So… I will talk about the whole season when I can. But… I think the finale has a lot of the same pros and cons as the season itself.
Just first. I know he’s canonically dead, but where was Bobby? Athena was dead/near death twice this season and while I’m am grateful to see another side of her story… she really would see Bobby. Is there a problem between the show and Peter Krause the actor? Is there a pay dispute? It just seemed so off.
And like on the subject of being off - the pacing of everything. Both in the episode and in the season. Like massive life changes, such as Theo moving in with Buck, or major plot points, like Eddie getting stabbed, are under played or barely register.
The episode and season are so lopsided - the acting is great. The cinematography? Wonderful. The set and wardrobe design? Impeccable.
The actual story? Confused. Pacing? Insane to the point of being discombobulated. The dialogue? Fine. Like I can get the whole aspect of “things aren’t linear” and that’s true. But this show continues to neither show NOR tell important aspects of what’s happening. And then throwing in a ton of important things either as an aside, crammed in last minute, or literally off screen.
The story is also in how you tell it. It can be two steps forward, one step back. Escalations, plot twists, false hopes, are all elements of stories. But there is a difference between the story being complicated and the story telling being confused. This is the later, not the former. And that makes things feel rushed or underdeveloped. Which lessens their emotional impact.
And that’s what’s so frustrating. There had to be a conversation about Buck’s addiction and him having Custody of Theo. That would have been important to his character arc. Clearly happened off-screen. Could Oliver Stark nail that scene? Hell yes. And the whole tv team would have nailed it. It would be wonderful to see how Hen and Karen would have guided him given their adoption struggles.
We get none of that. We get beautiful cinematography of Eddie getting stabbed in church. And it’s so rich for his character. But no actual discussion. No resolution. Only the visuals, none of the story.
The show has such great strengths and just such a talented cast and crew. But the core element of a story… is the story. And because the writers and show runners can’t seem to write the damn story, it throws the actual scenes and pacing off - both in this episode and just throughout the whole series.
It’s so frustrating to just love this show, but at the same time… kind of mourn it as well.
I dont hate the ending, I don't like it. And the reason I say "like" instead of "hate" is because I got used to be disappointed by this show so many times I don't even care of feel anything about it anymore.
Also, giving Buck a kid just because is the only one left in the group without one? Yeah, no thank you. Eddie asking his parents to host a random man in their house?! What the hell was that? Have you lost your mind Eddie?! You don't know that guy!
What better way to start your shift than to catch your captain and doctor kissing in the turbolift, especially when there is a betting pool on when they finally reveal their relationship to the crew. It’s gonna be a fun day on the Enterprise.
"Mental health is so important" they keep repeating to their residents and medical students and yet...
An yet they try to guilt trap them into staying after their shift is already over, they don't let them have breaks, they force them to assist medical procedures even when they have been told the doctor in question is too exhausted, they laugh at their face when they tell them they are thinking to change their residency program to a less chaotic one, and they keep giving them more work to do.
my only complaint about 9x15 was the mischaracterisation of eddie bc there is no way in hell he would have a) just believed that buck was fine bc he said he was, and b) not noticed that something was wrong when buck was walking around looking like death for the entire ep
literally that's what I was thinking the whole episode, how on earth they saw buck's sweaty and pale face and thought "oh yeah no he is perfectly fine, what you mean" and didn't even realize something was wrong with him until half their shift
