A lot has happened since we last left the St. Denis crew. Ron underwent major cardiac surgery, Joyce’s birthing center has finally opened, and our favorite ship, Matt and Serena, has made it official. Or have they? St. Denis Medical Season 3 Episode 1 ‘He Ain’t Noah Wyle’ saw Serena having to make a decision about her relationship status with Matt. While Alex learned a valuable lesson in watching what you say around others.
MORE: Need a refresher on how Season 2 ended? Read our review of St. Denis Medical Season 2, Episode 18 ‘We Make Time.’
Sing, Pray, Brunch
Since Matt and Serena met in Season 1 of St. Denis Medical, I’ve been shipping them. Though they finally sealed the deal in the Season 2 finale, Serena still walks around the hospital like nothing has really changed between her and Matt. I know they’re doing cutesy things couples do, but apparently Serena doesn’t see that as them being official.
When Matt overheard Serena tell Brandon that he wasn’t her boyfriend, my reaction was just as shocked as his. Because what do you mean he’s not your boyfriend, Serena? GIRL! What are we doing here? Listen, I do understand, Serena, and I know this is a pattern for her with relationships, but I thought things would be different with Matt. Serena doesn’t want to rush things, and I get it. But I think if she told Matt this, he would understand.
The problem with Serena is her communication skills. That’s a huge part of relationships. And we know that she and Matt have had communication issues in the past. That was before they started dating. If she wasn’t ready to call Matt her boyfriend, she should have told him so. But the thing is, Serena does want Matt to be her boyfriend. It shouldn’t have taken a moment of jealousy for her to realize this.
Serena learned that Matt was going to church on Sundays with Holly. It sounded harmless enough until she found out they were also having brunch afterwards. And it wasn’t just a solo brunch. We’re talking Matt spending time with Holly, her parents, and her Nana. That’s like couple-level stuff. Now, I admit the petty in me enjoyed Serena having to sit with that. I know it’s church, and it is harmless. However, it is a known fact that Holly likes Matt, and she’s told Serena this before.
That fear of Matt and Holly getting closer while sitting side by side on a Sunday was too much for Serena. When she finally told Matt he was her boyfriend, it made me happy, but I hated how we got there. I’m also trying to figure out how I feel about her telling Matt he can’t go to church with Holly anymore. I know it’s a slippery slope but relationships should be built on trust. If Serena is telling Matt what he can’t do what will that mean for the future of their relationship? Of course, Matt’s a sweetheart so he’s going to stop going to church with Holly because it upsets Serena. But again, trust is one of the key pieces in a relationship. I wonder how else they’ll be tested this season.
“Highland Face”
Elsewhere, Alex was navigating working with “Temporary Ron,” Dr. Highland (Damon Wayans), who was filling in for the real Ron during his recovery. Right off the bat, it is obvious Alex doesn’t like Dr. Highland. She thinks “He’s performative” and that he acts like he’s on The Pitt. Everyone else, on the other hand, seems to really like him. But Alex feels that he’s rude.
I’m not sure where she got that vibe from because I don’t think he was rude. In fact, like Val, Serena, and Brandon, I thought she was rude to him. Val summed it up well when she said Dr. Highland was giving back what he got. Alex was rude. In every interaction I watched, she was quite unfriendly. She was definitely making the “Highland face” every time she was around him. I still don’t understand why, though.
I think if we had more time with Wayans on the show than just one episode, they could have built it up a bit more. While I enjoyed Wayans on this episode, it was a little rushed. I was hoping we’d see him longer than just a short appearance. Even his interactions with Ron felt like they didn’t get to breathe. That’s unfortunate because both men are hilarious.
Wayans and Grier worked together decades ago on the comedy sketch show In Living Color. That show had a lot of fun moments between them. St. Denis Medical had a golden opportunity to do more with both men reunited onscreen. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy their scenes, because I did. I just would have loved to see more of that rivalry between the two doctors. And for a lot longer.
But back to Alex versus Dr. Highland.
One of the more frustrating things about Alex is that she’s a great problem solver when it comes to all things healthcare, but she needs to be better at managing relationships with staff. Alex tends to think she knows better than everyone else. When Val and Serena point out that she may be the problem, she makes things worse by trying to fix it. She becomes the performative one, being overly nice to Dr. Highland, trying to relate to him. Unfortunately, all she did was create drama in the hospital.
Dr. Highland wasn’t buying Alex’s attempts to be nice, and she fell right into his trap. I will admit it was messed up for him to tattle on her to Joyce for gossiping about Joyce. But Alex learned a valuable lesson: not everyone is your friend. Dr. Highland owes Alex nothing. He doesn’t know her. They don’t have the same relationship she does with Ron. I believe that is part of the reason she couldn’t stand him. That’s why she freaked out on Ron when Bruce told her he was planning to leave St. Denis.
When Alex confronted Ron in the parking lot, she was angry. But more than that, she was hurt. Ron means a lot to her. And after being there for him during his bypass, she’s only grown to love him more. And not just as a doctor she works with. Ron has become family to her. He balances her out, and he’s become a support system that she can’t live without. It was touching to watch that scene between Allison and David because it reminded me of how great this cast is. This show is not only funny. It has a lot of heart. Of course, Ron decided to stay. Which is wonderful, but what does that mean for his and Joyce’s relationship?
Where’s My Joyce?
After Ron woke up from his surgery, he said, “Where’s my Joyce?” Alex and Bruce happened to be right at his bedside when he said it. Because he was heavily sedated, he didn’t recall the moment until he was shown the footage taken by the camera crew. Now that he knows, the question is, will he tell Joyce?
Will things at work become awkward and uncomfortable for him? Can he get through the workday without slipping up? More importantly, will Bruce and Alex keep quiet? I mean, Alex probably will. Bruce is another story. But I am looking forward to seeing what will happen between them this season.
More Thoughts about “He Ain’t Noah Wyle”:
- Now that the birthing center is up and running, will Kristen Schaal be returning for more episodes? Joyce gave Ashley the midwife position, so I expect to see her.
- Oh, Joyce, I know you wanted that “Best Hospital Administrator in Oregon” award. Maybe next time.
- Bruce and Dr. Emerson made it official. But for how long?
- I love Val. She’s never one to sugarcoat. And I love her for that.
- Val’s church is church. There’s nothing sexy about it. Why are you messing with Serena’s head like that?
- It did motivate her, though, so there’s that.
- Holly, girl! Not you keying Serena’s car!
- Wait… Does this mean a Holly/Matt/Serena love triangle could happen this season?
- Dr. Highland, thinking Ron was a patient: Hilarious.
- “I welcome criticism. Open up the fire hydrant and blast me.” Really, Joyce, you “welcome criticism.” Sure… if that were true, you wouldn’t have been so upset with Alex.
- Alex. Stop throwing your nurses under the bus!
- “You wear too much beige. You look like a walnut.” Brandon! But also, yeah…
- “Your lipstick is for the wrong ethnicity.” Again Brandon?
- Alex. You can’t blame Dr. Highland for what you did. You ran your mouth to the wrong person, and you learned a lesson. Deal with it.
- “This morning he called me brother and I’ve never been called that by a person of color. It felt healing.”
- “You’re stubborn, inconsiderate; you say what’s on your mind. It’s real, and I need that, and you.” Aww, Alex really does love her Ron.
St. Denis Medical airs Monday Nights at 8/7c on NBC.
