Code Black Season 2 Episode 11 Review: Exodus
Elizabeth Harlow
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There's something about the dark that gets people to open up.
The docs on Code Black Season 2 Episode 11 were no different. In the dark, Jesse found a way to win over Campbell, Mario found some confidence, and Amanda convinced Ethan to try something different.
While "Exodus" certainly pushed the boundaries on how many medical show tropes could be squeezed into one episode., the writers managed to avoid being too predictable. Some ground was retread, but overall, it was a solid offering.
In fact, the only part about about the blackout story line that bothered me was the blackout itself. The premise has been done before on ER and Grey's Anatomy and what felt like a dozen episodes of MASH. But those all had explainable reasons for the lights to go out.
It's simply beyond belief, even for TV, that a hospital would be without backup generators for months and be able to keep their doors open. At the very least, somebody would be losing their job -- both at the hospital and at whatever regulatory body is in charge of making sure that hospitals are up to snuff.
You're all insane. And you're very good at what you do.
Dr. Kerry
That being said, I liked how the doctors handled the black out. Moving the patients to the nearby Urgent Care Center was new ground, literally and figuratively. Dr. Kerry's head butting with Leanne was a nice mark of how territorial docs can be, and it's always interesting to see Leanne interact with docs not used to her brash style.
The pilgrimage to the Urgent Care was also a far more realistic way to get the docs out into the field than we've seen in a while -- Ethan's field trip to a submarine may have been cool, but it was pretty far fetched.
It was good to see Mario regain some of that confidence in himself. I don't think I'd realized just how much his actions last season had shook him, but he was prepared this time. Time is the best teacher after all.
Leanne: You're only going to have a skeleton crew. Use Jesse.
Ethan: And piss of Campbell? Now why would I do that?
Of course, the highlight of "Exodus" was the return of Jesse. I mean, it wasn't like Mama could stay away for too long. The whole ER would have fallen apart without him, and he would have lost his mind at that plastic surgeon's office.
But the blackout really gave him a chance to shine. Not only was he able to show off his excellent interpersonal relation skills by reassuring Campbell about his daughter AND making sure that a patient was kept calm during an extremely scary procedure, but he showed off his practical positives too.
After all, it's really important that somebody know where the batteries live...and knows how to "hack" into the drug locker.
Jesse: So you want your Mama back, huh?
Campbell: I...I didn't -- I didn't say that.
Jesse: Say it. Come on. I want to hear the words.
Other Thoughts
- Angus might have finally found an appropriate crush! Will she really be okay with his dedication to being a great doctor though?
- I'd be a lot more sanguine about Amanda's interest in Ethan if it weren't for her boyfriend's kid. Still, she's definitely right about him needing to talk to somebody.
- Mario and Noa? Still not feeling it.
- Didn't they already cover ovarian torsion? I seem to recall Malaya and Angus taking that on in Code Black Season 1 Episode 1.
- TV has convinced me that pregnant women in or near labor should never ever take the elevator. Hospitals should just put L&D on the second floor so they can walk up!
Leanne: What are you wearing?
Jesse: It's called "chartreuse."
Jesse may be back, but Leanne might be sidelined after Code Black Season 2 Episode 11 ("One in a Million," airing January 4th). She'll defy Campbell (total shocker) and use the hospital's helicopter to reunite a family. I'm 99% certain that she'll do so because of her own family tragedy.
The other promoted storyline is Noa and Willis using a cell phone app to communicate with an autistic kid, which really doesn't seem all that out of the norm to me. I'm assuming there's going to be more to the story, but if nothing else, I look forward to seeing Noa work with somebody other than Mario.
Got some down time coming up? Remember, if endless reruns and holiday specials aren't your bag, you can watch Code Black online. We'd love to hear your thoughts in our comments section!
Elizabeth Harlow was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the organization in October 2018.
