September 28, 2006: Graduation Day
As if Abby and Luka didn't have enough to contend with, tonight manic-depressive Maggie breezed in to meet her ailing grandson and offer her support in a flurry of note taking and NICU staff badgering. However, she also brought an unexpected mix of motherly wisdom and perspective that Abby sorely needed. Sally Field has done an excellent job with this role in each of her appearances, taking a strident character and making her sympathetic and relatable, never sugarcoating the challenges of living with mental illness. Despite her doubts, Maggie actually persuaded Abby to include the baby in a trial that was both risky and promising. (The scene where she insisted something was wrong with the baby reminded me of the scene from
Terms of Endearment when Shirley MacLaine loses it on the nurses for not administering her daughter's pain medication on time.) While I thought it was downright mean to lead all of us to believe the baby had died, the last scene of Abby with her mom offered some poignant closure and set the stage for Abby's own transition into motherhood. And Luka, as always, was a tower of strength and composure throughout the ordeal. Goran Visnjic brings such emotional heft and sincerity to the role. And no, it doesn't hurt at all that he is tall, dark and brooding.
Speaking of dark, brooding men with baggage, we now have another one in the house. It appears that former paramedic and newly installed intern Tony Gates (John Stamos) may have some serious anger issues. Sure, that guy from the bar was out of line, but the smackdown he put on both of them was a little bit over the top. Poor Neela, still reeling with grief in the wake of Gallant's death, obviously needed a friend more than a fling, so I was grateful that Tony didn't take advantage of her drunken state. I was a little less reassured by his handling of the teenager who overdosed. His actions seemed to portend a maverick approach to medicine. Wow, we haven't seen that since, well, Ray, who also happens to be vying for Neela's heart. (And I thought Parminder Nagra was lucky when she had Jonathan Rhys-Meyers falling in love with her in
Bend It Like Beckham.) It remains to be seen how this little love triangle will play out, but I am rooting for the competition to shake Ray out of his slacker daze.
Wrapping up the kidnapping story line, Steve's death was ruled a justifiable homicide, much to the relief of Sam and thanks in large part to the machinations of her somewhat shady sugardaddy, Richard Elliot (Armand Assante). I suspect that at some point this guy is going to expect more than gratitude for participating in the cover-up.
As for the lighter touches, I really enjoy when Kerry gets to show her human side. She was extremely sensitive in her handling of Sam's post-rape trauma and then put her own job on the line to protect Luka from the hospital board. We were also treated to Morris' humorous realization that his true calling is medicine. (His exchange with Frank about his suit was hysterical.) As for Pratt, it looks like he is on the road to growing into his attending position and grooming a new crop of interns. And was that actually a happy ending we saw, complete with doctors bonding and baby pictures? I'd like to see a few more of those this season.
For all you television trivia buffs wondering where you know her from, that was L. Scott Caldwell,
Lost's Rose, playing the neonatologist. And, in case you missed it, this episode was directed by none other than Mrs. Seaver herself, Joanna Kerns of
Growing Pains fame.
