State of the Shea, Pt. 73: Waiting For a Feeling That Never, Ever Came (“Hard Heart”)
Show of hands: When you heard the 2/27 episode of The Good Doctor was entitled “Hard Heart,” what came to mind first?
OK, what about second (if you assumed it had to do with a medical case)? If the title were to carry dual meaning, as titles sometimes do…?
I thought of Morgan. Sure, she’s shown her softer side many times now during her St. Bon’s tenure. But when she’s been hurt, or doesn’t know quite who she’s dealing with…up goes that internal suit of armor. Oh boy, I wondered. Is she going to weigh in on Park’s case with the little boy in some manner that gets her in trouble with Park– just as the two of them were doing better at co-existing? Or maybe Park does something that gets him in trouble with HER?...
Alas, she didn’t see Park in “Hard Heart.” In fact we just barely saw her at all. Surprised? I was. But it was an expect-the-unexpected kind of episode for me. To illustrate, I’m stacking my comments about each of the plots/subplots in order of preference (based NOT on interest, but on the way they were carried out)
TOP PICK: Jordan and her “hard-hearted” Grandma E
(also involving Asher, Lim, Perez, Andrews)
I couldn’t help but think, once I heard the term, that coconut heart would’ve made a more intriguing title for the episode than hard heart. But Jordan’s frustrations with the nickname aside, I suppose they were indicating that Miss Evelyn, a.k.a. “Grandma E,” had a bit of a figurative toughness to accompany the literal shell she carried internally. It’s nothing more than life has taught her is necessary, though. Unfortunately, those who were raised in such a presence (as Jordan apparently was) can’t help but take the toughness personally.
For me, Jordan’s story was the standout of “Hard Heart” for a couple reasons:
Perhaps it was all a considerable nod to Black History Month in the U.S. (which ended the day after this episode aired), but I loved the inspired narrative: starting with Jordan declining Andrews’ offer to speak to the young students of color (which allowed them to bring in that stunning fact that only 2% of surgeons in this country are Black…
Enter Evelyn Allen (Jordan’s “Grandma E”) as a St. Bon’s patient, and enter all the usual struggles when a doctor’s family member is hospitalized there. Jordan’s long-standing desire for her grandmother to validate her considerable accomplishments led to Jordan trying to be “a hero” (her words) by recommending an extensive, high-risk operation… but also led to her taking some serious heat from Lim (who had previously shot down said risky operation).
But even the lower-risk operation proved too difficult once Grandma E was back in the OR, and it took Jordan– standing in the gallery overhead, as Morgan often does– volunteering direction on a “waffle procedure” she’d researched to get her beloved relative on the road to recovery.
Oh, and along the way, Perez picked up a valuable suggestion from Jordan’s grandmother that solved a problem of his own (more onhat shortly)...
And I found it interesting that Jordan and Perez were so preoccupied with their independent issues in “Hard Heart,” Grandma E never picked up on their mutual attraction. (Or, better said, attraction-in-limbo.)
Of course that was probably just the writers avoiding the subject… knowing they had too many topics to deal with already… but I digress.
2. It was high time we got some backstory on this third-year resident, considering the other one (Asher) got the spotlight at least a time or two last season. Jordan Jacqueline Allen, also known as “Quinque” (as the 5th of 6 children), has often exhibited an above-average weight on her shoulders. “Hard Heart” helped explain that it comes not just from being a resident, or a Black resident, or even a Black woman resident. It comes from those nearest and dearest. She said it best, when Asher joked about her lack of the charm possessed by Grandma E: “Charm is one of the many layers of a very complicated woman.” I feel like we got to peel a couple more layers back on Jordan with “Hard Heart,” and I appreciate it.
One tiny complaint, though… The name Rebecca Crumpler came up, and Jordan drew a blank. As Grandma E stated, Crumpler is credited with being the first Black doctor in the U.S. Surely Jordan would have known that, as well-versed as she is! And it would have been easy to change up the dialogue just a bit in that scene to reflect that, and still have Grandma make her point. Ah well…
SECOND PICK: Glassman’s baby enthusiasm goes too far
(Glassman/Shaun/Lea)
The scene in Glassman’s office is THE only reason this is my second pick– I might as well say it upfront. Funny how we– the viewers, and those who write about TGD, and even characters on the show (Jordan, Lea)-- have been calling him “Grandpa Glassy” for a while, but this episode was the first time Shaun clearly stated his agreement with that concept. And Glassman himself may have tucked that wish into the back of his mind, but presumed nothing… so his surprise and delight was genuinely touching. Best scene of the whole episode, perhaps.
