I expected Christa's breakdown to be about a child dying (tricky promo strikes again) and it was about another kind of patient. She took it personally as a doctor, not because of her personal baggage (not directly at least) and I liked it very much. I like how she takes responsibilities and doesn't blame others for what she thinks are her mistakes.

 

This episode reminded me why Neal is my favorite character, with his tons of qualities and little flaws (imo, he didn't give Christa one more hour "because it's her" as a woman, but "because it's her", a doctor whom he trusts and admires, but Perello had him second-guess himself once more).

 

And wow, bombshell in the end.

 

(You're spared long-winded considerations for now because Christa and Neal are perfect and I'm too busy doing cartwheels)

[twoods]

I am doing cartwheels right with you, as bad as they are. Finally! Wish that scene was longer but I will take it. I also liked that her breakdown was not about a kid dying who reminded her of her son, but something else. That mom dying was absolutely heartbreaking.

I've seen parents blame each other for a tragedy concerning their kid, so am glad that the dad forgave his wife.

The testicle torsion couple were really cute. The girl being abandoned by her father for having surgery was terrible- I know there are people like that out there (dealing with court orders to get blood transfusion consents were ridiculous enough), but it puts a bad taste in my mouth.

More sex in the locker room? Hot, yes, but get a room! I also really like Angus's brother. The guest stars were nice too- I like the actor that plays Leanne's psychiatrist, and Malaya's creepy patient was the actor from Bring It On that I had a crazy fancrush on back in the day.

Now back to cartwheeling, especially after that promo.

Edited January 21, 2016 by twoods

[Happy Harpy]

More sex in the locker room? Hot, yes, but get a room! I also really like Angus's brother. The guest stars were nice too- I like the actor that plays Leanne's psychiatrist, and Malaya's creepy patient was the actor from Bring It On that I had a crazy fancrush on back in the day.

Now back to cartwheeling, especially after that promo.

I hope the psychiatrist will be back, because I thought he had instant chemistry with MGH. I don't even talk romance, just clicking, their scene popped for me. Maybe because MGH played Leanne as being completely honest with him, not wearing a mask and not trying to be strong. I wonder if Leanne wanting to walk away has something to do with her decision about the black tagged mother, maybe it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Poor Jesse, he's going to be devastated (I don't think she'll really leave, but still, this is the kind of angst I like because it's real and un-soapish). Loved the Jesse/Leanne banter.

 

I agree about the Heather/Mario locker room scene. Last week, OK, adrenalin and first time, but this week was overkill. I think it would have been more effective if the viewer had been in Malaya's shoes, just a glimpse at the couple kissing (no more) as she opened and closed the door.

I was glad for the reappearance of Angus and Malaya's friendship (and she begins to interact more with others, but what about the baby, and is she even mourning?) yet my fears about the writing for Angus aren't squashed, far from it. He's 25-26, not 12, right? Hiding from a girl he likes, sorry, nope, nope, nope. Doofus, much? Honestly, Harry Ford does a wonderful job with the character because on the paper, Angus would be one I'd dislike.

 

I did like Mario and Heather working together, though. I feel more and more that Heather is more daring than Mario and that makes them interesting for me. It would be funny to see him as the moderating element in a relationship.

OK, Heather finally had the right to her "I like her" from both Leanne and Gina, and the show should stop with this gimmick. I could imagine Leanne being a spitfire at Heather's age, though, so I could see why she'd like her, but I didn't need to be told.

 

Talking about Gina, I didn't have the usual issues with the writing for her. She was wrong (Christa is the instinctive one, girl! She's always right in such cases) but at least she made a decision that she believed was right and stuck with it. She gave me a busybody vibe at first, so her intervention because a personal relationship was coherent. And I like coherent. Plus, Dr.Taylor's mention! Yeah!

 

The religious nuts was nuts (was it Tim Guinnee? I always confuse him with someone else) but it was way less heavy-handed and preachy than I expected so it was a nice suprise.

 

Finally Bonnie Sommerville killed it, imo. Her face when Gina talked about Christa's puppy dog eyes was priceless. One of my favorite things about Christa is how she says things honestly, but without getting abrasive, confrontational or cliché "spunky/feisty". So it was great to see her raw and angry and losing it, because I could feel for her even more, it broke her usual veneer.

