“We are all connected [...] society creates barriers [and] disconnect” This “disconnection” creates fears of those who are different. Tonight’s episode of Brilliant Minds focuses on the idea that if we took the time to understand why someone is acting the way they are rather than being quick to label them, we may be able to find a connection.
In one case, Oliver finds a young man in the street that is seemingly having a crisis. We see people around him looking at him like he’s insane and if they’re not looking at him, they pretend he isn’t even there. Unlike those people, Oliver stops to ask what’s going on with him. The man asks him if he saw them too, and Oliver goes along with him saying he does but needs more of an explanation. The man claims to see dragons.
“Chapter Two: The Disembodied Woman” - BRILLIANT MINDS. Pictured: Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang, Ashleigh LaThrop as Dr. Ericka Kinney, Teddy Sears as Dr. Josh Nichols, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf . Photo: Rafy/NBC © 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Oliver brings him to the hospital to be admitted. He enlists the help of the interns to figure out what is going on with this man - who we find out is named Pete. The interns are all trying to figure out what Pete’s dragon looks like when Oliver comes in needing help with another case. He takes Dr. Jacob Nash and Dr. Van Markus to assist, leaving Dr. Ericka Kinney and Dr. Dana Dang with Pete. Dr. Kinney, later on, tries to pass Pete on to Dr. Carol Pierce stating that he’s dealing with a psychological issue. Basically, she tried to pass her patient on to Dr. Pierce in order to work on Oliver’s current case. It didn’t take long; Dr. Pierce asked Pete a few questions to realize that what was happening with him was more neurological than psychological. Good on her for calling Dr. Kinney out though.
“Chapter Two: The Disembodied Woman” - BRILLIANT MINDS - Pictured: Ashleigh LaThrop as Dr. Ericka Kinney, Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang, Spence Moore II as Dr. Jacob Nash. Photo: Rafy/NBC © 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Working harder on this case, Dr. Kinney and Dr. Dang goes to visit Pete’s apartment where his roommate informs them that Pete’s been sleeping a lot and missing class (I can’t be the only one that took note of that, right?). They’re at his place thinking that something in his environment could be the cause. After being close to being induced to vomiting, Dr. Kinney rushes to open a window where she spots – the dragon. The fact that he still sees the dragon when it’s not there is cause for concern. Another MRI scan shows that there’s build up of blood in his brain causing this. He’s rushed into emergency surgery (great catch team!). Good on Dr. Kinney for realizing sooner rather than later that her biased opinion could’ve cost Pete his life.
In another case, we meet Jessie Williams, a former basketball player turned coach, who called off her surgery the morning of stating that she had a disturbing dream where she was unable to move. The chief medical officer (oh - and Oliver’s mom), asks for Oliver and Carol’s help to assess the situation and clear Jessie for surgery.
After speaking with the chief, Oliver goes to his office to find Jessie waiting. Oliver asks Jessie about her dream, to make an assessment of the situation. She said she felt disembodied (feeling disconnected from one’s body or oneself or feeling out of touch with the present moment). He tells her “the mind doesn’t produce a nightmare without a reason” and that he would work towards helping her find out what’s happening with her.
The conversation with Oliver seems to work since Jessie made the decision to go through with the surgery. Carol show’s Oliver Jessie’s paperwork and he notices that she may not be as okay as she was believed to be. He notices a difference in her signature, which then leads him to believe that she may still be feeling disembodied. When they go to the hospital, they see Jessie in a frantic state. She’s saying that she does not want to go through with the surgery (again). Jessie believes that her nightmares about not being in her body are coming true.
“Chapter Two: The Disembodied Woman” - BRILLIANT MINDS - Pictured: Alex MacNicoll as Dr. Van Markus, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf. Photo: Rafy/NBC © 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
As each day progresses, Jessie continues to get worse. After a spinal tap exam, Jessie loses her ability to control her arms – the rate at which this is happening becomes concerning. Dr. Jacob Nash is connecting with Jessie, telling her that he used to play D1 football, but had to give it up after one too many concussions. He reassures her that they will do whatever it takes to help her. Before leaving her room, he focuses on her smoothie. Bringing this to Dr. Wolf’s attention, Dr. Nash shows him that Jessie has high levels of B6 and this may be the cause of her problems. While giving her fluids to flush her system, Jessie’s condition deteriorates and she stops breathing on her own (what the hell is going on?). Jessie is now intubated. Will she come back from this?
Oliver is struggling with this one, and in times he’s struggling we’re brought back to his childhood. In this moment, we see a young Oliver talking with his father being unable to go through with making an incision on a cadaver. To this, his father gives him advice on how to deal. This advice is what he uses in a next effort to help Jessie; step outside yourself. Start small…
“Chapter Two: The Disembodied Woman” - BRILLIANT MINDS. Pictured: Teddy Sears as Dr. Josh Nichols, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf. Photo: Rafy/NBC © 2024 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Oliver makes the decision to slowly begins Jessie's extubation process. He’s repeating the words his father once said to him; “step outside of yourself, start small…one breath. I believe in you enough for the both of us” and she did it! Jessie was able to breathe on her own. Jessie put in a lot of work and has slowly rehabilitated to the point of being able to walk on her own again. She’s still on the road to recovery, but never losing hope has helped her progress this far.
Both Dr. Pierce and the chief were ready to give up on Jessie. It’s a problem that society has conditioned us to accept; that’s disconnecting with the person without understanding them. Dr. Wolf is proof of what happens when we step outside of ourselves; the possibility of making a connection.
What did you think of tonight’s new episode of Brilliant Minds? Share your thoughts below or connect with me on X/Twitter @chenfordhugs
