Code Black (TV Series) Life and Limb (2016) User Reviews

I enjoyed this great episode

[lester_laurie123 · 9/10 · 26 November 2017]

Just wanted to share some of my thoughts on this episode:

The drop-in that Ethan was going to be around for at least two years was nice. Too bad that kind of expository line is verboten when it comes to Neal and Christa's whereabouts.

I'm missing Malaya and Angus moments. When will they get to work/commiserate over life together?

"Millennial out" might be the best mic drop exit line ever.

Now that the interns are settling in, I like them more and more. The initial exposition for them (and Ethan) was a little shaky, but the rough waters are smoothing out.

The way that Leann and Ethan's working relationship is developing feels really organic. I look forward to both their collaborations and their squabbles equally.

......

This was a really good episode and I enjoyed it. I hope this is an indication of what we will see more of in Code Black season 2.

A pleasant episode

[sbeattyimdb-30065 · 10/10 · 26 November 2017]

"Life and Limb" is an example of some very heavy lifting from Code Black. The sheer number of patients, and the way the episode moves doctors between cases, is something that deserves a round of applause.

This is a ferocious pace that most medical dramas would never touch, and there's a really good reason for that; the more balls you put in the air, the more you have to juggle and the episode is at risk of becoming too much sound and fury signifying nothing. However, Code Black perfected its juggling act a long time ago, back with episodes like Season 1's "Black Tag."

Everyone comes to play, and nothing stops at Angels Memorial just because there's one crisis. There are always other patients to be treated, and often something picked up in one situation can help with another, such as Mario treating Beth's case as he's dealing with his father's rebukes.

The show is also emboldened by the caliber of its guest actors, which has continued to be on a whole other level in Season 2. Seeing the likes of Roberts and Camryn Manheim in the Angels Memorial hallways is appealing as a TV fan and it also means we get strong performances all the way around. When the patients and their loved ones are portrayed this well, it means we're even more invested in what happens to them.

Plot-wise, "Life and Limb" spreads the love around a lot more than "Second Year," which was really focused on introducing the Ethan Willis character. In particular, there's some great development for the residents so we're not just looking at them as the kid doctors running around. Charlotte makes a bad call and tries to fix it; Noa keeps Charlotte from hanging herself; and Elliot proves he's good for more than comic relief (although he's got awhile to go to truly get past that, with things like the "virgin" comment). These characters still need to keep growing but at least they're starting to find their own distinct personalities.

What's really interesting are two dynamics: Savetti and his father, and Willis with Campbell and to a lesser extent Rorish. The former is one of those "it all makes sense now" things as you can see how Mario became the pain in the behind we met last year, because his father is an even worse pain in the behind. It's very telling and Benjamin Hollingsworth does a wonderful job with the whole "disapproving parent" material.

In the bigger picture, the sort of ongoing power struggle between Willis, Campbell, and Rorish is really fun as all of them have their own semblances of authority and no one is really ultimately in charge. Campbell is the leader on paper but Willis isn't going to take his crap (nor should he). Leanne has the experience and the respect of her peers, but we see her having worked multiple shifts and accepting that even she is worn out. In addition, Willis comes in like this free agent but he's chafing at having to work within the Angels Memorial system.

These three are going to continue to butt heads, and that's fantastic for viewers, because who doesn't want to see Rob Lowe, Boris Kodjoe, and Marcia Gay Harden go back and forth?

"Life and Limb": A skillfully done episode

[mlee22 · 10/10 · 26 November 2017]

Dead teenagers, terrible dads, and reuniting long-lost siblings - Code Black #2.2 didn't pull any punches. The interns are still settling into the rhythm at Angels, but even veterans of the busiest ER can learn something new.

With Mike still in a coma, Angus is seeing everything in a different light. Mario may end up having a similar experience now that his father is a patient - but maybe not. Mr. Savetti isn't exactly a warm fuzzy presence like Mike is after all.

The bus crash got things off to a strong start, and my only regret is that the energy faded out after the first round of patients. This case could easily dominate the hour, without any side cases. There probably still could have been a way to work in something about brothers to parallel Angus' situation instead of Noa's schizophrenic.

Dare I say that...the first 5 minutes of this episode felt like...the old Code Black? The show has already changed so much, and it looks that season two will only continue to reinvent and redefine the show. This is unquestionably okay since every show does take a time to "find its voice and let it sing," and season two looks to be that way for Code Black.

Focusing more on the crash would also have given us more time with Camryn Manheim. I love her so much and only wish that either her role would have been bigger or that, better yet, she'd shown up in some kind of recurring role instead of as a one-off. Leanne could use a friend outside of Mama, and Manheim would have been a good fit.

Jonathan McClendon really impressed me as the team captain. There was more to explore with his father and their relationship, but what we did see was well done. The way that Ethan and Charlotte stepped in to help him beyond what was required of them as ER docs made me like both characters even more (which, admittedly, was part of the point of that).

Leanne and Ethan butt heads over the case of the team captain.

~~~

Leanne: Let me tell you something about that girl. She finished top of her class. Her film career didn't do that for her. She did. She has a brilliant brain. She has a big heart.

Ethan: Maybe I'm just used to military protocol.

Leanne: She's not in the military. She's a first-year resident, which means she's not ready for the consequences of a mistake like that. Ethan: None of us are.

