Trauma – Halloween in San Francisco

Somewhere, in the Showrunners For Dummies book, there is a cross-referenced note from the Medical Drama and Holiday sections. It’s a rule that Halloween is a more important theme episode than any other holiday of the year. People just seem to be all kinds of crazy come the end of October, and, reliably, the workload for emergency medical professionals increases. Things are no different in San Francisco for our new heroes of Trauma.

Ironically, there seemed to be a lot less action this week. We didn’t see the kid get hit by a car, and the pyrotechnics, both as a prank from the kids and the finale at the costume contest, were relatively lame compared to the standard set by the show in the first couple of episodes (This is probably a good thing … I think the biggest obstacle to Trauma getting a full first season is the high per-episode price tag).

The whole storyline with Kevin Rankin’s Tyler was a bit below what we’ve seen from this show. Whereas so far, the characterization has been straightforward, it’s not always been overt. In this case, the subtlety was at the “being hit over the head with a baseball bat” zone. I’m glad that we’re finally getting more into who Tyler is, but I’m afraid of where Boone sits in all this. He’s easily been the least likable character thus far, and I don’t think this arc is going to help him at all.

Trauma still hasn’t gotten word about a full season, whereas Mercy has already has been picked up. These shows will always be linked together, but I’ve noticed a very big contrast between the two. Whoever is doing the technical advising on Mercy needs to be fired. They just don’t seem to have a good grasp on saying, or doing, the right thing. On the other hand, Trauma has done a very solid job (at least from this quasi-layman’s perspective) at realistically portraying emergency medicine.

Other stuff:

• “We all do our things in different ways.” I liked the odd little tribute to their fallen comrade.
• They give out cookies for Halloween, and the parents let them take them…? Not where I come from.
• When I was in college, a party like that would have gotten a fraternity kicked out of the state.
• “You’re giving a naked co-ed a sponge bath in my copter?”
• Scottie Thompson continues to impress.
• Only one Rabbit/Nancy scene, but it was enough.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Oct 27, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT