S01.E07: Saints

[WendyCR72]

When legal issues complicate matters that stall a life-saving bone marrow transplant, Sharon Goodwin must decide whether to disobey direct orders, or stand by and put a patient's life in jeopardy. April tends to a caring, homeless man who Dr. Charles evaluates, only to come to an unusual diagnosis that explains his recent behavior. Dr. Natalie Manning's parents come to town to see their new grandchild, much to the dismay of her mother-in-law, Helen. Dr. Connor Rhodes treats a couple who are injured on their first date by a hit-and-run driver, who Dr. Halstead discovers has his own reasons for causing the accident.

[Ariah]

Helen's sudden liking to Will - Chicago Boy - Halstead made me chuckle. I kind of wish I was shipping Will and Nat, because this could actually be fun, with the mother-in-law pushing Will onto Natalie.

 

Still, I'm here for Rhodes and the dramatic semi-medicine stuff (yes, I'm that easy). 

[Texasmom1970]

Love Annie Potts but even her and her ulterior motives cannot make me like Halstead, he is still an ass. Him giving his brother shit makes my dislike for him grow. That is because I like Chicago PD and Jay on that show.

Epatha and Oliver were wonderful as usual. I think that is the problem I am having with this show. Every other actor seems like crap when they have to act around and with two actors that are so talented.

[betsyboo]

Epatha and Oliver were wonderful as usual. I think that is the problem I am having with this show. Every other actor seems like crap when they have to act around and with two actors that are so talented.

Nailed it.

 

Can Dr. McDouche ever not be a douche? SO smug! "take those handcuffs off!" Completely reasonable from an ER doc - have seen it on other shows. But his delivery was sooooo condescending! boooo.

 

This was first time I realized Epatha was first a nurse and hasn't only been an administrator. Did we know that? Or did I just miss that previously. 

 

Hey April - at least this time when you questioned a doc you did it away from the patient. But instead of questioning Dr. Charles, how about listening to him and learning a thing or too?? Actually, I don't even mind her asking him why he was running tests and checking on the Pt's ability to care for himself, but it was her TONE. Like Dr. McDouche - dial back the smug.

 

Poor Dr. Lulu. Glad they made up at the end. They're pretty.

 

Did the first-date girl have two black eyes or did her eye makeup stay remarkably in place during crash and subsequent surgery? And when the boy first walked in her room, she had blood just peeking out from her head bandage.By the time the boy collapsed, the blood had inched down her cheek. I kept waiting for that to b a thing, but nope.

 

Dr. Choi continues to be the best.

 

I can't even discuss the stupid Annie Potts thing. (Not her being sad that Nat might move - legit, but her resultant change of heart re Douche.)

[Lady Calypso]

Arggg. 

 

Annie Potts only changed her mind, in my head, because she thinks Nat getting with Dr. McDouche will have her stay in Chicago instead of moving to Seattle. But as soon as she finds out Natalie would most likely stay anyway, she'll be back to hating on the Douche. 

 

You know, I didn't hate Dr. McDouche as much as I usually do...until the last 10 minutes of the episode, with him being an ass to his brother and becoming all-knowing once more. Then...yep, still a McDouche. 

 

In other news, Maggie is still a self-righteous prick and I don't know if I like her anymore. I'm leaning toward no...although again, she has her small moments, like with Annie Potts, that makes me like her a little bit.

 

April...I go back and forth between her as well. I lean more toward liking her. I agree that she also has a smug tone when she questions people. 

 

Urg...Dr. Lulu (now I'll never know her character name!) and Connor were really, really good. I know, her getting angry at him for her own injury is cliche...but it worked. And him just being there, even when she was pushing him away? Man, I liked it a lot. I even understand why she was getting so angry and blaming him for this random stuff. Angry at herself, wanting to do surgery but having an injured arm, she misplaced her anger. Now, don't do it again, Dr. Lulu! Don't make me hate you down the road! 

 

ROFL, why am I not surprised that the illegal transplant would all work out in the end? 

 

Still only here for my four favourites. I'll even include Choi, even though they give him basically nothing to work with. At least HE'S not a douche. Yet. 

[Texasmom1970]

Nailed it.

 

This was first time I realized Epatha was first a nurse and hasn't only been an administrator. Did we know that? Or did I just miss that previously. 

 

Hey April - at least this time when you questioned a doc you did it away from the patient. But instead of questioning Dr. Charles, how about listening to him and learning a thing or too?? Actually, I don't even mind her asking him why he was running tests and checking on the Pt's ability to care for himself, but it was her TONE. Like Dr. McDouche - dial back the smug.

 

Dr. Choi continues to be the best.

 

I agree 100% with everything you said. I actually think this is the first time we found out about Epatha back story on the show.

April really bugs me on this show. I thought it was just my overall dislike of Ya-Ya as an actress but her character is pretty smug like Dr. Douchebag.

