S02.E14: Faces

[Trini]

Quote

Dr. Andrews tries to convince a grieving family to donate their teenage daughter's face to another young girl whose face was horribly disfigured in an accident.

Airdate: Feb. 4, 2019

[Annber03]

All right, well, I'm gonna need some tissues after that case. Oh, my god, the girl's mom broke my freaking heart so much here. When she walked with her down the corridor, and her sharing that book of photos with Molly, and the goodbye...yeah. Very emotional and powerful. I also really liked her conversation with Molly's dad, and how he sympathized with her feeling like she's to blame for her daughter's death. Some nice moments with Claire and Molly's family, too.

As for everything with Shaun and Glassman, the way they combined the whole thing with them getting high and the side plot with Glassman wanting to make amends to Robin felt a little...disjointed in spots? It might've been better to have them be separate things. But I did love Shaun and Glassman having some fun together and laughing at their goofy nicknames, and I liked the Uber lady who hung out with them. She was cool :D. 

Boo to a two week wait for a new episode. 

[possibilities]

That was probably the most effective product placement of all time. I've never wanted a mallowmar before in my life.

[rhys]

Where is it that they live/practice medicine? For some reason I thought it was San Diego but that would be more than 11 & 1/2 hours from Portland, right? That poor Uber driver!

[vibeology]

My face transplant experience comes almost exclusively from Face/Off starring Nicolas Cage, but I'm pretty certain that you need a plastic surgeon to run the show? I get that a conceit of all medical shows is that the cast we know does everything, but when its something so specific like this, it really does stretch the viewer's ability to believe. All they would have had to do was have someone other than Andrews act like the boss during the surgery and I would have assumed that was the plastic surgeon running the team.

[Driad]

IIRC the hospital is in San Jose.

I saw an interview with a man who had received a face transplant a year earlier. It did not look nearly as good as Molly's at the end of this episode. The doctors said the transplant was very successful, and the patient had had a lot of therapy, but it would continue to improve for another year or more. It takes a long time for all the nerves etc. to adjust.

[Madding crowd]

I have seen videos of face transplants and none of them looked as good as this. Also call BS on the Uber driving taking them on an 11 hour trip.

[slasherboy]

I didn't see it.  Did they smoke a joint to get high?  Why?

[possibilities]

They took Glassman's medical marijuana-- for his boredom and nausea. Shaun wanted to try it, too. It made me wonder why Glassman hadn't used it before, since he's been bored and nauseated for half the season.

The thing that threw me out of the scenes in the operating room was that a lot of the time the staff wasn't wearing protective eyewear. Some scenes had some of them wearing and some not, even when they were all standing over the operating table.

Edited February 5, 2019 by possibilities

[thuganomics85]

I'm not overtly familiar with how Uber works, so I'm assuming they get paid a certain amount per hour, but I certainly hope the driver got a bonus for making a trek all the way to Portland!

While I suspect there was a lot stuff that was glossed over about the face transplant, I did like how both cases ended up being combined together and pretty much everyone (baring Shaun taking a vacation day) ended up being involved with it.  Hell, Andrews dove right in and you know it's a big one when he scrubs up!  While I'm glad it was a success, I do feel bad for Claire's mom who not only apparently lost her husband only a few years ago, but now her daughter.  Especially since she feels responsible for not making her wear a seatbelt, although Molly's dad revealing that he feels guilty for her injury was a well done scene, and at least gave Claire's mom a sense that she is not the only parent there who feels guilt over their mistakes.  Obviously, like with most case of the weeks, I doubt we'll see her again, but I hope she can find a way to keep going after all of this.

Kind of wish we got more of just "Smurph" and "Glassy" goofing off at the house, but this is certainly the most enjoyable I've found Glassman in quite some time.  Of course, it all ends with the revelation that Shaun does have feelings for Lea, so that's probably not going to be fun.

Speaking of which, the weakest part of this episode was easily the Melendez/Lim stuff.  It just felt like drama for drama's sake.  It sucks since I really enjoy how Nicholas Gonzales and Christina Chang banter and play off one another, but I'm already getting tired of their romance and just waiting for the obvious, big moment when it all comes out (at the worst possible moment, if my years of television viewing have taught me anything!) 

