We have reached the Season 2 finale of St. Denis Medical. Episode 18, ‘We Make Time,’ was a half-hour filled with Matt and Serena trying to get some time alone to talk about their parking lot kiss. But it was also an emotional episode that focused on Ron’s triple bypass surgery. And it reminded us why we love this show.
MORE: Need a refresher? Read our review of St. Denis Medical Season 2, Episode 17!
When I began shipping Matt and Serena in Season 1 of St. Denis Medical, I was rooting for them to get to their very first kiss. It took a lot of time to get to that moment, and when it finally happened in this season, I was over the moon. I will admit I did have those Matt-level concerns regarding what things would be like between him and Serena once it did happen. That’s only because of that very awkward period between them after Serena learned about his crush on her in St. Denis Medical Season 1 Episode 18 ‘This Place Is Our Everything.’
See You Monday
Things got so awkward, in fact, that Matt didn’t even want to work in the same area as her. Thankfully, that was short-lived, and things got somewhat back to normal. Minus learning that Matt was once married, and Serena was hooking up with Chaplain Steve. But they both came to their senses, so yay for that. That being said, some post-kiss awkwardness did rear its ugly head. But not in the way you would think.
Matt has been waiting approximately two years to kiss Serena, and it was one of the best moments of his life. But of course, as we have come to know Matt and how he is, he’s a naturally awkward guy. That awkwardness causes him to sometimes say or do things out of the norm. But we love that about him. Serena does too, but not in the aftermath of their kiss.
The thing is, after Matt kissed Serena, his exact words to her were “Alright, I’ll see you Monday.” Obviously, Serena didn’t know what to do with this response. And on top of that, she didn’t hear from him all weekend. A whole weekend! This messed with Serena’s head, which oddly kind of gave me a weird satisfaction. Not because he essentially “ghosted” her over the weekend. But because it was more proof that her feelings for Matt are very real.
I’ve seen Matt showcase basically all of his emotions when it comes to Serena. His face always tells us everything, including when he feels hurt or rejected. Serena, on the other hand, does show emotion in her own way. But it’s never been at such an intense level until now. So when Matt kissed her, and she didn’t hear from him, she took that to mean maybe he was embarrassed that it happened. Especially because he told her he was “In his head” about it.
I wish I could virtually take Serena’s hand in mine and tell her that Matt is not embarrassed about kissing her. That’s not even something that makes sense for Matt. And considering Serena was fully aware of Matt’s crush, I cannot even believe she would think that. Matt would never do that to her. That’s not in his nature. Which is why I was so glad they were able to resolve it by having a conversation.
Granted, it took basically the entire shift for the two of them to get a moment alone because, well, they were at work. And work is the worst place to have a conversation about a kiss. Which is why he should’ve called her on the weekend, but I digress. Once they did have a moment to talk, Matt explained why he didn’t call: she makes him nervous, and his feelings for her make him nervous. COME ON! Can Matt get any cuter? That’s adorable. And it’s honest.
I’m sure Bruce had a lot to do with Matt being brave enough to admit this to Serena. But I also think Ron unknowingly influenced Matt. With Ron going in for triple bypass surgery, it made everyone realize how important it is to make time for the things that matter. And that’s what Matt did.
My Ron
It’s the day of Ron’s triple bypass surgery, and the only people he told were Joyce and Bruce. The reason was that he didn’t want everyone to make a big deal about it. And I totally get it. Ron’s a naturally private person, and he prefers to avoid any fuss or hoopla. Unfortunately for him, Joyce accidentally let it slip to all the staff that Ron was at St. Denis and preparing for his procedure.
As a result of Joyce telling the staff that Ron was at the hospital, a huge line formed outside his room. I didn’t realize how many people care about Ron. Neither did Alex. Alex was under the impression that she and Ron had a special relationship and that they were friends. When she found out that he had hidden his surgery date from everyone, including her, she was hurt.
