NBC’s Brilliant Minds season one winter finale left off with a cliffhanger showing Ericka’s apartment building collapsing. Episode 12 plunges into the aftermath of the collapse, with first responders looking for survivors amid the rubble.
200 people, including Ericka, live in the apartment complex that has partially collapsed.
Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) warns the interns that a flood of traumatized survivors is coming their way. And although it’s against his normal teachings, they need to detach themselves from what’s happening and treat the injured.
The emergency room is quickly jam-packed with patients-some with minor injuries, some critical, and all needing assessment.
Back at the scene, paramedic Katie Rodriguez (from episode 10) is among the first responders helping the injured. A severely injured woman has a skull fracture, as diagnosed by a doctor (Mandy Patinkin) who happens to be on the scene. Her legs are trapped, so Dr. Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears) is called to the scene to help. Oliver heads to the apartment with him, knowing the first responders will be overwhelmed and can use an extra pair of hands. Josh points out, correctly, that Oliver wants to go to see if he can help find Ericka.
Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry) speaks with family members and has them fill out paperwork to help identify their missing loved ones. She takes a minute to speak with a woman named Betsy whose arm is bleeding and learns it’s been bleeding for a while. Carol orders a full workup including blood tests to find out what’s going on.
Oliver admits his face blindness is going to make spotting Ericka hard, and Josh offers his help. A fire captain shows Josh where to find the woman with the skull fracture. He has a list of the deceased and confirms Ericka’s not on it.
Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) comes to on the floor of an elevator, trapped with a woman named Celia and her grandfather, Gene. The building’s unstable and they shout for help.
Van (Alex MacNicoll) and Jacob (Spence Moore II) want to head to the building, but Dana (Aury Krebs) stops them on their way out. She doesn’t think Ericka needs them; she’s not a damsel in distress. Dana insists Ericka’s not hurt and is probably busy helping others. The last thing she needs is Van and Jacob showing up and getting in her way.
Josh’s patient, Jenna Driscoll, is in worse shape than he expected but begs them not to cut off her legs to free her. The fire captain tells Oliver that the foundation is collapsing, and that everyone must evacuate. However, if they move the rubble around Jenna, they could bring down more of the building. The fire captain believes she may need to lose her legs because it will take time to get everyone else out before they can move the rubble.
Back at the hospital, Dana is trying her best to remain optimistic about Ericka. She calls her for the umpteenth time and asks again for Ericka to return her call. Her voice breaks as she begs her to call or text.
Ericka’s not getting the messages because they don’t have service inside the elevator. Gene’s attempting to open the grate in the ceiling when he collapses. Ericka believes he’s having a stroke, but she has nothing to use to help him. All she can do is scream for help.
Josh’s patient’s condition is worsening, and he thinks her legs need to be amputated for any chance of survival. Josh can relieve pressure on her brain right now, but Jenna doesn’t want him touching her brain. Oliver assures her Josh is the best neurosurgeon he’s ever worked alongside. She changes her mind, but only if they find Stuart. They have no idea who Stuart is or where he might be as she lapses into unconsciousness.
Oliver is adamant they can’t do anything without Stuart’s okay. Josh is exasperated, but he gives Oliver five minutes to find Stuart. Oliver steps outside to where the survivors are being treated and yells for Stuart. (His face blindness is making this super difficult.) Paramedic Katie spots Oliver and offers help. She hasn’t seen Ericka and reveals the first responders are now being told to go into the building at their own risk.
Back at the hospital, Van’s mirror-touch syndrome is making it incredibly difficult to deal with how scared the patients are and with their pain. He’s feeling it all, and it’s just too much. Van confesses he froze while trying to give a kid a few sutures. He’s lost without Ericka there as a calm, reassuring presence. Van admits to Jacob that he’s feeling undone, and Jacob suggests he can be his anchor while Ericka isn’t there. Jacob believes that if they don’t hold it together, she’ll kick their butts when she returns.
Ericka listens to Gene’s heart as he taps his fingers. Celia reveals he’s been tapping his fingers a lot, and Ericka realizes the taps are his heartbeat that he’s been hearing in his ears. This might not be a stroke. If she can limit blood flow to his arm, then blood flow can increase in his brain – at least temporarily. Gene immediately regains consciousness when Ericka puts her plan into action.
