Considering everything that went down on St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 14 ‘Happy Birthday Matty,’ one would think the show would hold onto that momentum by picking up where the drama left off. But that wasn’t the case with St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 15 ‘Everyone Loves Portland General.’
This week felt a little like filler in some ways. I was hoping to see how relationships shifted after the Laser tag brawl between Matt and Chaplain Steve. Plus, we had Serena say she’d be Steve’s girlfriend, but then they broke up in the same episode because he proved he wasn’t such a great guy. This week was all about Bruce looking for a change of scenery in the form of a new hospital.
In our lives, especially at work, things can sometimes become stagnant. Doing the same thing day in and day out can become boring and purposeless. And when an opportunity presents itself to move forward, it can be one of the best things in our lives. When Camille Jacobs, the Administrator for Portland General, St Denis’s rival hospital, comes in with a laceration on her leg, Joyce sees this as the chance to prove that St. Denis is just as good.
MORE: Need a refresher? Read our review of St. Denis Medical Season 2, Episode 14!
She takes Camille on a tour to show her all the upgrades. While on the tour, Joyce introduces her to Bruce. This, of course, backfires on her. After Bruce regales her with a story about a trauma patient he just worked on, Camille is so impressed that she decides to poach him right under an unsuspecting Joyce’s nose. And well, Bruce accepts.
Bruce On The Move
I’m not surprised that he accepted Camille’s offer. Bruce loves his job as a Trauma surgeon. But he’s also always looking for the next best thing. And Camille’s offer sounds pretty good. When he breaks the news to Joyce, who just knew he turned it down, he goes through his reasons. And the reasons are valid.
St. Denis is an old hospital. Portland General is not. There is more financing, so this means more resources are at Bruce’s disposal. It also means more money. There’s a pay increase of 30% on the line. Obviously, Joyce can’t compete with this, so she lets him go, but it’s not without her feeling betrayed by his decision.
Other than a moment of her putting him on blast on the intercom to inform the entire hospital of his decision, Joyce doesn’t do too much. And honestly, there was nothing she could do. Bruce is a grown man, and he’s not beholden to St. Denis. I will say, even though I wasn’t surprised by his decision, it was interesting that he didn’t give it more thought. Bruce has put in a lot of time at St. Denis. His work is meaningful. And he’s cultivated a lot of relationships. When he takes the tour of Portland General, he quickly comes to realize the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
The Grass Isn’t Always Greener.
The moment Bruce arrives, he’s dismissed. There is so much going on in the hospital that the staff doesn’t pay him much attention. His introduction to Dr. Rafi, the Head of Trauma, is underwhelming, and he’s not impressed with Bruce in the slightest. He doesn’t even know the nurses’ names who work with him!
Unlike at St. Denis, Bruce won’t have an office and will be placed in “The Pitt” until one is available. But that could be a way away because there are other doctors ahead of him. The Trauma team is so big at Portland General that Bruce would just be another body in the building.
Portland General is vastly different than St. Denis Medical. Nobody finds Bruce’s accomplishments impressive. There is no camaraderie or family-like atmosphere. There isn’t even time to give the patients proper bedside care. Bruce’s experience helps him to see that St. Denis is where he belongs.
What I loved about Bruce going back to St. Denis was that everyone there welcomed him right back with open arms. There was no animosity. Nobody rejected him or made him feel bad about going to see what things would be like at Portland General. That’s what’s great about the people he works with. Joyce didn’t even give him a hard time. Bruce knows he’s loved and appreciated at St. Denis. And I think the most valuable lesson he learned about St. Denis is that it’s a place where you can always come home.
St. Denis Medical airs Monday Nights at 8/7c on NBC.