(And it led to a sizzling, perfect kiss aaaand back to cartwheeling!)

Edited January 21, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[statsgirl]

I really liked Crista this episode, trying to fight for her patient and then taking the responsibility on herself.  But if she was that worried, why didn't she ask the woman to stay for an hour or so after official discharge?  My local ER has an internal waiting room for those already processed and she should be been asked to wait somewhere like there if they needed the chair.

 

When she came back in having had a heart attack (in the parking lot - that was fast) and Neal asked "Anyone have any suggestions?" my daughter said "Another epi?  Shock? Heart massage?  All the usual things they do on TV?"

 

Neal, you're my favorite character on this show but never give out psychological advice again.  From the way the man was behaving and how scared his wife was, I worried he would turn out to be an abusive husband.  That's not a situation  you should send the wife into.

 

Brain damage in a child is never good but there is neuroplasticity at that age and his brain can compensate.  Why did no one mention that?

 

I was cringing all through the torsion stuff because she really shouldn't have stuck around for even the early exams but I loved when she pulled the prothesis out.

 

I can't get over how much Cristina Vidal looks like her older sister Lisa. It's like watching ER again.

 

I liked Angus' brother.  Can we keep him?  I'd gladly trade Mario and Heather for him.

 

Speaking of which, I know that I'm supposed to say "Yay, Heather" but I kept thinking that if they had overruled the girl instead (maybe waiting until the situation become more serious so they could pull the doctor card), then the decision wouldn't have been hers and possibly her father wouldn't have rejected her.  So while the father was wrong, so were Heather and Mario and their arrogance may have severely damaged her life.  I also find it very hard to believe that a hospital as large and prestigious as that one is supposed to be doesn't have a protocol for dealing with children of parents who refuse medical treatment because there are a lot of them in this world.  A couple of cases have been all over the news here; a decent administrator would have got out in front of it if it hasn't happened there before.

 

"Will therapy make me feel better?" 

"Not if it's working."

Me:  Then what's the point? (This show's weakness is psychology.)

[Bobcatkitten]

Last week the "throwing her against a locker" sex was barely tolerable. This week it was just stupid. 

[jaytee1812]

 I can't get over how much Cristina Vidal looks like her older sister Lisa. It's like watching ER again.

I kept thinking she looked familiar but nothing on IMDb rang a bell. Yeah she is just like her sister.

[silverbell]

 

When she came back in having had a heart attack (in the parking lot - that was fast) and Neal asked "Anyone have any suggestions?" my daughter said "Another epi?  Shock? Heart massage?  All the usual things they do on TV?"

 

 

Actually the show is pretty accurate and this is why I like it.  since usually you do only a certain number of epi rounds, (If I am not mistaken maybe 3 ) and If you max out there is no point to go on, and unlike other medical shows, this show does not shock flat line because there is no point you only shock if there is electrical activity.

and I like that they show him ask everyone every time if they "have any suggestions?" since that is the suggested protocol today.  

[twoods]

Yep, can't shock asystole and I think they already did a lot of rounds of epi, and there was still no heart activity. I don't know if Christa would have gotten in trouble with allowing the patient to hang around once she was discharged. Her patient would have questioned it and wondered if something was wrong why she wasn't being admitted.

Speaking of admission, was there no PICU bed available for the near drowner? He was hanging around downstairs forever and crashed twice. I know it's so we can feel for the family, but them saying that they were trying to clear a bed upstairs for him would have been nice.

I never knew ED docs can de-torse a testicle, and though that it can only be done in the OR.

Edited January 21, 2016 by twoods

[Fable]

Interesting parallel between Heather and Leanne with Heather making a call that went against the direction of her superiors and then being chastised by Leanne for it.  At least Leanne secretly admired her for it, even though she feigned indignation.  

 

I don't usually invest in ships about TV couples, but Neal and Christa seem sweet together, and I hope that their relationship doesn't eventually turn into a drama-fest because that is the main reason I don't normally buy into and/or care for ships.  

