Code Black Season 2 Episode 7 Review: What Lies Beneath
Elizabeth Harlow
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Was that the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
At the very least, getting stuck in a submarine with a vicious Russian made Ethan and Campbell on Code Black Season 2 Episode 7 has the two tolerating each other a little better. The two alpha males weren't the only ones to gain a better understanding of their coworkers though.
Heather's instant connection with prison guard Jackie humanized her while simultaneously throwing some obstacles into her path to be a world class surgeon. She didn't get Mama's compassionate understanding – a dressing down from Daddy was the only thing that could get through to her.
Sure, sending Willis and Campbell out to a Russian submarine was a little crazy, and the whole Putin's nephew and captain shooting his crewman in the head was preposterous, but I can't say I hated it. Watching them rappel down to the sub was pretty cool.
It just seems like there could have been an easier way to get the two docs through their conflict. If you strip away all the Tom Clancy novel trappings, you basically had two conflicting characters come together when they were faced with a common enemy preventing them from accomplishing a shared goal.
It's creative writing 101. Okay, maybe it's part of a 200 level course, but you get my drift. The grudging respect between these two is only going to grow from here on out.
Ethan: You punched the captain of a Russian submarine today.
Campbell: He had it coming.
I am a little worried that all of these outings Rob Lowe's character goes on are blowing the budget though. And they all have the potential to be "jump the shark moments".
Ridiculous stunts don't usually come so early in a show's life. I wasn't expecting anything like this until at least the fifth season at the earliest.
I will say that the seamless alternating between the chaos in the ER and the chaos on the sub was masterfully down. My anxiety levels definitely went up during those scenes.
Ethan: You do not I'm not your first year resident, right?
Campbell: Your haircut confused me.
While the men folk were chasing adventure on the high seas, Leanne had a chance to shine in the ER. The ethics of treating murderers, racists, and the scum of society has been covered before, but Heather is a character in desperate need of some education from the school of Rorish.
She also needed some softening, and not wanting to treat the man who murdered an admirable woman is a relatable characteristic. Her opposition made her more relatable after her past examples of selfishness. I just hope that she maintains her edge.
It's a tough line to walk between coming off as a self-centered bitch and being an empowered woman who puts herself first. Television could use more of the later.
Leanne: I was white-knuckled panicked today.
Heather: You didn't seem it.
Leanne: We can be tough and scared at the same time, can't we? [pause] That's the job.
Other Thoughts
- Does Campbell's detente with Willis make you like him any more? We still don't know that much about the guy...
- The first years were basically absent for the first time this season. Did getting back to the core team work or have Elliot and Noa wormed their way into your hearts?
- After Gina's murder, you'd think the docs would be a little cautious about entering dark rooms alone wouldn't you?
- Any thoughts on what could be wrong with Rollie other than Parkinson's? I did not see his bitterness coming out that way towards Jesse!
- Mario and Angus getting ready for the funeral might have crossed the threshold of bro-mance. I predict a fair amount of slash fic will be inspired by that little scene!
You're the same old Guthrie, always by the book. I'm not surprised to see you working here at County. What are you making, twelve bucks an hour? I hear Denny's is paying fifteen.
Dr. Goldman
Everyone will be back at Angel's on Code Black Season 2 Episode 7 ("Behind the Curtain"). In a case not ripped from the headlines (at least not recently), a bunch of cult members are brought in after a mass suicide. Apparently Dear Leader didn't have much faith in himself or his followers since they're all trained to refuse medical treatment on cue.
Nina will be back to talk the cult members into being treated, but she's not the only guest star coming to the ER. Ever Carradine will return as Mario's "stepmother." I just hope that her friendly attitude isn't cover some con she's ultimately going to pull on him.
If you need to see Boris Kodjoe punch a sociopathic Russian submarine captain again (and again and again...),remember that you can watch Code Black online. Let us know what you thought about "What Lies Beneath" down in the comments section!
Elizabeth Harlow was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the organization in October 2018.
