Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 18 Recap: Oliver’s Back at Bronx General

By
Rebecca Murray
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Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 18 Recap
John Clarence Stewart, Zachary Quinto, Brian Altemus, and Ashleigh LaThrop in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 18 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)

As NBC’s Brilliant Minds season two, episode 18 begins, Oliver (Zachary Quinto) explains that new habits take a while to form. And speaking of new things, apparently, he’s taken up baking. Carol (Tamberla Perry) seems both surprised and ready for a taste test, but his latest creation is for his new friends Hector and Otto at Hudson Oaks.

Oliver confesses that he thinks Josh might still have feelings for him. Carol thinks he should just ask him. She catches him up on what he’s missed at the hospital, casually tossing in that she and Dr. Anthony Thorne are sleeping together.

(The following is a recap of season two, episode 18 – “Through the Looking Glass” – and there are spoilers.)

Oliver arrives for his first day back with a basket full of blueberry muffins. His team compliments his baking skills (they don’t mean it) and then fills him in on Neuro’s current patients. It’s an awkward meeting, and afterward Dana (Aury Krebs) tells Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) that she’s certain Oliver still hates her.

Josh (Teddy Sears) and Oliver’s first work meeting is also a little awkward, and Oliver apologizes for everything. He asks Josh to grab dinner but then stumbles through what the invitation means. Oliver quickly makes up a dinner party that will include Carol and others, since he doesn’t want to describe it as a date. He even suggests that Josh can bring Beau.

Oliver’s needed in the emergency department and Anthony (John Clarence Stewart) peppers him with questions about Hudson Oaks. Ericka and Charlie (Brian Altemus) join Oliver to meet with Greer (Rebecca Liddiard) and Fox Lawton (Kelly Penner), who are worried about their infant daughter, Sage. Sage just started daycare and has been constipated for three days. Oliver suggests a full workup, although this could just be normal growth issues.

Meanwhile, a bank robber freaks out when she thinks the people inside of the bank have suddenly become small. The cops arrive outside and she asks for a doctor. Carol’s called out and Oliver volunteers to join her since this could be a neurological issue.

The robber, Alyssa (Ana Ortiz), describes what she’s feeling over the phone, explaining that everything feels wrong. Oliver’s asking the right questions and Alyssa wants him to come inside the bank. He agrees, and NYPD gives him 15 minutes to get her to surrender before SWAT takes over.

Alyssa’s shocked they sent in a crazy doctor after Oliver explains he just got out of the psychiatric facility. She agrees to let him examine her and is stunned that his flashlight looks massive when it’s actually normal size. Alyssa reveals she just got out of prison, couldn’t get a job, and just wants to be with her wife. She was trying to leave the bank with the money she stole, but the door was much too small for her to use.

Ericka and Charlie tell Sage’s parents that they need to run a few more tests because Sage’s heart rate is a little slow. Charlie suggests they call Oliver, but Ericka thinks they can manage this themselves.

Alyssa’s wife, Tess, arrives in the command van and assures Carol that Alyssa would never hurt anyone. Alyssa’s sense of time has been off, and she’s just not acting right. Carol radios Oliver to tell him about the time distortions. The hostages watch as Oliver walks in place, which he explains is part of an experiment. He does it for a few seconds; Alyssa thinks it’s been 10 minutes.

Oliver understands her brain’s deceiving her and that it’s making her feel like an alien among normal people. He reminds her she’s not alone and that he’s with her. Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. The security guard shot her!

Alyssa’s taken to the ER and fortunately, it’s not life-threatening. Anthony patches her up and passes her on to neuro. Oliver wants to handle her case, but Josh says the PD wants to take her in. Medically, she’s cleared so they can take her any time.

Oliver informs his team that he thinks Alyssa has Todd’s syndrome, also known as Alice in Wonderland syndrome. However, they need to find the root cause, which requires multiple tests.