[Ohwell]

I liked Angus' brother.  Can we keep him?  I'd gladly trade Mario and Heather for him.

 

Yes.  I'm getting tired of Mario and while he's cute I don't think he's hot enough for me to want him on the show anymore as even eye candy.  I don't think Heather is that great of an addition to the cast.  I guess she's supposed to be "feisty" but she just annoys me.

 

Last week the "throwing her against a locker" sex was barely tolerable. This week it was just stupid.

 

That's a tv/movie trope that I'm sick and tired of seeing.

[Netfoot]

I'd gladly trade Mario and Heather for him.

 

I'd trade Mario for two kippers and a slice of fried bread.  Hopefully Angus's bother will kick him firmly in the nuts at least twice an episode.  

Edited January 23, 2016 by Netfoot

[Fable]

Last week the "throwing her against a locker" sex was barely tolerable. This week it was just stupid.

 

 

I really, really like this show, and I think it can stand as a drama on its own without going into this kind of soapy territory.  

[Happy Harpy]

Speaking of which, I know that I'm supposed to say "Yay, Heather" but I kept thinking that if they had overruled the girl instead (maybe waiting until the situation become more serious so they could pull the doctor card), then the decision wouldn't have been hers and possibly her father wouldn't have rejected her.  So while the father was wrong, so were Heather and Mario and their arrogance may have severely damaged her life.

It could be, but I'm not sure. I tend to think that the father would have left her, whether the decision was hers or not. I took it that he was more nuts than religious, it's one of the things I liked because the problem was the man, not faith in itself. I also think that she was anyway better off without him, because her friend was right, he was brainwashing her. To me, he was a psychological abuser at the very least.

 

I don't usually invest in ships about TV couples, but Neal and Christa seem sweet together, and I hope that their relationship doesn't eventually turn into a drama-fest because that is the main reason I don't normally buy into and/or care for ships.  

From your mouth to the writers' ears. I like relationships when they're well done. I hate drama-fests, mostly because it usually damages the characters, and the characters are my main draw to a show. Neal and Christa are, separately, my favorite characters.  Anything that cheapens their relationship and therefore their characters will affect my enjoyment of Code Black and my desire to watch it.

[Texasmom1970]

Wow and I thought I have had some bad first dates, but that was really awkward and oddly sweet all rolled into one.

Mario can bite it anytime now. He is okay to look at but his character does nothing to add to the show for me at least.

[Shannon L.]

I liked this episode better than last week's, but I still can't understand what the hell the writers are doing with Mario.  Just when you think he might have an interesting story, or might open up, they turn on us and make him annoying again.  Seriously?  Sex in the locker room twice now?  It would have been bad enough if it had been weeks apart, but two episodes in a row?  Ugh.

 

I loved Angus with his older brother.  The final speech from Angus was so important and I'm glad he had the guts to say something and that his brother not only took it so well, but was able to compliment Angus in such a way.  Don't screw this up, writers. 

 

 

I also find it very hard to believe that a hospital as large and prestigious as that one is supposed to be doesn't have a protocol for dealing with children of parents who refuse medical treatment because there are a lot of them in this world.

 

Don't most hospitals have committees for this kind of thing (that would probably including which patients are candidates for organ transplants?) I know someone who was a chaplain at a hospital and she had to sit in on a discussion where a child needed a valve replacement and the parents were refusing treatment because it was a pig valve and that would be against their religion.

 

 

"Will therapy make me feel better?"

"Not if it's working."

Me:  Then what's the point? (This show's weakness is psychology.)

I understood what he meant.  Yes, therapy is eventually supposed to make you feel better, but many sessions can suck while you're are trying to get to that place.

 

I agree with those who want a Christa/Neal relationship but don't want it to turn into a big drama.

 

So from the previews I have to wonder if they are going down the ER Lucy-Carter route with Malaya and the creepy patient she was treating.  I hope not. 

Edited January 23, 2016 by Shannon L.

[Ely]

Bon Somerville ist just amazing. She makes Christa emotional but does not overdo it. She's walking a fine line. And her relationship with Neal ist just as nicely written and acted.

