With many other shows in this drama, the story historically comes down to fixing the patient, though there are certainly outliers. Brilliant Minds finds a new path, introducing patients whose conditions are frequently irreversible. As such, the doctors use their knowledge and outside-of-the-box thinking to help their patients understand what’s happening to their bodies, accept their new normal, and find an alternative way forward to live a long, happy life. For instance, the pilot episode explores a story about a mother who cannot recognize her two sons after undergoing surgery to stop her epileptic seizures. Another episode details a condition that causes a former WNBA star to lose control of her body. Should their patient’s condition be curable, it leads to life-changing developments that similarly test the doctors. Though the stories are interesting, insightful, and sometimes brutal to watch, they inspire optimism and hope for the future, even if/when things take an unexpected turn down a rough road.
Credit: Rafy/NBC
Additionally, to see doctors actually listen to their patients and prioritize their well-being is somewhat cathartic. It doesn’t mean they’re perfect; in fact, the doctors are forced to recognize their own biases and how those factor into their work, like Ericka’s instant dismissal of a stereotypical frat bro whose symptoms she wrote off as recreational drug use and college nonsense but turned out to be much more deadly. Wolf is constantly at odds with others, fighting for what’s best for his patients, whether it’s disagreeing with Dr. Nichols about the best path forward or fighting his mother and the hospital’s Chief, Muriel (Donna Murphy). Wolf’s face blindness also introduces another intriguing layer to the stories explored.
One of my favorite elements of Brilliant Minds is exploring the long-lasting effects of unresolved trauma. The regular flashbacks to moments throughout Wolf’s life and seeing that he has not dealt with the trauma, in spite of decades passing in between then and the present day, is such honest, character-centered storytelling. Visual media so often focuses on a character’s recent trauma, which is certainly great in its own way, but doesn’t take the time to truthfully depict how trauma endured at a formative age shapes a person and drives them well into adulthood. If it is addressed, as with the medical conditions on other shows, it’s about finding a fix and the character moving past it, rather than acknowledging and working around it. For example, the loss of his father as a teenager is something Wolf has never recovered from nor come to fully understand, which contributes to his self-isolation and unhealthy habits. Similarly, the poor reaction from his mother upon his sexuality coming to light has haunted and scarred him, severely impacting every relationship he’s been in since. As the first season consisted of only thirteen episodes and was heavily focused on Wolf, here’s hoping future seasons delve into this kind of storytelling with the others in the ensemble.
Credit: Rafy/NBC
Finally, in addition to the optimism found within the show, Brilliant Minds is a ray of hope for Hollywood and the world at large. Much like the country has in recent years, Hollywood has taken a disturbing turn in terms of representation. The number of LGBTQ+ characters in the media has drastically decreased. Network television has been hit particularly hard by this. Brilliant Minds is a light in the darkness, embracing diversity and intersectionality whilst portraying an honest version of life. Plus, the importance of the blossoming romance between Wolf and Nichols, two career-driven men who frequently butt heads but find unexpected love in their forties, which so happens to be the main relationship of the series, cannot be understated, particularly given how the sitting President and his administration continuously attack the LGBTQ+ community, and with federally-protected same-sex marriage potentially in jeopardy.
All in all, Brilliant Minds is a burst of hope and optimism in a time where those things are desperately needed. My words cannot capture the pure essence of beautiful humanity found in nearly every moment, promising and delivering a sliver of a world where people embrace their capacity for empathy and seek to help each other. It’s worth a watch, and now is the perfect time to catch up on Peacock because the second season premieres tonight (September 22)!