But as a whole, the scenes connected to this story were a love it/shake my head at the ridiculousness of it kind of rollercoaster. Let’s run them down…
Shaun and Lea started the episode with a conversation about baby names, and since Lea brought up my own name (!), I have to tell you a quick story:
My name was originally spelled a very traditional K-E-L-L-Y. As a little girl, I never gave a thought to that spelling… until the day I started at a new elementary school. The names of the students in my class were all written on a big sheet of paper at the doorway– two columns, one for boys and one for girls– and much to my dismay, I was listed with the boys. THE BOYS!
The audacity…!
In the years to come, I became aware of several different males named “Kelly;” but when I was six, I quickly decided I didn’t want to be mistaken for a boy ever again. So I’ve gone by the more feminine-looking “Kelli” ever since. (Couldn’t tell my dad that, though; he steadfastly spelled it with a “Y” whenever he wrote my name out.)
And yes, I’m pretty sure that clamp Shaun mentioned is steadfastly spelled with a “Y” too.
Why are they even talking about names like Kelly, Addison, and Nicky, you may have wondered, when they’ve just GOT to name the #Shea baby after Steve Murphy and/or Aaron Glassman? Maybe the writers don’t think it’s as obvious to Shaun and Lea as we do, and discussing possible baby names is essentially a rite of passage for expectant parents. Maybe the writers themselves aren’t as locked into “Steven Aaron” (or any variation of it) as WE are, and were hoping to get some viewer input when the TGD Twitter account took suggestions last week. (Yes, the consensus was overwhelmingly supportive of a Steven-Aaron combo.) Whatever the case, I was OK with all that.
Definitely not as OK with Glassman trying to hoist the long-deceased Dr. Spock’s tome on baby/child care on Lea, though that does seem like a grandpa-like thing to do.
But that babyproofing though…
The scene with Glassman on his knees, covered in bits of blue tape, bellowing Danger! as he tagged everything from light fixtures to wall outlets to the so-symbolic fishbowl (No! Descendants of Albert, take cover!)... that one I enjoyed greatly, especially once it was clear that Glassy was drunk (or at least tipsy, but that bottle of wine was GONE, folks). But part of why I enjoyed it was that Lea pointed out the obvious: babyproofing to the extent that Glassy proposed won’t be necessary till, well, next season (if we get a next season).
Also, I got a good chuckle out of Shaun starting to drop to the floor (thinking Glassman had directed them to do so in that moment), with Lea grabbing his arm knowingly before he got very far.
As for Lea vs. the toilet lock…oof. Yes, it was funny. Of course it was funny. But it was also R I D I C U L O U S.
I guess the sight-gag opportunity was irresistible to the writers. But even if you can look past the idea of Glassman installing that NOW (and I cannot)... come on. Three people in that apartment, and one toilet? Here’s a hint: Lea isn’t the only one who needs to get up in the night! (Especially looking at you, Glassman… ) so even if one was to rationalize that Glassman tested out the toilet lock and simply forgot to take it off, they ALL would have struggled with it. But it’s rationalizing nonsense, essentially.
The end of the scene felt even sillier: while I DID love her crawling over Shaun as she did (how comfortable he must be with her now to not even flinch when she did that!), there was some serious storyline whiplash when the next thing out of Lea’s mouth was “Glassy has got to go.” This from the woman who tended to him with Nutty Buddies and great concern only last episode! (I know, I know, it could have been several weeks later in this one. But you see what I’m getting at, yes?)
So why do it? Why make Lea the “bad guy”? Two reasons… 1) to set up the beautiful scene in Glassman’s office I mentioned earlier, and 2) to take us to the next set of interesting circumstances (Glassman moves in down the hall). Lea’s place in the dynamic is not at risk as it was in the early years, plus she gets a Pregnancy Pass (hormones, hormones, hormones)… so I think they decided she could be the heavy (so to speak) easier than the other two.
