It was a pleasant surprise that this week’s episode was more character driven then any past episode. We also weren’t bogged down with an overly complicated medical case. Private Matters was the title of Proof’s sixth episode and that was definitely suiting as we get a closer look into Ivan and Zed’s personal life. With more personal dynamics and relationship developments I would say that Private Matters was my favourite so far, and hope that the show will continue to focus more on it’s characters.
In what seems like a rare treat we got more Ivan in this episode than ever before. Originally, I wasn’t sold on him but the more we learn about him and see his interactions with Carolyn, I have to admit that he is my favourite with his innocent and charming ways. I welcome any future episodes to be like this one. The episode starts out with a scientist working on a computer program that allows for electrons to record and map out images your brain records while wearing the device. Initially I wondered where this was leading. Very quickly they show us, as the scientist wearing the device collapses and dies from a cardiac arrest, with his memories and possible life after death experience recorded, leaving a wonderful opportunity for Carolyn and her team to investigate the images.
Where’s Ivan come into this? Well, it was his company that was working on the the device. He was so excited at the possible discovery of life after death he even seemed to put aside any moral objections that he or Carolyn might have about going through the man’s memories. He is more focused on learning about life after death than ever now that Dr. Richmond has discovered that Ivan has a brain tumour that cannot be treated without stopping his other treatments. It appeared to be an impossible decision for Ivan to make. Does he risk having the surgery in order to prevent him from losing cognitive ability or does he keep treating the other cancers so he can live longer? In the end he decides that the rest of his life isn’t worth anything to him if he didn’t have his ability to do the things that he could before so he chooses surgery.
During all this we see numerous moments that would indicate that Carolyn and Ivan are becoming friends and not just business partners. This was even observed by Len and he didn’t like this discovery at all. One of the most enjoyable moments in this episode occurred for me when Len tells Ivan in the elevator that Len and Carolyn aren’t over and that he wanted Ivan to back off. Ivan informed Len that he was dying and that he didn’t have time for any romantic entanglements but if this wasn’t the case he would definitely have a fight on his hands. Though it is clear that Ivan’s main concern is learning the truth about life after death Carolyn was able to convince him that going through someone’s memories without their permission was morally wrong. She didn’t want to do that in order to discover the truth. It was a hard call for Ivan to make as he is pressed for time but in the end he agreed, deleting the data they recorded.
In other character developments we learn that Zed is also facing an impossible decision. He must return to Kenya and marry as he had agreed to in order to go to medical school. If he doesn’t he must pay back the man that paid for it in the first place. It was clear to Zed’s lender that he didn’t want to marry his daughter and he makes the decision for him. Zed must pay back the money but is able to stay in Seattle which is a relief to him, even though he does owe the man a significant amount of money that he doesn’t have. We all know that Zed wasn’t going anywhere, but it’s good that his storyline can move on.
Again this episode was the best one yet (in my opinion)! We learn more about the characters and see what kind of people they are as they face decisions around morality. The one thing that this episode has left me thinking about is, where is Ivan’s story going? Is he going to die as he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and now has a brain tumour? As I stated above he is my favourite in this show and he even makes scenes with Carolyn more enjoyable to watch. I hope that his fate isn’t sealed but I’ll be watching to see what happens next. What about you, who is your favourite? And do you think Ivan might not be around for long?
About the Author - Alexandra
Alexandra is an avid TV, film, and music fan from Canada. She attended film school and was a camera operator for a local sports show. Growing up she watched shows like Due South, Pretender, X-files, Early Edition, and Frasier. Her favourite shows are Bates Motel, The Mentalist, and The Closer. Alexandra will be reviewing Proof, The Whispers and Masters of Sex.