 

Loved Mike and his dynamics with Angus. It's very big/small brother.

 

I'm *so* sick of the locker room sex. Once, fine. Everything after that is just stupid and high school and makes me wonder of that couple is being written by another team of writers. Also, I just hate what it means for the Mario/Angus friendship. I was a big fan of Mario the first half of the season but that is changing. If he doesn't step up his game, I'll file him under "complete douche and please have a crushing helicopter cutting off your leg" and I'll trade him in with Angus' brother.

 

Still not a friend of Heather. They're trying to sell her, hard.

Heather finally had the right to her "I like her" from both Leanne and Gina, and the show should stop with this gimmick. I could imagine Leanne being a spitfire at Heather's age, though, so I could see why she'd like her, but I didn't need to be told.

 

Whenever a show does something like this, my alarm bells go off.

 

I guess she's supposed to be "feisty" but she just annoys me.

 

Oh yes. They're going with "big mouth, can talk to patients, is a great surgeon and everyone loves her because she's brilliant"

Not sure, but are they Mary Sue-ing her? I'm also sick of her half-assed, shoe-horned in reasons to hang around ER.

[Netfoot]

Personally, for a 16 year-old, in the decision between losing 

1. A religious, nut-case father
2. A leg

the better choice is clear.

[Darian]

Bon Somerville ist just amazing. She makes Christa emotional but does not overdo it. She's walking a fine line. And her relationship with Neal ist just as nicely written and acted.

 

I agree! I remember seeing her in some cheesy Christmas movie and thinking she was destined for more, er, challenging material. I was pleased to see her in this and have been impressed with her performance.

 

My ER was stressful and sex was certainly a stress-reliever. Staff hooked up at perhaps a higher rate than in some workplaces, and perhaps sooner after the stressful incident or shift. But I am rolling my eyes at the slamming-against-the-locker sex. If they're trying to sell the couple as super-hot, they don't need to and it's doing the opposite, for me. If they're trying to convey the idea that of sex as a coping mechanism for a stressful job that deals with life or death situations, there are other ways to do that (I could tell them stories!).  

 

I applaud Heather. Even if protocols were in place, the clock is ticking. Plus, she asked the girl a question and let her think about it. It was a great question, too. I thought they humanized the father some, at least until he abandoned his child. They showed he was motivated by fear for his daughter, and believed he was doing what was best for her. Maybe that's why he left her, too, or fear for himself. I am not religious at all, don't even believe in God, but I had some degree of sympathy for him. 

[Happy Harpy]

I agree! I remember seeing her in some cheesy Christmas movie and thinking she was destined for more, er, challenging material. I was pleased to see her in this and have been impressed with her performance.

 

My ER was stressful and sex was certainly a stress-reliever. Staff hooked up at perhaps a higher rate than in some workplaces, and perhaps sooner after the stressful incident or shift. But I am rolling my eyes at the slamming-against-the-locker sex. If they're trying to sell the couple as super-hot, they don't need to and it's doing the opposite, for me.

My cousin, after she discovered Grey's Anatomy, began to refer to the hospital where she used to be a nurse as "Seattle Grace", because according to her the multiple hook-ups were one of the only things they got right.

I'm so glad that Neal/Christa were spared the locker room sex (jinx!). It would be so OOC for me.

 

Right there with the Bonnie Sommerville love. I was a huge NYPD Blue fan back in the days (one of the best cast ever on TV, imho) so I'm extra-glad to love her so much as Christa.

[Ohwell]

OT, but I just finished rewatching NYPD Blue on H&I and I developed a girl crush on Bonnie Sommerville back then.  And I agree, it was one of the best casts ever, including all the suspects and perps. 

[starri]

Don't most hospitals have committees for this kind of thing (that would probably including which patients are candidates for organ transplants?  I know someone who was a chaplain at a hospital and she had to sit in on a discussion where a child needed a valve replacement and the parents were refusing treatment because it was a pig valve and that would be against their religion.