I also said it an episode or two back I love Dr. Choi and to me I would much rather look at him than Dr. Rhodes.

[Watermelon]

Nurse April is Yaya. A know-it-all who is all about the HAYSPAYTU.

 

 

I can't stand her.  

[Setra]

Nurse April is Yaya. A know-it-all who is all about the HAYSPAYTU.

 

 

I can't stand her.  

What is HAYSPAYTU?

[Watermelon]

What is HAYSPAYTU?

either the Spanish or Portuguese version of respect, as said by Yaya on  Top Model

[MakeMeLaugh]

Thanks--I thought it was some odd pronunciation of "Hospital" (like affected wedding planner Martin Short's pronunciation of everything in Father of the Bride).

[starri]

Urg...Dr. Lulu (now I'll never know her character name!) and Connor were really, really good. I know, her getting angry at him for her own injury is cliche...but it worked. And him just being there, even when she was pushing him away? Man, I liked it a lot. I even understand why she was getting so angry and blaming him for this random stuff. Angry at herself, wanting to do surgery but having an injured arm, she misplaced her anger. Now, don't do it again, Dr. Lulu! Don't make me hate you down the road! 

I can't say I was particularly fond of Rhodes mansplaining to her why she was angry.  Zanetti is a grown woman and Rhodes' boss, his need to spell out her feelings for her was condescending.

 

Frankly, I would have been preferred if she'd stayed pissed at him

 

Also, my spellcheck recognizes "mansplaining."  Huh.

[Ariah]

I can't say I was particularly fond of Rhodes mansplaining to her why she was angry.  Zanetti is a grown woman and Rhodes' boss, his need to spell out her feelings for her was condescending.

 

Frankly, I would have been preferred if she'd stayed pissed at him

 

Also, my spellcheck recognizes "mansplaining."  Huh.

 

I wonder if the roles were reversed and Zanetti was explaining to Rhodes his behaviour - would that be called womansplaining?

 

I don't believe his actions should be looked down upon, but hers should. She was endangering not only herself (and her future as a surgeon) but also the potential patients, walking around and self-medicating before Rhodes noticed something.

Don't get me wrong, I'd probably be doing the same as she was, afraid the diagnosis would put me off work for too long. It's understandable. Is it justified? Not really.

 

I always thought "mansplaining" meant a situation in which a man projects his own insecurities on a woman's behaviour and provides totally wrong explanation to "female frustrations" (like: she's on her period, or she just broke up with that guy). Rhodes was in the right in this situation.

[starri]

I always thought "mansplaining" meant a situation in which a man projects his own insecurities on a woman's behaviour and provides totally wrong explanation to "female frustrations" (like: she's on her period, or she just broke up with that guy). Rhodes was in the right in this situation.

He made a comment to her about not wanting to seem like anything other than a "big, mighty surgeon."  She also made a comment to him about him saying that she was just a "crazy bitch."  To me, that's pretty textbook mansplaining, but I'm not a woman, so maybe it isn't my place.

 

Implicit in his comment about her is the fact that even now female surgeons have to work twice as hard as men to be taken serious in the OR.  It's still this very alpha male, lets-see-who's-bigger kind of environment.  My hospital is a fairly progressive place, and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know of a single surgical attending that's a woman.

[Lady Calypso]

He made a comment to her about not wanting to seem like anything other than a "big, mighty surgeon."  She also made a comment to him about him saying that she was just a "crazy bitch."  To me, that's pretty textbook mansplaining, but I'm not a woman, so maybe it isn't my place.

 

Implicit in his comment about her is the fact that even now female surgeons have to work twice as hard as men to be taken serious in the OR.  It's still this very alpha male, lets-see-who's-bigger kind of environment.  My hospital is a fairly progressive place, and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know of a single surgical attending that's a woman.

 

For me, I don't really see a problem in it because hell, that sounds like something I do myself. I mean, is he wrong? Maybe, maybe not. It seems like he wasn't, because Zanetti realized that he was right. According to online dictonaries, mainsplaining is a man explaining something to another, typically a woman, but doing so in a patronizing or condescending way. So basically, it's telling someone that they're wrong without saying those exact words outloud. From what I saw, Connor didn't do that. I actually think he was being honest, but not in an overly critical or judgmental way.

 

I think that's why things worked out in the end. I wish she apologized for snapping at him and explained that she was just stressed out, just like I wish he could have added something like 'I know I may be butting in....' but he's right in being concerned for her; as a surgeon, she needs to be in good shape, and her arms/hands are a major part of being a surgeon. He just wanted her to not damage herself more so that she could still be a kickass surgeon. The fact that she stood up to him, even if she wasn't really in the right, goes to show that her character realizes the double standards when it comes to female and male surgeons, which is why she didn't want to go get checked out (fear that she couldn't be a surgeon anymore, or a man would take her position). Connor recognized that and pointed it out to her instead of walking on eggshells around her. He got right to the point, but he never forced her to get checked out. He could have done something to sabotage her so she would have to go get checked out, like telling Goodwin or any other higher up authority figure about his concerns. 