[AnimeMania]

I was a little disappointed that the mother and daughter were in the same car accident. The daughter gets lots of medical treatment, while nobody even looks twice at the mother. Who did the mother's initial treatment and why didn't anyone do a follow up. The mother was walking around with open wounds and wearing the same bloody clothes for most of the episode.

[bros402]

So, Shaun took a drug he wasn't prescribed.... That happened.

So Glassman's main complaint was nausea - the anti-nausea strains aren't the "ha ha ha i am laughing all the time" strains - they are just mildly mellow, sit on the couch and feel not nauseous for a while. I did Sour Willie during chemo

And edibles don't kick in right away - they take 30-60 minutes to kick in, last 4-6 hours.

 

3 hours ago, vibeology said:

My face transplant experience comes almost exclusively from Face/Off starring Nicolas Cage, but I'm pretty certain that you need a plastic surgeon to run the show? I get that a conceit of all medical shows is that the cast we know does everything, but when its something so specific like this, it really does stretch the viewer's ability to believe. All they would have had to do was have someone other than Andrews act like the boss during the surgery and I would have assumed that was the plastic surgeon running the team.

Lim is a plastic surgeon, I believe.

[doctor destiny]

I felt strangely hungry after that episode...

Themes of guilt, remorse, redemption, unrequited love, expiation.  I enjoyed it.

The patient of the week was sensitively handled and I felt a lump in my throat at the walk of honor.  Wow those parents and the recipient were acting their socks off.   So many sacred moments.

Lim and Melendez...too easy to have them give up now.   Complexity suits their relationship.  They are good for each other.  

Claire showed her empathy chops nicely.

And oh Shaun.  Interesting that he heard about the use of cannabis from another autistic man.  He really seems to be getting out a bit more.  He's a very good natured and funny stoner.  It suits him.  Agree slightly disjointed (pun intended) storyline with the punchline that Shaun really does mind about Jake and knows he can't do anything about it.  You couldn't really tell what he was thinking in the last episode and I suppose that was deliberate.  How sad for him.

[SunnyBeBe]

I normally have a critical eye when it comes to tv dramas, but, this episode really brought tears to my eyes.  Some issues, but, overall. I was impressed. 

[Good Queen Jane]

Both storylines had so much that was unrealistic, I spent most of the episode going "Oh, come on!" From a dramatic viewpoint they were very interesting but I needed a little reality to really enjoy them. Glassman's story could have been greatly improved if they had placed his high school crush closer to San Jose. I would not have wanted to be riding in the Uber with a driver who apparently drove for over 24 hours without sleep.

As has been stated above, the face surgery would have been done by a plastic surgeon. Apparently t only our regulars are surgeons at the hospital. And the donor family would never have met the recipient family before the transplant. I'm not sure if the Walk of Honor is a real thing, but I have never seen so many employees of the hospital before.

[aemom]

I know that they often take their stories right out of the headlines and this one seemed to come right out of this one: https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/face-transplant-montreal-hospital

While I know there is no way that they could have done the surgery that soon or that she would be that verbally functional already, it got to me.  I definitely cried a couple of times and everyone acted the hell out of it, so well done show.

I was very surprised that Shaun was willing to get high and I think that the whole plot with Glassman and his crush was to get Shaun to realize that he is in love with Lea and is not okay with her revolving door of men or really any men at all.

It was nice to see Glassman lighten up from the typical Eeyore personality we have been seeing all season.

[SunnyBeBe]

My concern with Sean partaking, is that since he's under investigation for odd behavior, what if they suddenly request a drug test?  

[Evagirl]

IMO, this show is turning into a regular night time medical show.  What made this show stand out for me was "the good doctor" - Dr. Shaun Murphy/Freddie Highmore.  Now if "the good doctor" is really about the other physicians on staff as well, they should have called it "The Good Doctors".  All the side drama makes it just like any other medical show.  I feel they should have waited maybe until the show started getting stale before making it all about the "procedure of the week". 

