Margaux and I tore ourselves away from FXX’s Simpsons marathon just long enough to check out The Knick.
Trevor: Yet another extraordinarily uncomfortable hour of television. Jesus, The Knick sets my teeth on edge. Some people I know had a really hard time with the pilot’s C-section scene; I wonder how they dealt with Thack putting forceps into a woman’s gaping nose wound.
Margaux: Um yeah, his cyborg steam punk ex-girlfriend WHO LOST HER FUCKING NOSE CAUSE OF SYPHILIS. I do not remember being a side effect covered in sex-ed class. She looked like a zombie when she took off her glass/headgear. It was traumatizing.
Trevor: When I saw how Phantom of the Opera she looked, I thought “It’s gonna take a lot of cocaine to fix this one, Thack.”
Margaux: Turn of the century plastic surgery, infinitely more terrifying than modern day…anything. When they wheeled her out, when the procedure was completed (successfully?) – her arm was basically attached to her face. I’m not entirely sure how she’s going to have a better life but I guess it’s better than nothing? I don’t want to besmirch her and have Thack sew my lips together.
Trevor: The hospital itself is so sterile and cold, to me it’s more reminiscent of an asylum (or sanitorium). I’m getting serious House on Haunted Hill vibes.
Margaux: I almost expect Vincent Price to be attending to a patient sometimes.
Trevor: I’m really enjoying Edwards’ subplot right now. Since the pilot, he’s more or less been shuffled off on his own to start his own black wing of the hospital. One thing about The Knick I really admire is that any of the subplot could serve as a show of its own – Algernon Edwards facing systemic racism in the early 1900s; John Thackery trying unorthodox methods to advance medicine; Herman Barrow painting himself into a corner with his loan shark and his wife. Each story seems to swirl around the others, existing at the periphery. It’s a great tactic.
Margaux: Edwards makes The Knick about something more than just: Talented White Doctor whose Personal Life is a Mess but is Brilliant at his Job plus…cocaine.
I found Edwards’ picking a fight at the bar, essentially cock blocking some stranger because he’s not as cultured as he’s making himself out to be to a young lady. Edwards’ issues bubble up in interesting ways, it was a different situation than “Mr. Paris Shoes”, when he was seemingly defending himself that time – though, with of a malice you hadn’t seen before. This altercation though, it was like he took out all his anger and aggression of not being taken seriously at his job out on his stranger in an alley.
Trevor: That fight was amazingly well-done. And I think you’re right about Edwards and his frustrations; even his patients aren’t taking him seriously – his hernia patient promptly ignores his instructions, and winds up dead as a result. This isn’t the most insightful criticism I’ve ever written, but: I’m glad Edwards is deeply flawed as well. “The Busy Flea” goes a long way towards assuaging any doubts I had after the pilot (I don’t have any now).
Margaux: Look at that, TV treating minority characters like they’re real effing people with problems! Issues, no longer exclusively for white men! Thank fuck.
But since I brought up White Men with Issues, can we talk about Barrow? Homeboy is a FREAK. He makes Pete Campbell on Mad Men look normal. And his wife, OH BOY! Real Housewife of the Turn of the Century much? She’s a real pill.
Trevor: Yeah, no wonder he goes to a brothel when he’s off work. Although giving away his wife’s pearl earrings was a real dick move. It seems there are no saints on The Knick; the Robertsons’ motivation seems pure enough, but one wonders how long it’ll be before we see their darker side. Even Sister Harriett isn’t above the fray, as Cleary makes menacing reference to “what [she] really is.”
Margaux: The biggest UH DUH moment of “The Busy Flea” for me, was when Cleary all but confirms that Sister Harriett is the abortion nurse we met in “Mr. Paris Shoes.” It makes so much sense! But why Cleary wants to give a nun shit, is beyond me. He’s gonna get a ruler smacked over his knuckles if he doesn’t watch his mouth.
And I question the Robertsons’ motives too, Cordelia seems well-intentioned enough (albeit, slightly clueless) but her father seems pretty preoccupied with trumping Rockwell, not always all about raising up the people. He did hire his maids son (Edwards) at the hospital but it’s because he feels Edwards’ is a “good investment” and he’s “loyal”. This fancy wording sounds like he could be talking about buying a horse though, and not a human.
Trevor: I had the same thought, he refers to Edwards like a dressage horse or something.
What I liked about “The Busy Flea” is that not a whole lot happened; if I had to recount everything that transpired, it might come off sounding boring, but I’m not Steven Soderbergh, who is just killing it with this material. This seemed like a world-building episode, which are usually terrible, but not here.
Margaux: Soderbergh is directing his heart out here but it’s easy to do because it’s so well written. Gushing aside, what The Knick makes great use of is the ensemble cast, giving out a little information on each character, and trusing the audience to stick around to see what’ll happen, which is why atmospheric episodes like this one work so well.
I loved the way the fight scene with Edwards’ was shot, there just so much built-in tension in this show, it’s so fun to see them continually mount the stakes.
Trevor: I have nothing to add to that, you nailed it. Star count?
Margaux: 4 ½ stars. I think a lot of the set up in “The Busy Flea” will pay off for the rest of the season. But don’t ever need to see that “game” explained again. Seriously, Barrow is a WEIRDO.
Trevor: Aw, I was gonna do that for you next time you were in LA!
About Author
