S08.E04: Doubt of Africa

[radishcake]

Quote

Hank works his first shift at the emergency room in years. Jeremiah bonds with his patient. Divya worries about Lena.

[Primetimer]

And more not-quite-burning questions sparked by the 100th episode.

View the full article

[twoods]

I actually liked this episode. I was worried about the Jill stuff but I thought it went pretty well. 

Hank and Evan were fun, especially their fight. I also hope we see more of Jeremiah's patient. They seemed to compliment each other and he needs to be with a nice girl like her.

I also liked the kids and social worker situation, and how Evan handled it. I wonder how they survived for so long (bills, mortgage payments) without any adult helping out. 

Edited June 9, 2016 by twoods
Can't spell

[BungalowSummer]

The best episode in a very long time.

Jill was fine-- absence has made the heart grow fonder IMO. Even Evan didn't annoy me with his initial hysteria over Ebola. In fact he was right, if a little overboard on protocols. I also liked how Evan was with the kids. I predict the series will end with Evan and Paige becoming their guardians. 

Hank's fight with Evan was wonderfully silly and had a sweet resolution. Hank was his most charming in this episode. My second prediction is that Hank will leave for Africa and Jill at the end of the series while HankMed becomes JeremiahMed.

The best for last: Jeremiah stole another episode. My third prediction: Jeremiah finally finds love and companionship with C.G. Leviathan.

Good show, 100!

[DrScottie]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

I also hope we see more of Jetemiah's patient. They seemed to compliment each other and he needs to be with a nice girl like her.

He does. The two of them are helping to deal with their mutual social anxieties. "Astaria, we are on a quest! All we have to do is act like a couple of nerds." 

5 minutes ago, BungalowSummer said:

Jill was fine-- absence has made the heart grow fonder IMO. Even Evan didn't annoy me with his initial hysteria over Ebola. In fact he was right, if a little overboard on protocols. I also liked how Evan was with the kids. I predict the series will end with Evan and Paige becoming their guardians. 

Hank's fight with Evan was wonderfully silly and had a sweet resolution. Hank was his most charming in this episode. My second prediction is that Hank will leave for Africa and Jill at the end of the series while HankMed becomes JeremiahMed.

The best for last: Jeremiah stole another episode. My third prediction: Jeremiah finally finds love and companionship with C.G. Leviathan.

I hope you are right. It's a nice show that should have a happy ending for everybody. 

[withanaich]

I used to want Jeremiah and Diyva together too, but that ship sailed a long time ago, on a wave of placenta and nonsense. I totally squee'd at Jeremiah and the author. Yes yes, please, I want them together. So damn cute. Doctor-patient ethics? What's that? I don't care; it's frothy Royal Pains, and it's ending soon. Love, love, love. Spin-off? No?

I was wondering who that girl who injured herself in the car was. I assumed she was a producer's daughter or something, she was THAT terrible. Makes sense that she's a reality star they shoehorned in. I think the Kardashians were actually better when they were on here. I hope I never see that girl trying to act on my TV again. Painful. 

Hank was way out of line yelling at Evan like that. Yes, he overreacted, but it was a legally mandated overreaction. Grow up, Hank. I did laugh out loud at their fight, though. Pretty accurate portrayal of adult sibling interaction. And Hank's imitation of a pirate was somehow funnier because I knew it was coming. 

I don't really care about Jill, but like BungalowSummer said, I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder. I wouldn't be surprised if the series ended with Hank going after Jill either. 

Quote

I wonder how they survived for so long (bills, mortgage payments) without any adult helping out. 

Well the aunt does exist, but I'm guessing she doesn't want to be bothered except for signing paperwork and paying bills. And presumably if the kids are living in the Hamptons, their parents left them some money to take care of things. I would love to know what the aunt's deal is. Why so vague? She doesn't want to take care of the kids, fine, but that's a dangerous situation she's leaving them in.

[marcee]

3 hours ago, withanaich said:

Well the aunt does exist, but I'm guessing she doesn't want to be bothered except for signing paperwork and paying bills. And presumably if the kids are living in the Hamptons, their parents left them some money to take care of things. I would love to know what the aunt's deal is. Why so vague? She doesn't want to take care of the kids, fine, but that's a dangerous situation she's leaving them in.

I totally could've missed it because I really don't pay that much attention to this show, but I got the feeling there actually wasn't an aunt. I assumed she was living in her parents house, which was likely paid off -- they were wealthy Hamptonites, right? -- living off her inheritance.

[withanaich]

Evan (I think it was Evan) mentioned talking to the aunt on the phone, and that she was very "vague" about where she was and why she couldn't come get the kids. I suppose it could have been Lena pretending to be the aunt, but it seems a little silly that someone (even on this show) wouldn't figure out they were talking to a teenage girl who's supposed to be sick in the hospital, pretending to be a grown woman calling from (presumably) out of state. Then again, it's a little silly that CPS didn't step in and take the boys into care as soon as they "investigated" and realized there was no adult to be found, so...