I saw someone describe the recent Shea/Glassman capers as “sitcom-esque,” and I certainly see that perspective when it comes to the silliness (is it any surprise that the two scenes played for the biggest laughs thus far took place in the bathroom? Toilet locks and shower sex mistaken identities?) But especially with these three characters (and their portrayers) involved, it’s always going to be elevated. And we’re always going to care about them more. So, sitcom-? Yeah, maybe, but I don’t think of that as an insult. I just wish they could’ve made it about sex-through-the-walls rather than easier laughs. (The toilet lock, not the shower scene.)
Picture it: Glassman can’t help but hear Shaun and Lea in the throes of passion, and when was the last time we dealt with that? It was back in S2 when Shaun couldn’t deal with hearing Lea and then-boyfriend Jake, leading him to go check on Glassman. Such a full-circle moment that would’ve been!
THIRD PICK: Perez’s struggle of a different kind
(Also involving Shaun, Andrews, and Grandma E)
It was only a subplot, but I dug it. Probably because I had no expectations. What we got was…
Perez with a GREAT new haircut (sorry, it’s superficial but it’s true)
Perez with a triple challenge:
Attend his support meetings (across town) daily
Get to work immediately afterwards, where he’s on probation
Get to work EXACTLY on time because this week he’s supervised by a doctor whose very being is resistant to tardiness and yes, 8:01 is “late” to him.
A lighter side to Perez than perhaps we’ve seen all season, thanks to a mad-dash sequence that paid homage to the films Broadcast News (especially the part where he crashed into the water cooler and had to limp for a bit) and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (just about everything else, including the music choice).
A suggestion from an unlikely source– Jordan’s Grandma– that put in place the perfect solution of starting his own support group there on-site.
The surprise of seeing Nurse Hatch show up at the first meeting. (Hey, does this mean she was in an altered state of mind back in the “45-Degree Angle” episode when she got snippy with Shaun in the OR and he kicked her out?? Just sayin!)
WHICH LEAVES US WITH… THE HEADLINER
(Park, Shaun, Nathan & Parents)
Yeah, this one didn’t work for me like I hoped it would. In fact, it was pretty disappointing.
There was a tall order from the start, considering the boy’s illness was based on Will Yun Lee’s own experiences: a young boy with startling symptoms (a stroke??) who eventually– because it’s very tough to diagnose– is found to have a brain condition that requires multiple surgeries. All of which was made much more difficult for Lee to deal with as he tried to work far from home, unable to comfort his child.
The problem, I think, came in the need to compress SO much of Lee’s story into one episode. When we saw Nathan (the boy) and his mom on the day after his initial diagnosis– as he was receiving what had to be his first chemo treatment– we were hearing how much he hated the treatments, and the medicine, and his mom was upset he was reduced to playing with his pill bottles rather than toys.
How could he– could THEY– be in this mindset already? I wondered. It’s day TWO!
Ditto for when Dad chimed in on FaceTime, probably that same day, angry that they’d been “pumping his son with poison he doesn’t need” (Paraphrased)...
Then there was almost the opposite happening once we got to Nathan’s pivotal brain surgery, and Shaun came up with a way to do both parts of the procedure at once…
(Please note the word he used here– 31 letters long!!)-- and yes, that’s the correct spelling)
For all the angst of the first half-hour, it felt way too cut and dried once Dad arrived. We didn’t see him arrive. We didn’t see both parents worrying/breaking down in any fashion. And wouldn’t Park have needed to go out and get permission from them to do the rest of the surgery?
All were scenes ripe for drama that we never got. For a show that prides itself on high-stakes medical drama, that was… not what I expected at all.
Maybe that’s why the business about Patches (the stuffed Dalmatian) was more noteworthy to me. Not because Nathan’s request (“Can Patches get brain surgery too?”) was unusual, or that Shaun’s initial response (“No, Patches is a stuffed animal”) was unexpected. The discussion with Park about logic, and kids, and “wanting to be told the truth” was something of a retread, too, given Park’s penchant for advice (and Shaun’s questioning of it). But it felt next-level for them, something reflective of their status as attending physicians that maybe we’ve missed this season amid the Lim storyline of last fall (when Shaun and Park didn’t even share their office for several weeks).
And even better was when Shaun bandaged up Patches after all, but to Nathan’s “You DID do the brain surgery on him!” Shaun stayed with The Truth, saying “No, I just put bandages on his head to make you feel better.”
“I do,” Nathan said.
Point taken, Shaun. As always.
(What were YOUR thoughts on the “Hard Heart” episode? Give the comments a go, won’t you?)