Oliver returns to Josh and confirms the building is about to come down around them. Oliver doesn’t want Josh to die there. Suddenly, the helpful doctor who’s yet to reveal his name rushes up with Stuart – a dog! Josh can’t believe Jenna wouldn’t let them help her until they found her dog, but as soon as Stuart’s there by her side Jenna’s vitals improve.
Oliver assists Josh as he gets to work reducing the pressure in Jenna’s skull. Once that’s done, Josh accompanies Jenna and Stuart in the ambulance. Before the ambulance leaves, Oliver admits he worried about Josh getting hurt and apologizes for stubbornly searching for Stuart.
Following Jacob’s pep talk, Van returns to the kid who needs stitches and sews him up.
There aren’t enough ambulances to transport the injured, so Oliver flags down a city bus and has it take the wounded to Bronx General.
Carol speaks with Betsy following the tests and informs her that her vitamin levels are too low. Plus, her blood and kidney function suggest she’s dehydrated. Carol wonders if Betsy’s lonely and suggests social isolation can lead to heart disease and stroke. “Fun fact, loneliness is as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” says Carol.
Betsy explains that she retired, her husband died, and then Covid hit. Now, she just stays in her apartment alone. Carol believes that the apartment collapsing and forcing her out of isolation is a second chance for Betsy to reconnect with life.
Ericka, Celia, and Gene hear two cables break and decide to remain still. They’re quietly talking when firefighters pry open the door. Gene’s removed first and Celia tells Ericka to go next since her grandfather will need her in the ambulance. As soon as Ericka’s removed, another cable snaps and the elevator plunges. A loud crash and a cloud of dirt follow seconds later.
Oliver returns with the busload of patients and shakes his head when the interns look to see if he found Ericka. Fortunately, she arrives shortly after Wolf. Dana points out she’s bleeding just as Ericka passes out. Wolf catches her before she falls.
Wolf sews Ericka up and confesses that he never wanted to deal with interns, which is why Carol didn’t tell him that was part of his job description. “But now, I really can’t imagine coming to work without you,” says Wolf.
“See, told you you’d want me around,” replies Ericka.
Dana checks in on Ericka and Ericka admits she’s not sure she deserved to live when Celia died. She wonders how she’ll be able to look at Gene and tell him his grandfather passed away. Ericka doesn’t think she can do it.
Dana finds Gene and delivers the devastating news so Ericka doesn’t have to.
Oliver and his mom, Dr. Muriel Landon (Donna Murphy), go over the remaining patients who’ll be under Oliver’s care. Muriel admits she’s impressed with his entire team and believes he’s an excellent doctor and leader. She says the hospital needed him, and Oliver thanks his mom for taking a chance on him.
Jacob and Van have a chat during their downtime and Van’s thankful that Jacob was his anchor during the hectic day. He and Ericka are over, and he’s happy Jacob’s there for support. Van’s ex walks in with his son, Liam, and Van introduces him to Jacob. They share their secret handshake with Jacob, and Jacob’s jazzed to be part of the club.
Dana turns down a chance to go out karaoking with Katie, and Katie adds her number to Dana’s phone under hot EMT. Instead of going out, Dana stays home with Ericka. Ericka can’t believe all her things are gone, and Dana suggests she move in. Ericka leans her head on Dana’s shoulder, relieved and to have her as a friend.
Oliver and Josh have a quiet, romantic night in. Oliver’s voiceover suggests people build walls to protect themselves. It’s safer to pretend we don’t need anyone in our lives. However, most people who do that really want someone to tear down those walls and let them know the ground won’t fall out from under them.
The season’s penultimate episode ends with Muriel returning home and discovering a broken window. Oliver’s father (Mandy Patinkin!) is standing at the sink, and she tells him he can’t be there. Muriel asks if Oliver’s seen him, and he admits he’s seen Oliver. “You’re right. He is his father’s son,” says Noah.
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 1 Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 2 “The Disembodied Woman” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 3 “The Lost Biker” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 4 “The Blackout Bride” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 5 “The Haunted Marine” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 6 “The Girl Who Cried Pregnant” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 7 “The Man from Grozny” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 8 “The Lovesick Widow” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 9 “The Colorblind Painter” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 10 “The First Responder” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 11 “The Other Woman” Recap
- Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 13 “The Man Who Can’t See Faces” Recap
This post was last modified on January 6, 2025 11:10 pm