Code Black (TV Series) Hero Complex (2016) User Reviews

"Hero Complex" (#2.6)

[Bonnie-45100 · 10/10 · 21 November 2017]

I love it when an episode's medical cases influence directly in the doctor's lives. It's something beautiful to see, and Code Back has a lock on that trick. This is especially apparent in "Hero Complex."

The parallels are revealed in a way that does not feel too forced, and the writers and directors should be admired for their work. Malaya treats a patient who was assaulted on her campus, and this was not easy for Malaya, as it reopened some painful wounds for her as she relived her own assault experience when helping her patient, Joy. But, as per Leanne's reminder, Malaya tries her best not to get lost in her memories, but rather use them to help Joy heal from the traumatic experience she has experienced. The twist that came with the episode regarding the alleged hero was not all too startling, as there were times where it seemed to allude to him as being the assaulter. Needless to say, that does not discredit how heartbreaking it was when Joy discovered that she confused the wrong people when she "said horrible things to him." Malaya did a great job of comforting Joy, and honestly, the writers deserve an Emmy already.

Additionally, #2.6 had yet another heartbreaking twist involving assisted suicide. In case we all were not upset enough, I think it is safe to say that this case just added insult to injury. Code Black did a great way of presenting the story lines alone, but doing both of them together was groundbreaking. Suicide and assault are the two darkest topics a medical drama could dream of addressing, but Code Black did it in a way that did justice to both topics. It goes without saying, though, that it was still all a lot to digest.

It's rather hard to impress me but this episode was breathtaking. Code Black has been growing to be one of the best medical dramas out there and it deserves more attention. I love this show. When a film can move you to tears from week to week, it is safe to say you are watching something pretty good. (Not to mention that each episode also has a large degree of intensity!) This one will go down in the books as one of my favorite episodes of this series.

Nicely done

[miguelgoodman · 10/10 · 29 March 2018]

By episode 3, I was starting to lose interest in this show, but immediately after that, it just got so good. From episode 4 and on, it just keeps getting better and better. I was saying to myself that, if the show keeps up going downhill like that in episode 3 and 1, I won't keep watching, but suddenly, wow! I mean WOW! At any time I start to lose interest in this show, it just starts to surprise me and gets so much better.

I couldn't believe what I was watching. I am a 29 year old hetero male and I never cried so much to a simple television episode. This episode was very heavy and hard to watch. It takes a lot to impress me. This episode touched me. This was one of the few magical moments you get to witness on TV. It's an overwhelming experience that will grab you so hard, you won't be able to look away from the TV. If you cry easily (and I don't), have lots and lots of tissues nearby for this one.

To the writers - keep it up like this. It's totally awesome.

Tough pill to swallow.

[Bubble4 · 10/10 · 4 July 2017]

"Hero Complex" tackles rape and the right to die – two of the most difficult and divisive topics any medical drama can handle. But this being Code Black, it does justice to them both.

College student Joy Samton (True O'Brien) wakes up at Angels Memorial with no idea of how she got there; it's up to Malaya (Melanie Chandra) to tell her that she was found being raped outside of a frat party. Meanwhile, the guy who saved her and the one who is presumed to have attacked her are being treated downstairs, which creates all sorts of ethical issues on top of the emotional drama. Malaya is almost as shell-shocked as her patient since she went through a similar situation with Gordon Heshman in Season 1, but Leanne (Marcia Gay Harden) tells her that common ground is what makes her the exact right doctor for the job. This isn't just about treating Joy's injuries; it's about helping her heal emotionally. Joy is desperate to know the details of her assault. She goes so far as to drag herself downstairs and confront her apparent rapist, telling him "I hope you're broken, just like me." But one wound proves that the roles were reversed; the guy who claimed to save her is the one who attacked her, and the accused is the actual hero.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Willis (Rob Lowe) treats a young cancer patient, Whitney (Jonna Walsh), who's a former patient of Campbell (Boris Kodjoe). Naturally, Campbell has his idea of what should be done for her and Willis has his. These two probably couldn't agree on the time of day and they get a humdinger of a talking point when Whitney asks Campbell to help her end her life. Campbell refuses outright and calls Whitney's mother Geraldine (Annabeth Gish), who wants to take her daughter home. But Willis, while first conceding that Campbell has a point, is more open to what his patient wants. He talks to Geraldine and she comes around to the idea of letting Whitney go, while she and Willis stay with her until the very end. "It's okay," Whitney insists as her mother fights back tears.