I personally want to see a lot more of the Dr. Murphy character's private and professional life.  His autism and how he deals (or not) with those around him is what made the premise of the show so interesting.

I'm tired of Glassman.  I'm tired to Lim and the boyfriend.  I'm tired of Park and ex-wife.  I'm tired of the patient-drama-of-the week that doesn't involve Dr. Murphy.  This is not what I signed up for, so I guess I'll continue to DVR the show and ff through the parts that annoy me.

[preeya]

10 hours ago, vibeology said:

My face transplant experience comes almost exclusively from Face/Off starring Nicolas Cage, but I'm pretty certain that you need a plastic surgeon to run the show? I get that a conceit of all medical shows is that the cast we know does everything, but when its something so specific like this, it really does stretch the viewer's ability to believe. All they would have had to do was have someone other than Andrews act like the boss during the surgery and I would have assumed that was the plastic surgeon running the team.

 

Yes, someone like him:

Edited February 5, 2019 by preeya

[orza]

Andrews is a plastic surgeon. That was established last season in the pilot. Lim is a trauma surgeon. That was stated in an episode this season.

[mojito]

Quote

 I would not have wanted to be riding in the Uber with a driver who apparently drove for over 24 hours without sleep.

Doesn't seem to be many geezers on this forum because no one mentioned Mo Gaffney's appearance. I haven't seen her in 15 years or so, although she has undoubtedly appeared in shows I'd not watched. 

I've worked for large corporations and small businesses and I've never seen so many single people working together and pairing up the way they do on TV. I know a lot of people really like that. TV life is one big Harlequin romance story, I guess.  For me, TV couples are boring, overdone, and unconvincing, and the two lovebird doctors on this show are an example of that. TV drama seems to have morphed into soap opera.

[Fen Tiger]

"Doesn't seem to be many geezers on this forum because no one mentioned Mo Gaffney's appearance. I haven't seen her in 15 years or so, although she has undoubtedly appeared in shows I'd not watched. "

 

YES!!! I love Bo Mo Chrysalis in all her guises. Best work since Ab Fab. Her as an Uber driver was everything.

[rhys]

What was written in Robins yearbook?

[PinkRibbons]

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

My concern with Sean partaking, is that since he's under investigation for odd behavior, what if they suddenly request a drug test?  

Recreational marijuana has been legal in California since the 2016 election. What Shaun does on his own time is his business.

Next episode's preview has me wondering when someone will finally look at a naysayer about Shaun and say, "I wonder how the ADA impacts this particular situation. Care to take it to court?"

[SunnyBeBe]

40 minutes ago, PinkRibbons said:

Recreational marijuana has been legal in California since the 2016 election. What Shaun does on his own time is his business.

Next episode's preview has me wondering when someone will finally look at a naysayer about Shaun and say, "I wonder how the ADA impacts this particular situation. Care to take it to court?"

Maybe, but, maybe not.  Since, it's still illegal under federal law, it's not that clear. But, this is a script. We'll see if any consequences develop.

https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/vbknb4/doctors-using-legal-weed-suspended

https://www.quora.com/Can-doctors-smoke-weed-in-the-US-States-where-its-legal-What-about-other-countries-where-its-legal-such-as-the-Netherlands

..........found this too

https://www.mdlinx.com/internal-medicine/article/3224

Edited February 5, 2019 by SunnyBeBe

[aemom]

1 hour ago, mojito said:

Doesn't seem to be many geezers on this forum because no one mentioned Mo Gaffney's appearance. I haven't seen her in 15 years or so, although she has undoubtedly appeared in shows I'd not watched. 

She was very familiar to me but I couldn't remember where I knew her from.  I had to look through her filmography to figure it out.  She was great.

 

1 hour ago, mojito said:

I've worked for large corporations and small businesses and I've never seen so many single people working together and pairing up the way they do on TV. 

The company I used to work for had so many couples, it was hilarious.  Most of them went on to get married and have kids, so they were long term relationships.  So it is possible for it to happen for real.