 

Maybe I'm giving it more thought than the writers, but that's kind of what made me step back and look at Zanetti and Connor's relationship with clear eyes. 

Edited January 28, 2016 by Lady Calypso

[Setra]

either the Spanish or Portuguese version of respect, as said by Yaya on  Top Model

Thanks, I thought maybe I was missing an inside joke!

[Bwill3133]

Well unpopular opinion alert: I cannot stand Dr. Daddy Issues and I love Dr. Will Halstead. Conner's poor little rich boy with the bad childhood does nothing for me. Your daddy is mean and that sucks. Still not feeling all that sad for him though. Also I feel like they are doctors and surgeons which means the smug is high with all of them. Rhodes, Halstead, Manning they can all be smug and condescending.  I just overlook that because it seems to be a general personality trait of everyone involved especially Dr. Lulu who I do love; Romance with Dr. Daddy Issues aside.

 

I like Natalie and Halstead's friendship at the moment and if it gets to more I will be happy for that. Right now, Natalie seems interested in taking care of her baby and having her family/friends around to help and not in anyway looking for romance. I did chuckle at her mother in law opening up to Will now that he's from Chicago and could be a possible factor in Natalie staying. 

[statsgirl]

I loved the Charles/stroke patient story.  I never thought his stories would be my favorites on this show but hats off to everyone for making the psychiatric stories the most realistic of all.

 

I like the idea that Sharon was a nurse who became an administrator.  She was of the generation who was limited in how far they could go.  I know nurses who went back to school to get PhDs or MBA when they realized they could do them. 

 

Just when I thought Halstead was the worst, his brother shows up again. A few episodes ago it was breaking confidentiality, now it's getting pissy because the only way the poor guy could pay for his cancer treatment was to go to prison. Doesn't he realize how nuts the system is?

 

That said, I'm tired of US doctor shows being about the problems patients have being able to pay for medical treatment. Join the rest of the world, already.

 

Poor Helen.  If Halstead is the only way Nat will stay in Chicago, she'll take him.

 

 

Implicit in his comment about her is the fact that even now female surgeons have to work twice as hard as men to be taken serious in the OR.  It's still this very alpha male, lets-see-who's-bigger kind of environment.  My hospital is a fairly progressive place, and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know of a single surgical attending that's a woman.

That situation is why I think she came on so strong. To admit any weakness would give them an excuse to marginalize her.

 

What I got from Rhodes is not that he was mansplainin (which is yet another way to put down women) but that he behaved the way he did that out of genuine care for her.  Realistically, it's a tough situation to negotiate, she's his attending and a woman, where there are egos all over the place but I like how the show is doing it.

 

I wish Colin Donnell would shave.  I know the stubble is the big thing these days but I preferred him when he was clean-shaven as Tommy.

 

I'd like a Choi-centric episode now please.

[Chas411]

I prefer Dr. Halstead to Rhodes as well. Rhodes bugged me in this episode. Zanetti is superior so he should respect her in the OR instead of being openly rude. I'm not sure I'm on board with the romance either. I can easily see the injured elbow storyline quickly turning into an addiction arc where Rhodes saves her from herself.

 

I thought the storyline with April/Charles and Bobby was so sad but I loved the end scene with her and Charles looking around at all the generosity occurring in the hospital. Dr. Charles for me interacts the best with all the characters and can make me like them.

 

Who's the actor who plays the higher up guy Peter? I've seen him before.

[SonofaBiscuit]

I'm getting the impression that Halstead must have been terrible at the beginning of the season or something?  I've only seen a few episodes, and I've only been watching the Natalie, Halstead, and Oliver Platt parts recently because I think that the show is fairly awful.  Honestly, Halstead seems like a good guy and a good friend to Natalie.  What am I missing?

 

I'm surprised that they didn't get rid of Yaya. I thought that she was a terrible actress when she showed up on Chicago Fire.  Also, the curly-haired girl looks like she could be Chili's sister.   

[betsyboo]

I'm getting the impression that Halstead must have been terrible at the beginning of the season or something?  I've only seen a few episodes, and I've only been watching the Natalie, Halstead, and Oliver Platt parts recently because I think that the show is fairly awful.  Honestly, Halstead seems like a good guy and a good friend to Natalie.  What am I missing?

SUCH. A. DOUCHE.  (Admittedly, a *touch less smug in these later episodes, but a general Dr. McDouche all around, IMO)

[statsgirl]

Halstead did things like try to take away the only oxygen tank from Natalie who was taking it to her patient (a child, I think) because he wanted it for his patient.