Josh yells at Nico (Al Calderon) for not telling him Oliver went to a bank robbery. Nico wonders if he only cares because it was Oliver—the person he asked for when he was on the brink of death in the hyperbolic chamber. Josh is stunned to learn that he looked up at Beau and said Oliver’s name. Nico’s sure it’s because he loves Oliver.

Carol and Oliver discuss Josh’s reaction to the bank robbery episode, and Oliver finally admits that’s not what’s bothering him. He thinks everyone hates his muffins but won’t tell him because they’re afraid he’ll snap and need to return to Hudson Oaks.

Before heading off to check on Sage, Oliver informs Carol that not only is she invited to the dinner party, Anthony’s also on the guest list.

Sage’s condition has deteriorated and Oliver disconnects her from all drips. He quickly diagnoses her with botulism. They may never know the source, but it is treatable.

Alyssa’s CT scan is completely normal and Oliver listens as she explains she could not find a job and there are people she needs to help. That’s why she’s resorted to robberies. However, today was the first time she experienced Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. She’s still feeling it as they talk, seeing Oliver as only a few inches tall.

Oliver apologizes to Dana for how he reacted to learning she reported Carol. He admits he had no right to respond so badly. Dana is relieved because she thought he hated her. She launches herself into a hug that Oliver tolerates. Dana’s happy to have him back and Oliver confesses that he liked the staff there, except for Dr. Frederick. He confesses that he believes she’s taking advantage of the patients there.

Tess is devastated that the cops are taking Alyssa away. She just got her back. Alyssa’s been caught up in trying to provide financial support and hasn’t been home much, and now she’s going away again.

An alarm sounds, alerting Oliver and the team that Alyssa’s condition has changed. She’s given a different scan that shows an abscess in her temporal lobe. Oliver asks Dana how she wants to treat this, and it’s determined they need to look for the source of the abscess—which isn’t the brain.

Oliver realizes Alyssa’s new prison tattoo is the source of the abscess. Tess and Alyssa kiss, and Alyssa assures her next time will be different.

Nico learns that a bougie formula’s been recalled because it’s causing botulism. Greer apologizes to Fox because she’s been supplementing feedings with the formula. It turns out Fox was also feeding her the formula at night instead of waking Greer. They feel horrible, but Ericka points out they got Sage the help she needed.

Carol invites Anthony to the dinner party that Oliver’s throwing as a weird scheme to reunite with Josh. Neither Carol nor Anthony thinks it’s time to take their relationship public, so they’ll try to keep their hands off each other.

Josh pauses by Greer and Fox’s room as they pack up with Sage to leave the hospital. Oliver’s smiling while holding the baby and that freezes Josh in his tracks.

Alyssa’s given Tess a locker key and inside is a bag full of cash from recent robberies.

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 18 Recap
Teddy Sears, John Clarence Stewart, Tamberla Perry, and Zachary Quinto in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 18 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)

Josh arrives at Oliver’s place for the dinner party and Oliver’s surprised that Beau’s not with him. And it turns out Oliver’s just serving a huge platter of sausages to Carol, Anthony, Josh, Dana, Ericka, and Nico. He thanks his friends for their support and for welcoming him back to Bronx General. However, he suggests to his guests that they stop walking on eggshells and tell him if they don’t like his muffins. Nico confirms Oliver isn’t a good baker.

Dana quietly mentions to Oliver that she wants to investigate Amelia Frederick. She doesn’t think Oliver is being paranoid. Dana’s worried that Amelia’s exploiting the system. Oliver toasts to their investigation.

Later, Josh helps with the dishes, and Oliver finally realizes he just threw a sausage party. Josh responds, “Yeah …if they didn’t know you were gay before.” They laugh and Oliver says he’s trying to do new things and be more open and honest about his needs. That prompts Josh into admitting that he and Beau are taking a break because Beau thinks he has feelings for Oliver.

Josh confesses he’s working on figuring it out.

 

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