[doctor destiny]

1 hour ago, PinkRibbons said:

Recreational marijuana has been legal in California since the 2016 election. What Shaun does on his own time is his business.

Next episode's preview has me wondering when someone will finally look at a naysayer about Shaun and say, "I wonder how the ADA impacts this particular situation. Care to take it to court?"

I know, right?  There should be reasonable accommodations (and the hospital have breached the ADA on how many occasions?)  He's survived and even thrived on none.  Good man and good doctor!  Glassman (his dad in all but name and this episode made me wonder if he would end up legally adopting him) should have known better.  And Jessica (what happened to you?) would have known too.

[AnimeMania]

No love for the Glassy segment, hours/days driving all over America. when an hour worth of phone calls could have accomplished the same thing. Glassy should have been apologizing to that wonderful hospital cafeteria worker he was dating for a hot second instead of some rando from 50 years ago.

[kicotan]

11 hours ago, bros402 said:

So Glassman's main complaint was nausea - the anti-nausea strains aren't the "ha ha ha i am laughing all the time" strains - they are just mildly mellow, sit on the couch and feel not nauseous for a while. I did Sour Willie during chemo

And edibles don't kick in right away - they take 30-60 minutes to kick in, last 4-6 hours.

One’s mileage most definitely varies depending on how different strains affect them, how long the effects would last, the remedy they are seeking and the dosage they are taking.  According to California Cannabis regulations-each one of those edibles was 10mg.  California Cannabis Regulations and Safety Act (SB-94) requires all edibles products (total packaging) are restricted to a maximum 100mg THC content. Edibles must also be scored clearly into accurately dosed 10mg (or less) servings.  Adult-Use and Medical patients alike.

Before the retail regulations kicked in, the medical cannabis patient community could purchase such things as a Korova Black Bar.  It was one large brownie, maybe 3x4 inches with 1,000 mg of THC.  I used to cut them into 9 cubes for a 9 day supply of garonteeeeed anti-insomnia/anti-anxiety/anti-nausea/appetite stimulant 4-in-1 wondermed for the ridiculous low price of $45.  It is not allowed to be legally manufactured for retail/dispensary sales that way anymore, even to those who have their medical paperwork in order.  No Health Insurance will cover cannabis but most likely it isn’t an issue for Dr. Glassman to pay out of pocket. 

12 hours ago, bros402 said:

So, Shaun took a drug he wasn't prescribed.... That happened.

 

Shaun can’t “pick up a prescription of cannabis edibles” for Dr. Glassman, sick at home, the way one might be able to pick up a prescription for antibiotics for a child sick at home.  Unless Shaun was designated in Dr. Glassman’s State of California Medical Marijuana paperwork as his “Primary Caregiver”, or Shaun has his own State Medical Marijuana Card so that he can access the benefits for Dr. Glassman, Shaun is merely a retail customer, buying whatever Glassman wants.  Not much different thanShaun going to the Liquor Store and buying a bottle of wine, then having a glass of it while Glassman drinks the rest.

Typically, folks who take a medication for a desired result or to correct a chemical imbalance experience that medication’s effects differently than an otherwise healthy person or one for whom the medicine is contra-indicated.  For example: insulin shots to a non-diabetic, aspirin tablets to someone with an allergy or sensitivity to ASA.  Glassman taking it for the very much studied and confirmed benefit of nausea/pain relief for many is a bit different than Shaun experimenting on his Autism with it.

[possibilities]

Also, I assumed they re-dosed during their travels, to maintain the effects over a 24 hour period. I also thought the lack of surliness on the part of Glassman was due to him not feeling nauseated, not from an actual high. And then they did seem pretty sober when they arrived at the woman's house the next day. It might have been that they were genuinely having fun after a while, and didn't need to re-dose to maintain it.

I can't speak to Shaun's change in mood, but I also didn't think it took instant effect on him. TV shows cut scenes together to show the interesting parts, not the "waiting for it to kick in" parts.