And finally, Mike Leighton (Tommy Dewey) regains consciousness. That sound you heard during this scene was probably some squealing because thank heaven he's not dead. But Mike's not out of the woods yet as his first words are "I can't feel my legs." He tells Campbell that he wants to opt for surgery despite the significant risk, which finally makes Desmond (Steven Culp) show that he actually has a heart. Mike makes it through the surgery and onto the road to recovery.

"Hero Complex" is a gut punch any way you slice it and a class act from the entire Code Black cast and crew. The two issues it addresses are very sensitive for many people, and it's obvious in the writing and the performances that the show respects that. It doesn't manipulate the audience's emotions for dramatic value, but it doesn't shrink away from the hard parts either. And the result is an episode worthy of tears.

It's about time to see Malaya Pineda front and center in a Season 2 episode. Aside from the Gordon story line, sometimes Malaya felt underwritten last year and she had not yet had an episode of her own this year until "Hero Complex." The connection of her patient to her own assault experience is the clearest, but the script doesn't belabor the point. It accepts that connection is there and asks what it can do with it; the plot is about the patient, not Malaya's past, except for the few brief flashback beats to catch up folks who may not have seen those episodes. Plus, the speech that Malaya gives to Joy in order to reassure her is one of the most poignantly written, as well as best delivered scenes of the entire season.

Patient: "I screamed at him. I called him terrible things. He saved my life, and...I told him I want him to die." Malaya: "You can't blame yourself for this." Heather: "The only villain here is Justin." Patient: "I don't know. Maybe this is who I am now...the girl who got raped. That's the worst part. Someday I'll have to tell my husband. Malaya: "No. He took one night from you. Don't let him have another second. You are more than the bad things that have happened to you. You are the grace that follows."

"Hero Complex" really fills in some gaps for several players, which is the sign of a writer who really knows the show and knows what the characters need to move forward.

Season 2 of Code Black hasn't been shy about upping the stakes and continuing to push the limits of its stories. It just killed off one of its own new characters, for crying out loud. But episodes like "Hero Complex" speak to what made this show such a gem in the first place. It digs into the truth behind these stories – it's not just about saving or not saving patients, but the emotional and ethical realities of patients, doctors, nurses and hospital staff.

If the show can keep spreading the wealth around like this and delivering scripts this good, there's no reason it can't be the hit CBS wants it to be. In fact why it isn't already remains something of a mystery. This is a series about people who are trying to be heroes and save lives, and for the most part, they succeed.

"You Are the Grace That Follows."

[MoonCobra74 · 10/10 · 4 July 2017]

Anybody else need a drink?

With two heavy story lines on Code Black's S2 | E6 "Hero Complex," things got pretty dark. It was like a double whammy of making me feel like utter crap. As depressing as the cases were, they were handled with respect and dignity. The writers truly deserve respect for that.

Malaya's patient, Joy, suffered an all too common fate on her college campus. Of course, the all too obvious "twist" of her alleged savior actually being the attacker plummeted my spirits. Ignoring the ripped from the headlines (with a twist) aspect, the story was good on a lot of levels. Malaya's past experience with Gordon Heshman was worked in without feeling trite or heavy-handed. The care given the examination made my heart ache. There's a whole lot of rape on TV. But even Law and Order: SVU hasn't had as detailed a depiction of what a sexual assault exam entails that I can recall. I got the shivers when they focused on the speculum. Joy's face during the exam choked me up. It was heartbreaking to hear her talk about how she blamed herself and how she assumed everybody else would, too. But as devastating as it was to watch even a fictional person go through that, I have to applaud the writers for Malaya's response and their contribution against victim blaming.

Because campus sexual assault apparently isn't dark enough, we were treated to the ever-so-lighthearted topic of physician-assisted suicide as the cherry on top of this sadness sundae. California's End of Life Option Act went into effect in June 2016, so Code Black wasted no time jumping on the issue. I greatly admire the respect with which the writers treated Whitney's decision. That said, this plot didn't come off as well as the first.

Whitney was charming and sympathetic. Her position was sad, but it's easy to see her point of view. But what, exactly, was Campbell's investment? He's never fought against DNR's before, and if his objection was truly that a doctor's job is to save patients, that would have been a problem for him. He doesn't seem to have a personal connection to the issue of PAS. Ethan's willingness to assist was influenced by his mother's ALS, but I actually find it more reasonable that a personal connection would compel you against the notion. Alas, nothing was revealed about Will.

The bright spot of the hour was definitely Mike's recovery. Things were a little scary for a minute, and he's not out of the woods yet, but the whole family seems to be on the mend.

Really great episode. 10/10.