DOCTORS -- EPISODE 18

Here. It's the ashcan of "Gangster Doctor."

The episode opens with a teenage Ji Hong talking to his uncle about selling the house he grew up in, and his uncle shows up needing dialysis in the present. The doctors visit Kang Soo, whose prognosis looks good. Yoon Do takes the directorship to help Hye Jung. Later, Hye Jung visits Myeong Hoon and threatens to kill him. He records the conversation and blackmails Ji Hong into taking a research position with it. Woo Jin, the man with the brain-dead wife, contemplates pulling the plug. Seo Woo reconsiders her life choices and recalls a time when she, Soon Hee, and Hye Jung were happy. Three weeks later, Tae Ho has gathered new evidence to take down Myeong Hoon, and he and Ji Hong figure that the elder Hong must have hidden a copy of the file about the illegal slush fund somewhere. That night, he finds the file. Hye Jung visits Ji Hong and is embarrassed about the troubles her actions caused him. He acts unconcerned and kisses her...

I think where Ji Hong proposes is a bit odd. He intentionally just pops the question, without any romantic subtext. And the "gangster doctor," who hasn't evidenced any romantic inclinations at all, automatically says "Not romantic enough"? I don't know. It seems like some of these characters are going through what is known as "character drift," that is, changing already established character traits. I understand the concept of learning and growing, but I have a hard time accepting things that are out of character.


Origami crumpling is supposed to be relaxing...

I thought the scene with Hye Jung and Myeong Hoon was handled well. His Smugness just has a face that begs to be slapped, and he was in fine form here. Initially, until I saw everything, I thought "What the heck?" He says he's scared, but he doesn't act like it. This man seems to have no backbone, so I thought he'd be rattled by a threat like "I'll kill you." But when I found out he recorded the exchange, well, that explains his attitude. I love that because it made me think that maybe he was bluffing, and it turns out he had an ace up his sleeve anyway. Kudos to the writers!

One thing I thought was odd that Ji Hong and his uncle didn't have really any screen time. I felt certain that he would try to make things right with him, or somehow he'd end up super uncomfortable when he bumped into the old man, but there was very little. Dialysis isn't a death sentence, but it does reduce the quality of life and ultimately lifespan. I was hoping for maybe another exchange where he'd make peace with his uncle.  


A new school rule is that you have to try being a clown for awhile. It's part of career counseling. 

'Doctors' continues to remain just a fantastic show from end to end. Any praise I can heap on it has already been done by other critics, so I can simply say that it still stands as the highlight of the week, and when it's gone there will again be an empty space to fill. I like how the politics and relationships are taking center stage. It's about time. We've only got two more left after this, let's wrap this drama up nicely.  

Score

Plot........................9
Cinematography...8
Pacing...................9