Brilliant Minds season 1, episode 5 recap and review: “The Haunted Marine”

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As a seasoned medical drama enthusiast with a knack for empathizing with characters, I found this week’s episode of Brilliant Minds particularly engaging. The storyline involving John Doe and the interns was intriguing, especially when we discovered that he doesn’t understand English. It brought about an unexpected twist in the narrative that had me on the edge of my seat.

In their program, Brilliant Minds consistently highlights less common and awe-inspiring health issues and conditions. Just like the others, the recent episode titled “The Haunted Marine” doesn’t buck this trend.

Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Brilliant Minds season 1, episode 5.

In the series, it becomes evidently clear that receiving a diagnosis doesn’t grant individuals a free pass to behave as they please. As a devoted fan, I was yearning for some closure regarding the bride’s fate from the last episode. However, it seemed pretty apparent that she was bound to face severe consequences – possibly even being arrested by the police due to her actions resulting in a man’s death. Though Wolf might attempt to justify this act as something other than murder, there are still penalties awaiting him, given the gravity of his actions, and he doesn’t seem to have a way out of those charges.

In contrast, certain episodes mainly revolve around assisting a single patient. This is true for the latest episode as well, which centers around a former Marine seeking medical attention.

Brilliant Minds season 1, episode 5 review: More than just a case of PTSD

It’s worth emphasizing the significance of PTSD in a television show. Yet, it’s also crucial to acknowledge other health issues that impact veterans. For instance, former Marine Steve Hill grappled with a condition more severe than PTSD.

Near him lay a deceased Marine, identified as Aiden. Despite being in full military gear, it was later discovered that Aiden didn’t perish in combat; he took his own life. Interestingly, both Aiden and Steve hadn’t experienced combat, nor did they suffer from PTSD or brain injuries. Their situation became dire, with Steve contemplating suicide. However, Wolf and the interns worked tirelessly to prevent such an outcome, as Steve had a wife and an upcoming child at home.

After discovering that Steve had never experienced battle, Wolf was puzzled about Steve’s mental state. He sought advice from Dr. Nichols. Wolf hypothesized that Steve might be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This is a progressive condition with no known cure. Although it typically affects individuals who have endured multiple concussions or brain injuries, Nichols began to consider alternative ways Steve could have been exposed to it.

I truly love this instance. It’s becoming clear to Nichols that Wolf occasionally displays brilliant insights. This time, instead of dismissing it, he began to ponder about its origins. As an experienced individual, he recognized it instantly, but he chose to demonstrate rather than explain. He escorted Wolf to a shooting range to let him experience the gun’s recoil firsthand. Upon discovering that Steve and his squad were handling more powerful weapons, everything started to fall into place. It was the recoil causing the issues—and it was affecting quite a few members of the squad.

In this very instant at the shooting range, I noticed something intriguing developing between Wolf and Nichols. I’m curious to explore more about their relationship, given Nichols’ candidness towards Wolf about his military past and a specific individual he was involved with.

Initially, Wolf needed to provide evidence for his theory, and the sole method available was to examine a brain affected by it. This meant approaching Aiden’s family to request an autopsy of his remains. Understandably, they were reluctant at first, but a persuasive argument from Steve eventually convinced them. You see, Steve had been stripped of his veteran benefits due to an unjust dismissal related to his condition, and he once believed there was a device implanted in his brain! With the family’s cooperation and Wolf’s heartfelt plea at the board meeting, Steve’s benefits were reinstated.

For Steve and his loved ones, there’s a beacon – the embodiment of Wolf’s deep concern for his patients and those struggling with life’s unjust circumstances. It’s his remarkable character that keeps viewers captivated throughout the series.

Figuring out who John Doe is

A different aspect of Brilliant Minds has been discovering that John Doe, contrary to earlier beliefs, is not in a coma. Instead, he suffers from Locked-In Syndrome, a condition often caused by multiple strokes, which John Doe has experienced. Realizing that he can move his eyes and respond to sounds, Wolf and the interns find a method for communication with him.

It appears there’s another hurdle – he seems to struggle with comprehending. As it happens, his challenge is with the English language. Interestingly, when a speaker of another tongue passes by, he shows signs of understanding. That’s when the interns jump into action to assist him.

Ultimately, Wolf discovers that “don’t leave me” is spelled out by John Doe. The story unfolds with flashbacks of Wolf, revealing his past abandonment in the woods by a father who was becoming mentally unstable and thought Wolf was the Messiah. Yet, it’s not his father that captures Wolf’s attention this time; instead, it’s “don’t leave me,” and now Wolf is determined to assist John Doe in every possible way.

He approaches Nichols with a concept he wants to discuss – once more, I’m really enjoying the blossoming bond between these two! What if it were possible for Nichols to implant a chip in John Doe’s brain to capture his neural activity? Could this aid John Doe ultimately? Although I’m not entirely clear on the idea yet, I’m eager for it simply because it promises more interactions between Wolf and Nichols.

In this episode featuring John Doe and the interns, Dr. Van Markus exhibits a unique condition called mirror-touch synesthesia, which is similar to heightened empathy but doesn’t allow him to physically feel what John Doe feels. Since he can’t communicate his experiences to the doctors, it seems crucial to the storyline. Could it be that John Doe experiences emotions internally without being able to express them physically? Or could it be that Van Markus’s mirror-touch synesthesia is affected by Locked-In Syndrome, or perhaps he currently lacks the ability to control this condition?

In this scenario, Van shared with Dana what he had, and she swore to keep it a secret. Interestingly, I couldn’t help but notice how intriguing Van’s mind was in this situation. After all, we are well aware that Dana isn’t the one for secrets. Despite her good intentions, she struggles to hold back information, and Van was fully aware of this. Therefore, when Ericka and Jacob eventually discovered it, Van remained unsurprised and unfazed. It turned out to be a clever move on his part, preventing him from having to share it three times!

Jacob turns to Ericka for support in Brilliant Minds

Following the last episode, it seemed as though Jacob and Ericka might have a deeper connection. In this episode, we see Ericka researching Jacob’s football history, and later in the evening, an intoxicated Jacob dropped by Ericka’s place to lean on her for support.

It was then that we discovered Jacob had no intention of abandoning his football career. But after suffering numerous concussions, he was warned against continuing to play, as another one might prove fatal. He now laments his decision to quit. With his career behind him, watching Steve struggle with the aftermath, Jacob felt certain this would be a challenge he too would face.

In this episode, Jacob exhibits an unexpected openness, which I appreciate. Everyone needs someone they can fully expose themselves to, and that’s Ericka for him. As I mentioned earlier, Dana isn’t the one holding secrets, but it’s Ericka who does. The question is: How much can Ericka handle? And why is she more intrigued by Jacob than by Dana or Van?

In this series, while the medical cases might not be as captivating, the characters certainly are. This is a medical drama that’s primarily character-focused, and I find it absolutely engaging. The flashbacks featuring Wolf and his father weren’t particularly intriguing until the last bit, but I can’t wait to see more interactions between Wolf and Nichols. There was definitely some spark between them at the shooting range.

Brilliant Minds airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.

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2024-10-22 06:23