I thought it was surprisingly subtle that Shaun knew to say the thing about the woman's bad haircut, and not the part about her wishing Aaron had asked her out, during that awkward moment at her house when she asked what she'd written. But I also thought it was a bit ridiculous that they were all so uncomfortable talking about what really happened.

Edited February 5, 2019 by possibilities

[Granny58]

16 hours ago, slasherboy said:

I didn't see it.  Did they smoke a joint to get high?  Why?

I think it was gummies.

[doctor destiny]

BTW what did Glassman mean asking whether Lea was still into Jack?

[tennisgurl]

I hope Glassman and Shaun gave their Uber  driver an AMAZING review. 

I don’t think it’s very medically accurate, but I might have shed a few major league tears. 

[Fable]

Shawn's and Glassman's marijuana-fueled antics were so ridiculous and unbelievable that I found myself rolling my eyes, and yet, in spite of myself, I was entertained.  It was nice to see Glassman in good spirits for a change. Oh, and his nickname "Glarin Assman", hilarious.   

[suzyq8017]

8 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

I'm not sure if the Walk of Honor is a real thing,

It definitely is!

[Babalooie]

15 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

The mother was walking around with open wounds and wearing the same bloody clothes for most of the episode.

She had some kind of sling on her right arm, so they must have tended to the necessary needs.  I'm sure that in this case I wouldn't have gone home to change.

[doctor destiny]

7 hours ago, Evagirl said:

 

I personally want to see a lot more of the Dr. Murphy character's private and professional life.  His autism and how he deals (or not) with those around him is what made the premise of the show so interesting.

 

I hear you.  I would actually love to see an entire episode from his perspective.  I really miss the cool visuals.  He isn't a superhero.  There are actual really gifted people in this world who see the world that way.  Look at any Temple Grandin video.  I strongly suspect they spent all their dollars on upgrading the set so they couldn't afford more of the visuals they used to have at least once an episode.  But can't we see him solve a Rubik's cube in 40 seconds without looking?  Would it hurt them?  Or building one of his 3D sculptures?  The whole series has seen him overshadowed by competent colleagues where he rarely gets to shine.  I do hope they are saving something up for the last 4 episodes.  But still my favorite show in years by a country mile.   

[SunnyBeBe]

6 hours ago, rhys said:

What was written in Robins yearbook?

I couldn't read it. Anyone know?

[catrice2]

I was too bored to try to read the yearbook or anything else.  Second week straight.

[chocolatine]

I couldn't watch any of the face-transplant stuff. I spent most of the episode turned away from the TV and only turned back when it was a Shawn/Glassman scene.

I was upset that, after having the Uber driver take them around the Bay Area for most of the day, they made her drive the 700 miles to Portland overnight, and then back to San Jose without any rest. Yes, she could have refused, but the fact is that the cost of living in the Bay Area is very high, and most Uber drivers can't afford to lose their income so they go to extreme, unsafe lengths to make customers happy. Nothing funny or heartwarming about that story.

[Imdee]

Uber drivers cannot drive more than 12 hours.  After that they have to take at least six hours off.  If she took them all the way to Portland, she did it off the clock.  Uber drivers are literally kicked off the app for six hours after being on for twelve.  

[auntiemel]

Maybe they paid her under the table.

[Imdee]

32 minutes ago, auntiemel said:

Maybe they paid her under the table.

That's what I was thinking.  Yes, I know the show is fictional, but as an Uber driver, I was yelling "you can't do that!"  I have taken people to the store, waited for them and took them back home though.  

[LisaM]

I cried the moment that the mom saw all of the hospital employees lined up for the Walk of Honor.  I've never heard of that before and will have to Google it. What a moment! 

The face transplant doesn't usually look that good for a long time after the surgery, if ever.  Heart breaking scene with the donor's mom. 

[izabella]

16 hours ago, AEMom said:

I was very surprised that Shaun was willing to get high and I think that the whole plot with Glassman and his crush was to get Shaun to realize that he is in love with Lea and is not okay with her revolving door of men or really any men at all.

Shaun said he had heard from an autistic person that cannabis made him more normal, I think.  He even asked Glassman at one point if he was acting more normal (Glassman said he was acting high).  I wonder how Shaun would describe how he felt.

