We’re back! In Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’ Oliver enlists the help of Nichols and Carol to help his new patient, which strengthens the bond between them, especially with Nichols, with whom Oliver has a date…at a shooting range. Ready?
Here we go!
The Attempt to Repair the Past
As we speculated in the Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 preview, the patient Oliver treats this week reminds him of his past again. His patient suffers from hallucinations and paranoia and Oliver’s father also suffered from them when he was little. Oliver had to watch his father stop being himself and see this man suffer from the same…he had to help him. Only by helping to repair the patient’s broken present, Oliver feels he can repair something of his own shattered past.
But unlike what happened with other cases where Oliver isolated himself and worked alone this time, he has let someone else in on his efforts to help this patient. Oliver asks Carol and Nichols for help and this brings them closer together, strengthens their bond, and shows Oliver that he is not alone. He can count on them, and on his team as well. He no longer has to carry so much load alone and, although Oliver is not at the point to realize that yet, he will. This is just the beginning.
Ships that Begin to Take Off in Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’
After the events in Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 4, in Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’ Oliver and Nichols take several steps forward in their particular friendship. They have a date of sorts — although neither would call it that but it is what it is — at a shooting range of all places. That makes it possible that the scene isn’t focused on Oliver and we get to know more about Nichols’ past and what it meant to him to be a soldier, although there’s still a lot of story to unravel there.
In addition, it also establishes the fact that Nichols is not indifferent to men — oh, Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’ we know what you’re doing here —, which we find more than interesting. But what we love most about them, beyond these improvised dates and their first touches, is the way they seek each other’s support and always find it.
Nichols was there to encourage Oliver when his patient’s well-being was at stake and later, Oliver seeks out Nichols when he has an idea. He explicitly seeks Nichols’ opinion and support and, if we look at Oliver a little, he doesn’t do that with anyone, ever — perhaps Carol is the only exception — but he is doing it with Nichols. This speaks volumes about our ship.
Another potential couple that Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’ threw together was Jacob and Ericka. She likes Jacob but is aware that he isn’t interested in a relationship right now, so she doesn’t want to commit because she knows it will hurt. And she certainly doesn’t want to do it when he’s half drunk. Ericka doesn’t want to be a drunken one-night stand that they’ll both regret the next day and we admire her for that.
However, it’s pretty telling that Jacob comes to her when he doesn’t know where to go and is lost. Something inside him draws him to her in his most vulnerable mood…and that means something.
Other Stuff in Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 ‘The Haunted Marine’
- Dana should have kept Markus’ secret. He took it well, I wouldn’t have been so forgiving.
- “You got this.” I’M A GHOST RIGHT NOW.
- That jealousy Oliver gets when he finds out Carol is starting to get close to Nichols…oh, Oliver, you’re bad, dude!
- I never thought I’d say this, but dates at a shooting range are cute.
- We love watching Nichols “teach the right posture” to Oliver. It’s the first time they touch each other, even if it’s a chaste touch…
- The identity of the stranger and his story is getting more and more interesting…
Brilliant Minds airs Tuesdays at 10 pm ET on NBC.