I think we’ve all been in this situation before. Where we think our relationship with someone is closer than it really is. So I felt bad for Alex. She’s gotten to know Ron very well, and he’s given her a lot of advice since she became the Charge Nurse in Season 1 of St. Denis Medical. The thing is, Alex also has to understand that she isn’t the only one who has bonded in some way with Ron.
Joyce is Ron’s best friend. They’ve known each other for years. She spent most of the episode frantically running around in her Joyce way because it offered a distraction from worrying about her friend. Bruce, who has also formed a friendship with Ron, spent the time stressing out about whether Dr. Emerson’s (Ariana Madix) Vegas trip was going to affect her focus on completing Ron’s surgery. Val chose to speak about Ron as if he didn’t make it through surgery, which is a crazy coping mechanism, but this is Val, so are we shocked?
After Ron goes missing 30 minutes before his procedure, Joyce enlists Alex to help find him. She agreed to do it even though she was still upset he didn’t tell her about his surgery. She finds him in the stairwell sniffing a Nutrageous bar, which is so on brand for him. Plus, it’s the only moment he’s had any peace since setting foot into the hospital for the surgery. A triple bypass surgery is no joke. And Ron was scared.
Ron Loves His St. Denis Family
He asks Alex to wait with him until it’s time. What followed was one of the most emotional scenes I’ve witnessed on St. Denis Medical since the series began. First, let me just say that David Alan Grier brought so much vulnerability and heart to this moment. He and Allison Tolman have such a wonderful dynamic, and they pulled on my heart.
While they wait, Ron asks Alex if she can call his family after the surgery to let them know that he had surgery and everything went fine. Alex was shocked to find out Ron hadn’t told them, so she asked him why. He looked her straight in the eye and said, “I didn’t tell my family I was having bypass surgery today because I didn’t want to worry the people in my family.” Even as I’m typing these words, I’m crying all over again.
As Alex sits with those words, it dawns on her that Ron is referring not only to his blood family. He’s also talking about his St. Denis family. When she realizes that he sees her and everyone else as his work family, the tears fell immediately. Ron is a big teddy bear. He looks out for everyone. And as Matt said, he’s very grounding for a lot of people. He doesn’t often share how he feels, and even if it seems like he doesn’t always care about the people he works with, he does. He cared so much that he didn’t want to put them through the stress or possibly the pain if things didn’t go well.
My Joyce
Thankfully, the surgery went well, and everyone is relieved. And some people were left shocked by something they heard. When Ron starts to wake up in recovery, as Bruce and Alex watch him, he says the words “Where’s my Joyce?” Like Matt and Serena’s first kiss, this moment made me extremely giddy. Back when I did my review of St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 8 ‘A Waste of Time and Marble,’ I presented a theory that Ron has feelings for Joyce. After hearing him ask for her, I am more convinced than ever that I was right on the money.
Once again, Alex and Bruce are aware of something that nobody else is. What they choose to do with this information should be interesting. Will they tell Ron they heard him? And if they do, how awkward will it make things for him in St. Denis Medical Season 3? As I said earlier, this was a very good half-hour of TV and the perfect season finale. There was a lot of really good character development. And we got some decent movement in a lot of the storylines. I look forward to what’s to come in the upcoming season.
Other Thoughts About the Episode
- “When white women get spooked, they often turn to arts and crafts.”
- Bruce was freaking out about his bestie Ron’s surgery. That’s so sweet.
- “I can’t lose Ron. I’ve lost people close to me.” Awwww Bruce.
- Dr. Emerson and Bruce are looking awfully close these days.
- Everyone telling their Ron stories as they waited for his surgery to finish put me in my feels.
- Finding out that Ron took Matt, Serena, and other staff members out for burgers and shakes when they started. Insert teary-eyed emoji here.
- Vals break down when she learned that Ron was fine after his surgery was so real. We’ve all been there. When that emotional crash hits, it’s something.
- Wishing I had bet money on my Ron and Joyce theory. J/K. but also not.
St. Denis Medical has been renewed for Season 3 on NBC.
Excellent review. Really broke it down for me and gave me all the feels. Eager for more! Thank you, Jasmine!