[bros402]

11 hours ago, kicotan said:

Shaun can’t “pick up a prescription of cannabis edibles” for Dr. Glassman, sick at home, the way one might be able to pick up a prescription for antibiotics for a child sick at home.  Unless Shaun was designated in Dr. Glassman’s State of California Medical Marijuana paperwork as his “Primary Caregiver”, or Shaun has his own State Medical Marijuana Card so that he can access the benefits for Dr. Glassman, Shaun is merely a retail customer, buying whatever Glassman wants.  Not much different thanShaun going to the Liquor Store and buying a bottle of wine, then having a glass of it while Glassman drinks the rest.

Typically, folks who take a medication for a desired result or to correct a chemical imbalance experience that medication’s effects differently than an otherwise healthy person or one for whom the medicine is contra-indicated.  For example: insulin shots to a non-diabetic, aspirin tablets to someone with an allergy or sensitivity to ASA.  Glassman taking it for the very much studied and confirmed benefit of nausea/pain relief for many is a bit different than Shaun experimenting on his Autism with it.

Same thing here in NJ re: caregiver - but Shaun doesn't seem like the kind of person who would just experiment with a drug without a bunch of research - he definitely does not seem like he would go off of anecdotal evidence.

Yeah, a nausea/pain relief strain would be a different strain from an anxiety strain (to simplify Shaun's needs quite a bit)

[MaryHedwig]

3 hours ago, SweetTooth said:

It looked like it was crossed out, and I couldn't decide if Glassman had done it after writing it and hadn't remembered, or she had.

But I'm guessing since she had no recollection of it, that he'd had immediate regrets and crossed it out but didn't remember. It seems very like him to do.

I'm also glad we got a relief from angry/cranky Glassy.

I was thinking that she did remember the yearbook entry but did not want to admit it to Glassman. (Why would she? She was totally taken off guard by his visit.) I thought the clue of that was given afterwards when she immediately found the entry in her yearbook once he left. I am confused about whether he crossed out the entry or she did. I would have assumed that she had done so, but the ink looked to be the same color as the entry.

[Good Queen Jane]

The page was dog-eared, so it appears she looked at it often, at least when she was younger.  My take is that she read it, was really hurt, and crossed it out. But she kept going back to it. She remembered it and what she wrote in Glassman's yearbook, but didn't want to admit it. She was playing it cool.

[aemom]

8 hours ago, izabella said:

Shaun said he had heard from an autistic person that cannabis made him more normal, I think.  He even asked Glassman at one point if he was acting more normal (Glassman said he was acting high).  I wonder how Shaun would describe how he felt.

I remember that.  But I was still surprised because Shaun has to spend a lot of time exerting self control to be as "normal" as possible when he's out and about.  I would think that the possible risk that he would have less of an ability to control himself would be a scarier thought.

[mookster]

I know I was supposed to be touched by it all, but I was grumpy by the unbelievable-ness of it all, and due to my grumpiness, I interpreted certain scenes grumpily:

- The serendipitous elevator ride - would never happen.

- The amazing results of the transplant surgery - I'm grateful for them cleaning it up as I'm rather squeamish, but come on.

- The poor mother wandering the halls of the hospital with no relative, no social worker, no anyone to help her through what had to be an unfathomably traumatic event

- I honestly don't think the dad trying to comfort the mother with his story of how HE felt guilty for the accident that disfigured his daughter was very helpful

- Glassman's hubris to think his yearbook scribble still affected this woman after 40 years - but she couldn't even remember it.

- Who has their high school yearbook in a bookcase by the door?

- Glassman making the Uber driver drive all night because he didn't want to go home. Shoot me, but I'm just plain sick of him.

- Lim and Melendez agonizing over the relationship - boring.

- I did thank god for small miracles - no Lea.

This is getting a little too Grey's Anatomy for me, but my 12 year old likes it so we keep watching...for now.

 

Edited to add that I don't think ethically the perfectly timed elevator ride would have ever happened. Or should have happened.

Edited February 7, 2019 by mookster