[Callietwo]

I still hate Jill even after all of this time.  I dislike the actress (and didn't like her on Good Wife, either) so I hope we don't have to see her again even though they've telegraphed how Hank's love life will end.  Of course, Dr. Big One is gay <eyeroll> because otherwise she'd be jumping him, right?  

I thought for sure Paige was going to pop in to see Evan and find out about the Box Car Children and rush to take them in for their insta-family but that'll happen eventually.

Loved Dr Sacani & the Author!  I hope she's a semi-regular until they end the series with him riding off in the sunset together.  

Dr. Sacani and Paige and Evan are easily my two favorite story lines.  Boris was a favorite early on but has bored me to tears for ages.  

[twoods]

I forgot how terrible the reality star was- of course she's on that ridiculous show on USA. 

Box car children? Ha! I loved that book series. I would hope that getting those brats aren't Evan and Paige's happy ending- they deserve better.

[izabella]

Oh, I'm so happy it looks like Jeremiah is getting a legit love interest!  At least I hope so!  He deserves some happiness and a kindred spirit.

I have always found Jill to be super boring and she and Hank have no chemistry.  Which, I guess, makes her and Hank perfect for each other.  I don't know what it is about the actress, but I find her so bland and dull, despite how pretty she is, that I can't stand watching her in anything.  I caught an episode of Night Shift the other night, which I never watch, and there she is, being boring and dull and chemistry-less there, too.. 

No Paige this week? 

[ganesh]

Hey, Hank. Evan *runs the facility*. There's tons of legal nightmares if he doesn't follow the rules to the letter. Stop condescending to him. You didn't want to be in admin so stfu. You too Div. "Did you study running a hospital?" Sorry to follow the regulations. Oh, and great job beating Evan up. Over what? What a jerk. How about you go back and travel with Boris for a while?

I wouldn't even call OOC on Hank. I totally buy it. 

On 6/9/2016 at 0:21 AM, BungalowSummer said:

Hank was his most charming in this episode. My second prediction is that Hank will leave for Africa and Jill at the end of the series while HankMed becomes JeremiahMed.

Please let this happen next week. I don't really care about Jill, but I get that they would bring her back for the final season. 

I really didn't like the "no word from Johns Hopkins?" Being an actual friend, I was hoping Jill would say, "didn't you get into Stonybrook? This is a great option for you!"

On 6/9/2016 at 7:16 AM, withanaich said:

Hank was way out of line yelling at Evan like that. Yes, he overreacted, but it was a legally mandated overreaction.

In hindsight, I guess this was the group of writers that don't like Evan. It varied week to week over the last two seasons. Yay Hank you were right! And you can prove it by physically assaulting the boss of the entire hospital. Whatever legally binding risk protocols!

So much more invested in Jeremiah. 

[Lovecat]

Was anyone else looking for Katherine Heigl to pop out of the woodwork after that guy was brought into the ER with the cut LVAD line?? Paging Dr. Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens...

Edited June 11, 2016 by Lovecat

[lh25]

Quote

Was anyone else looking for Katherine Heigl to pop out of the woodwork after that guy was brought into the ER with the cut LVAD line?? Paging Dr. Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens...

Not at the time, but now I would be!  Nice catch.

What I don't get is how the EMTs missed that it wasn't just a fanny pack, and didn't realize it was an LVAD that was cut.

[ganesh]

I didn't know the guy was gay until the end when they said it. Were we supposed to know that? 

[Callietwo]

No... I think we were also supposed to assume she was with him as a couple and be shocked that they weren't.  I hated that particular storyline piece but then it's about Jill so nothing new there anyway.  

[candall]

On ‎6‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 10:37 PM, Lovecat said:

Was anyone else looking for Katherine Heigl to pop out of the woodwork after that guy was brought into the ER with the cut LVAD line?? Paging Dr. Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens...

Heeee.  I wasn't exactly searching for Izzie, but I did feel pretty smug about my background in LVAD malfunction.

 

Hi Jill.  Bye Jill.  Hank'll be there soon for you and some of that satisfying third world developing nation global south medicine.

 

As long as Jeremiah winds up with C.G. Leviathan and Mandelbrot Sacani, I'm good.

[Ohmo]

Spoiler

I know I read a spoiler somewhere that said that Hank finds love this season,  I was rooting hard for the character played by Constance Wu.  I thought she was terrific. If love is in the form of Jill, I will be so disappointed.  I am squarely in the camp that dislikes both the character of Jill and the actress Jill Flint.  I've had to watch her on Royal Pains, The Good Wife, and The Night Shift.  In all three cases, I found her as bland and boring as wallpaper paste.  I do not understand her appeal.

Jeremiah and C.G. Leviathan are AWESOME with a capital A!  I loved it when Jeremiah said one of the reasons he'd be an excellent typist was because doctor/patient confidentiality would prevent him from spilling any of the book's secrets.

I don't have kids and have no experience with the IVF process, but I like Evan and Paige's storyline this season.  They seem so very supportive of each other.  I know that may not have been part of this episode, but I just did a four-episode "catch-up" over the past day and a half.  I've liked it as I've watched the storyline through multiple episodes.

[ganesh]

If they made the guy gay just as a punchline for Hank at the end of the episode, then I'm rather disappointed in the writers.