Holby City: Sons and daughters

(Series 15, ep.42)  Mo has placed herself firmly in the category of “maverick” this week (and what doctor worth his or her salt in Holby hasn’t been in that category at one time or another?). Determined that her heart transplant patient Hattie wouldn’t die, she told a teeny weeny fib when the heart donor’s mother tried to withdraw consent, and said the procedure was too far gone and couldn’t be stopped.

It was one of those cases where you could see everyone’s point. Mo felt justified because if she hadn’t done what she did, there’d have been two dead girls at the end of the episode instead of one. She also had it in her mind that Hattie’s mother (beautifully played by Eva Pope) had already lost one child. On the other side was the grief of Nicole, the donor’s mother (Lizzie Hopley, also heartbreaking – the scenes between her and Eva Pope were really touching), and poor Jonny Mac, caught in the middle and trying to do what was right and follow procedures.  

Although Hattie survived and Nicole gave her blessing by leaving her daughter’s heart shaped necklace for Hattie (I had a tear in my eye at that point), Jonny couldn’t forgive Mo for putting emotions before protocol and potentially putting both their careers on the line and causing Nicole extra grief. Poor Mo looked devastated – she comes across as tough and feisty, but she needs his support and approval.

On Keller, Digby took some time off from gazing adoringly at Chantelle and being jealous that she was getting too close to a  patient with amnesia, and did some first class diagnostic work. This impressed Hanssen so much that he invited Digby to scrub in on the ensuing surgery.

There are parallels, social-skills-wise, between Digby and Hanssen. Both of them are more at home with books than people, they like life to be quantifiable, they’re occasionally brusque and awkward in their manner, but they can be endearing and charming. This was all highlighted by the arrival of Hanssen’s ex partner, Maja, whom we last saw in the Stockholm episode. She was on a fact-finding mission, but she was also on a mission to see Hanssen and let him know he’s about to become a grandfather (can you picture it? So sweet!).

Chantelle told Digby off for his attitude to his patient (“You haven’t said one kind word…”) and Maja told Hanssen off for his attitude to Digby (“You haven’t given that boy any praise…”). Maja reflected to Chantelle that “some people need to learn those skills and some lose the ability to connect over time.”

Indeed. But maybe connection is possible. At the end of the episode, Hanssen told Digby he was going to nominate him for a national junior doctor’s award. Although he’d tucked the photo of his own son and daughter-in-law in his desk drawer, Hanssen seemed to be almost practising his paternal skills on Digby. All of this, naturally, conveyed by some of Guy Henry’s trademark subtle acting. He hardly moves – it’s like he has to just think an emotion and it’ll somehow appear on his face without his face seeming to change its expression very much at all. And, I have to say, Rob Ostlere has a similar quality. Although Digby is all twitches and mannerisms compared to the very still and serene Hanssen, his great skill is conveying the person beneath the social awkwardness.

Meanwhile, on AAU Mary-Claire finally found out what Dr Posh really thinks of her when she overheard him in the operating theatre. She’s “not the kind of girl you take home to your mother,” apparently. I can only imagine what kind of ghastly nightmare of a mother Dr Posh has, and Mary-Claire is better off out of it. On the other hand, is Dr Honey the kind of girl you’d take home to mama, what with the dodgy website background, the child and the glottal stops?

There was a new face on AAU in the form of anaesthetist Edward Campbell. Now, who else do we know in the hospital with that surname? I’ve taken against Mr Campbell already, because he was very rude to Sacha, the Nicest Man In The Universe. In fact, he seems a bit of a dick generally. I can’t wait to see what Serena makes of him.

Next time: Digby is still jealous of Chantelle and the amnesia patient; Elliot gets some shocking news; and Serena is not best pleased with the new staff member.

Posted by PLA    More Holby City here