It's not really an ethics committee issue in this case.  With parents who refuse to consent to life-saving treatment, the life of a minor child always takes precedent over the parents' religious beliefs--Jehovah's Witnesses get blood transfusions, Christian Scientists can have surgery, etc.  And it may have been a plot convenience that they couldn't find a judge to order the surgery, because any big city will probably have one specifically to do things at night.

[secnarf]

It's not really an ethics committee issue in this case.  With parents who refuse to consent to life-saving treatment, the life of a minor child always takes precedent over the parents' religious beliefs--Jehovah's Witnesses get blood transfusions, Christian Scientists can have surgery, etc.  And it may have been a plot convenience that they couldn't find a judge to order the surgery, because any big city will probably have one specifically to do things at night.

FWIW, I've worked with some Jehovah's Witness families whose NICU babies have require blood transfusions, and although they refuse to consent to treatment, in my experience they tend to be rather appreciative of the staff getting a court order to do the transfusion - they don't want their child to die, but if they consent, they will be excommunicated and shunned. If it's a court order, then it's out of their hands.

I'm sure this does not apply to all Jehovah's Witness families, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is the case far more often than not, at least at the NICU I worked at.

[starri]

And therein lies the problem with the stance.  It's all great as dogma, but the moment it's your kid, it goes straight out the window.

[Ohwell]

I truly hope the writers don't go with a love quadrangle with Heather, Mario, Angus, and Angus's brother (although I could definitely see Mario feeling threatened by him, heh). 

[statsgirl]

I never knew ED docs can de-torse a testicle, and though that it can only be done in the OR.

I suspect they can't and did it in the ER only for the purposes of this show.

 

Saving Hope had the torsion testicle subplot a few episodes ago and in that case, the patient went up to the OR.

 

Don't most hospitals have committees for this kind of thing (that would probably including which patients are candidates for organ transplants?) I know someone who was a chaplain at a hospital and she had to sit in on a discussion where a child needed a valve replacement and the parents were refusing treatment because it was a pig valve and that would be against their religion.

 

I understood what he meant.  Yes, therapy is eventually supposed to make you feel better, but many sessions can suck while you're are trying to get to that place.

Therapy sessions can be hard and tough ones can make you upset and cry, and they're usually followed by an easy session or two as  you consolidate the work you did in the tough session.   But he gave the impression that if it's not hard, it's not good therapy.  That is not true.

 

He would have done better to have gone with an exercise analogy like it's hard to get started but you feel better in the end.

 

There are enough people in the Big City who refuse medical treatment for their kids, from Jehovah's Witnesses to those who want native treatments, that the hospital would have had an existing protocol in place on how to handle these emergencies.

[twoods]

For an ER who doesn't have an on call OB or a trauma surgeon most nights, I doubt they would have an ethics committee! Poor USC county hospital- I'm sure they are looking at this show and cursing it every week for showing how incompetent everyone outside the ER is.

[Happy Harpy]

I truly hope the writers don't go with a love quadrangle with Heather, Mario, Angus, and Angus's brother (although I could definitely see Mario feeling threatened by him, heh). 

I hope not, too. Some romance is OK, as long as it's organic/integrated. Too much romance isn't and less of the triangle style (although, as long as it isn't Christa and Neal who suffer from triangle-itis, I won't riot).

I hope not, even though I think that Mike/Heather/Mario would be 1) more believable for me because Mike would be a more believable rival and it would be interesting to see Mario face his own insecurities (not too much, I like him) 2) more convenient for me, because it wouldn't pit Mario/Angus against each other as love rivals, but Angus would be caught between his friend and his brother and it would be more nuanced and original, considering his complicated relationship with both.

 

But I don't think it will happen because (speculation based on the promo for episode 14 and the description for episode 15)

I think that Mike is one of the two doctors "gravely injured" during the events of episode 14. I think that Gina is the one who is found bleeding by Christa in the promo, attacked by Malaya's stalker patient (the hand is feminine and the promo implies that Malaya is a victim, so she's safe imo) and Tommy will be hurt in the standoff. Maybe unable to pratice for a while? I hope he doesn't die, though, since

I have the feeling they're testing recurring characters in case the show gets a season 2. Cole and Mike are two candidates I'd like to see again.