~~~

It's looking like Leanne and Ethan disagreeing will become a common theme. Let's just hope it doesn't become overplayed, as it easily could. Although, if it isn't them butting heads, it would probably be her and Will or him and Will. Likely all 3 of them. Time will only tell how it will flesh out, though.

Charlotte is obviously the writing team's favorite new intern. I like her, too, but it feels like Elliot and Noa are being overshadowed. Also, the implied photographic memory thing? I guess it makes sense why she was a star actress, but eidetic memory/genius team member is the most overplayed trope out there.

I'd honestly rather find out that she was top in her class despite it being hard for her, that not only did she have to overcome assumptions about her famous childhood, but that she had to work twice as hard academically. Or at least 1.5 times as hard.

Meanwhile, all we know about Noa is that she's got a little bit of a hard candy shell protecting her soft center and that she likes to skateboard. As for Elliot...I felt as awkward finding out that he's a virgin as Jesse and Mario did. What does that have to do with anything? Didn't he do an OB rotation?

His awkward revelation aside, the case he was working on was...interesting...just not from a medical perspective. The only takeaway on that front was that everyone should always be overly honest and upfront with their doctors, which has been expressed a million ways on TV over the years.

It's too bad that this case was relegated to a B-plot because some deeper exploration of trans issues would have helped. Instead, there was a general feeling of it being an after-school special or quick Schoolhouse Rocks! explanation for those that have been living under a rock for the past few years.

Beth having to explain the difference between gender identity and sexuality was educational, but also seemed like the show may be underestimating their audience. At the very least, it's hard to believe that Mario, an urban millennial, honestly doesn't have an understanding of difference.

~~~

Jesse: Wake up and smell the estrogen. Mario: She's trans? But you examined the pelvis, how did you not know she was a dude? Elliot: Because she's not a dude. She's a woman, dude. Jesse: You tell him, Sugarbear.

~~~

Maybe Mario was just really distracted by his blockhead of a father and that's why he was asking questions he should know the answer to. I'm curious what the drama between him and Savetti Sr. is because alcoholism doesn't seem like quite enough on its own to ramp the animosity up that high. I mean, was anybody shocked by this revelation?

Maybe Mario confronting his father will help knock what remains of that chip on his shoulder away. He's matured a lot since the pilot, but there's always room more growth. We'll have to see.

"Life and Limb" is a step in the right direction for Code Black

[jheignbaugh · 10/10 · 26 November 2017]

A major accident puts the entire team to the test, and Savetti has to face his deadbeat father in a tough episode of Code Black.

It's time for another massive vehicular accident on Code Black as a school bus full of soccer players collides with a semi-truck on the I-5 freeway. And when we say massive, we really do mean massive.

The whole team is summoned to Center Stage as victims arrive at Angels Memorial in waves, and the camera crews on this show deserve an award for being able to navigate throughout the chaotic ER so fluidly. There is almost nothing but ER work in the teaser and it's a thing of beauty.

When the initial storm subsides, we meet our principal characters for the episode. Team captain Holden Paxton might lose his leg, and Willis rakes Charlotte over the coals for it, which doesn't go over well with Rorish.

After Campbell can't save the limb in the OR, he recommends amputation. The doctors have to break the bad news to Holden's father, Alex, who thinks his son would "rather die than do what you're asking."

Willis appeals to Alex to try to talk some sense into his son, but the father shifts the blame back to him. "I consented," Alex retorts, "but you have to make him do it. You're the doctor. I can't. For the rest of life he'll know me as the guy who convinced him to take his leg off."

Holden is soon being wheeled into surgery, and Willis is covering for Charlotte with Campbell, or trying to. "I've been treated special my whole life. I don't want that here," she insists before Campbell warns her not to say anything and Willis realizes what we all know: Campbell's a jerk.

He then calls some of his military colleagues - who are themselves amputees - to show Holden that he has options for his future, before revealing to Rorish that the Army "decided to park me" in the hospital and making sure that Charlotte doesn't lose faith in herself after the events of the day.

Alice Williams is the distraught wife of the truck driver, who can't handle the idea that her husband was responsible for the collision or that he might still lose his own life because of it.

When her husband comes to, Rorish placates him by telling him that no one died in the accident. Malaya asks why she lied when they know he was on amphetamines, and Rorish explains that she "decided to choose grace."

Elsewhere, there are still other cases to be handled and one is particularly close to home. Mario's father, Vince Savetti, turns up for the first time in two years injured and looking for money. "You'll never be able to pay back what you owe me," Mario snarls after Vince's arrival allows an out of control patient to escape.

But despite the animosity Mario still jumps into action when his father's condition worsens. "His liver's failing," Angus says to which his BFF replies, "That's what happens when you're an alcoholic." The arguing continues even after the diagnosis, with Vince referring to his son as "a disappointment" and Mario responding, "Yeah, well, right now I'm your doctor."

Once the crazed patient is sedated, Noa, Angus, and Rollie identify him as Mark Goddard and locate his brother Brian. Mark is eventually up and at it by the end of the episode and literally plays us out.

Beth comes into Angels Memorial with severe abdominal pain and is shortly revealed to be transgender. Unfortunately, her girlfriend, Rose, wasn't aware of that and runs off.

Jesse has to bring Rose back around, just like he did for the married couple in the season premiere, while Beth gives Mario someone to connect with when it comes to not being understood.

Moreover, lest you think Code Black has forgotten, Mike Leighton remains in a coma but at least he's moving his hand.