 

And except for a brief scene about the imaging, he's always been a huge douche to Rhodes who ranks above him (Rhodes is a fellow while Halstead is a resident) and is always opposing him in public like the surgery last episode.  A couple of episodes ago Halstead told his brother that in his opinion Rhodes was mistreating Hermann (confidentiality violation)  and the brother promptly told the fire team and that lead to problems for Rhodes.

[Lady Calypso]

Halstead did things like try to take away the only oxygen tank from Natalie who was taking it to her patient (a child, I think) because he wanted it for his patient.

 

Actually, IIRC, it was a newborn baby. Ah yes, the one that was left alone in an alley. So yeah, major douche points there, all because he thought he deserved it more. And then he called her emotional just for wanting the oxygen tank (which doesn't sound as bad on paper, but in context with her being pregnant and hearing his tone, it just made him look like a misogynistic ass). He also has questioned authority in front of patients several times, so that's just why I don't like Halstead. I will admit that if you only watch his scenes with Natalie, he seems rather sweet and nice. I actually like him when he's with Natalie. But watching other scenes with him, I just don't. I know he can be redeemed for me, but it's going to take a bit of time and work on the writers' parts. They can't just keep putting him with Natalie and assume that I'll like him. 

Edited February 2, 2016 by Lady Calypso

[MakeMeLaugh]

It's the ill-fitting, oddly colored, and oddly styled wig that does him in for me.

Edited February 2, 2016 by MakeMeLaugh

[candall]

That said, I'm tired of US doctor shows being about the problems patients have being able to pay for medical treatment. Join the rest of the world, already.

No shit.  My tallest soap box.  I used to have a number of people visiting from other countries and it was funny watching them catch on that curse words were being blipped on tv--they'd never heard of such a silly thing.  Less hilarious was scrutinizing the occasional injury and explaining our healthcare system.  "Yes, that cat did bite you, but. . .umm, do you have $1200 for the emergency room?  Maybe it won't even get infected at all.  Let's pour some hydrogen peroxide on there!"

***************************

 

I was surprised they took the route of having S. Epatha okay the transplant team.  After the simplicity of the procedure was emphasized, I thought she'd just be shooting those stem cells into the central line on her own.  That story seemed like a bit of a stretch.  Even if "Legal" is willing to let a young girl die in the first place, the p.r. ramifications were there all along.

 

It's no wonder I can't keep this show separate from Code Black.  I finally figured out they both have a thin blonde woman with similar hair, small eyes and emotional baggage, multiple plucky petite brunettes and a set of brothers.

 

I <3 Oliver Platt.  I wonder if Dr. Charles had seen the House episode when that "generosity" abnormality was diagnosed.

[Ailianna]

Just when I thought Halstead was the worst, his brother shows up again. A few episodes ago it was breaking confidentiality, now it's getting pissy because the only way the poor guy could pay for his cancer treatment was to go to prison. Doesn't he realize how nuts the system is?

 

That "poor guy" put two completely innocent people into the ICU/OR because he was running from police.  Who knows if they can afford this?  He didn't plan that, though he did plan some fleeing, so it was extremely likely that someone would get hurt.  And he did plan to carjack a person (in this case a woman who sounded like she was terrified) and potentially hurt that person, as well as the emotional harm that would cause.  He put his own interests ahead of everyone else's, including his family, because he had to pick a high-profile, dangerous, violent method to get back in prison for free health care (paid for by the citizens of Illinois!).  He could have found a non-violent way to get thrown in; transsexuals in the 1970s in NYC used to get on their hormones and then commit minor crimes to get sent to jail so they could continue their meds for free.  Homeless people sometimes still do that, so they can get a warm place to stay--3 hots and a cot.  He didn't have to put so many other people in danger.  I feel no sympathy for him, but a lot for his victims, including his wife.

[statsgirl]

I don't know how the Illinois system works. I assumed that he needed to be in a federal jail (2 years +) before his treatment would be paid for.  If he was only in on a misdemeanor, why would the state put out all that money for cancer treatment?

 

I don't think what he did was right. But I do feel sorry for someone who thinks that his only option for medical treatment is to commit a crime so he can get thrown in jail.

[Ailianna]

Anyone who is in any jail is required to have their medical needs provided for, whether they are there for the night or life.  It doesn't always kick in immediately due to logistics (not all facilities have 24-7 doctors on staff; some only have nurses all night and weekend), but any prescriptions have to be continued and any conditions have to be treated.  That's not a jurisdictional issue--SCOTUS says it's a constitutional requirement.  It's not perfectly run, but no part of the American medical system is perfect.

[statsgirl]

Cancer treatment runs a minimum of six months and up to five years.  Getting a couple of days in jail isn't going to be enough to help him.