 

Where was Dr.Guthrie, by the way? I hope the older character won't be fading away discreetly. This isn't the CW.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[needschocolate]

I wanted a Neil and Christa romance, I think they would be good together, and I didn't want the show to drag it out forever like so many other shows have done, but I am so tired of characters passionately kissing and/or having sex immediately after a really emotional moment. There are other ways to "fall in love."  I get it, sometimes you need a release - you are held at gunpoint, forced to try to save a woman who can't be saved, and afterwards you are just so happy to be alive and there is only one other person who knows how you feel and you just want to take your mind off of what you have been through, etc.

 

But the following week we get "we played loose with the rules and saved a young girl's life, then the boss chewed me out and I yelled back at her, and now I need to have sex in a place where people could walk in at any time because I am already in trouble with the people in charge and I don't care about my co-workers to the point that it is fine with me if one of my few friends sees me having sex with the woman he may love" story.  I think it would have been better if they met in the locker room, built up a little sexual tension, she says "You know what I need right now?" He replies, "Yeah, but lets find someplace a little more private - your place?" and she adds, "Sure, I already got in enough trouble at work tonight."

 

And then, in the same episode, we get the passionate kissing because Christa was so distraught and guilt-ridden that the patient had died.  I think that scene would have been better if Neil hugged Christa and absent-mindedly gave her a kiss on the head, they both realize what just happened, look at each other and slowly kissed.  

 

I really like this show, I don't want it start doing the standard TV trope.

 

I've seen parents blame each other for a tragedy concerning their kid, so am glad that the dad forgave his wife.

 

This reminded me an episode of Oprah's talk show years and years ago.  It was about forgiveness and featured a few couples where one of them accidentally killed their child.  In each case, the not-at-fault parent forgave the at-fault parent, saying, "I know she didn't mean to do it, she would never hurt one of the kids.  It was easy to forgive her, because I know she will never forgive herself." If my husband accidentally killed one of our kids, I think I could forgive him if it were some sort of fluke, like this was the one time he didn't check the latch on the pool gate. However, I am not sure I could if it were the result of him not doing something he was repeatedly asked to do, like I had nagged him about not leaving his dangerous whatever where the baby could reach it.   

[twoods]

Bon Somerville ist just amazing. She makes Christa emotional but does not overdo it. She's walking a fine line. And her relationship with Neal ist just as nicely written and acted.

.

Yes, she has been fantastic. I was afraid they were Mary Sueing her earlier but she has settled along very well. I still can't believe Bonnie is 43 years old- she looks fantastic. She can pull off a 20ish old resident easily (even if she's supposed to be older than the others, so maybe 30?).

Mike needs to do his own thing and be a kick ass attending, not be thrown into a triangle.

[Happy Harpy]

Yes, she has been fantastic. I was afraid they were Mary Sueing her earlier but she has settled along very well. I still can't believe Bonnie is 43 years old- she looks fantastic. She can pull off a 20ish old resident easily (even if she's supposed to be older than the others, so maybe 30?).

According to Wiki, she's turning 42 this February. (Sorry for the nitpick, I remembered we were born the same year and reading your post I thought "what, I'm already 43?!"). But yeah, she looks fantastic.

IIRC, in one episode (but which one? 1x04, maybe?) Mario said to a patient that one of the residents was "forty". So maybe they're keeping her real age for her character. Maybe Mario was pushing it a bit for the sake of being a jerk and Christa's not literally 40, but if they don't retcon it, I think that she should be in her late thirties. Around the same age as Neal if they keep R.Jaffrey's age for him (he just turned 41).

Edited January 23, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[Dowel Jones]

.....that the hospital would have had an existing protocol in place on how to handle these emergencies.

 

I'll wager that those protocols don't involve fraudulently claiming to have a court order by waving a paper around.  Leanne would be in super deep, even her super doctorism can't save her, trouble, if the father showed up with an attorney to file a lawsuit.  And backdating it would not be a factor, except in tvland, of course.

[starri]

I'll wager that those protocols don't involve fraudulently claiming to have a court order by waving a paper around.  Leanne would be in super deep, even her super doctorism can't save her

It always does.