RECAP: ‘Brilliant Minds’ Season 2 Episode 8 — “The Upside Down”

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8, titled “The Upside Down,” features a really interesting case that suffers from a checkbox kind of plot line. As in, the faster pace of Season 2 is at odds with the way Wolf (Zachary Quinto) typically handles neuro cases. It’s a fine line, honestly, a nuance that’s eating at me all season. Yes, Wolf still does everything he can for his patients, but the journey to the prognosis or the thematic wrap-up speeds by, and the case of the upside-down is no exception.

After being sexually harassed by her co-pilot and subsequently abandoned, Elle’s vision literally turns upside down, forcing her to do an emergency landing successfully. But her vision remains upside down even when she arrives at Bronx General. Wolf and Thorne (John Clarence Stewart) work together to diagnose her, while Charlie (Brian Altemus) unhelpfully offers his own thoughts that contradict his attendings’ assessments.

Elle’s copilot is also admitted and takes the time to accuse Elle in front of all their passengers, who have also been admitted, that Elle was up late partying, and threatens to report her to the authorities to have her license stripped. An investigative team comes in to ask Elle questions, and Wolf and Thorne stand by her side to advocate for her and to emphasize they are still running tests.

The main patient case feels rushed in Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8.

While it’s great to see Wolf and Thorne work together to help their patient, a lot of the progress toward diagnosing Elle feels rushed. One of the missing elements is the interns, who spent the majority of Brilliant Minds Season 1 learning from Wolf, acting as an audience stand-in so that Wolf could explain the complicated medical stuff to them. But with the interns off in their stories, some of that deeper exploration with the patient gets lost. 

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the changes are bad. Carol (Tamberla Perry) is incorporated into Wolf’s cases a lot more, utilizing her expertise as head psychologist as part of the solution and treatment plan for the patients. The best moment from Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8 comes when Carol sits down with Elle and asks her about what happened in the cockpit of the plane. 

Carol also heads to Hudson Oaks this episode to inquire about a patient named Hector, whose discharge from the facility has been delayed. Bellamy Young returns as Dr. Amelia Frederick, the director of Hudson Oak. Her demeanor toward Carol comes across as very pleasant on the surface. She goes to great lengths to be kind and understanding. She assures Carol that Hector will be discharged the following day, but Carol leaves with a clear unease on her face. 

It’s nice to see all of the interns rally around Ericka.

Elle’s case concludes with a diagnosis of a severe migraine that had gone untreated for a while, brought on by emotional distress from sexual harassment. While definitely an interesting case, much of the tension it generates, like the investigation into Elle and whether she could fly again, concludes very nonchalantly and with little fanfare. 

Elsewhere, Scotty informs Dana (Aury Krebs) and Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) about a random but standard drug test they’ll have to complete in Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8. This obviously isn’t good for Ericka, whose last benzos intake was recent enough that she thinks she’ll fail the drug test and then be fired. All of the interns are present this episode, so it’s nice to see them rally around Ericka in support, but it’s Van who provides the best advice. 

Ericka eventually goes to Scotty and tells him the truth, that she can’t take the drug test because she’ll fail it, and she doesn’t have a prescription for the drugs. What’s really great about this moment, and also how this season has been treating Ericka’s PTSD storyline, is how little she’s judged for it. Every time she comes clean about the drugs, she’s met with understanding and love. Even Dana, who had every right to be as mad as she was at first, was there for Ericka. 

Carol has a major breakthrough in Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8.

And Scotty is, too. He tells her she can take it in two weeks, but also warns her to be careful and to know better. It’s an incredibly moving moment, heightened by the fact that it’s coming from a relatively new character. As a result, Ericka finally goes to Carol and requests a referral for a therapist. 

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8 once again ends with a Hudson Oak tease. Wolf accuses Amelia of lying about everything, including that he’s a “very sick man.” Amelia says another patient can attest to what she’s saying, and the camera pulls back to reveal Hector, who’s apparently still a patient here four months later. Wolf eyes him in a way that makes the undercover theory ring true.

Josh wasn’t present in this episode, but one of the other flashforwards seemed to indicate that Josh and Wolf might be working together to investigate Hudson Oak. Considering Wolf seems to be accusing Amelia of something, and that Hector is still in the facility, Wolf could be stuck undercover.

The Hudson Oak mystery is becoming a bit grating.

However, the mystery of the Hudson Oak storyline is starting to grate a little bit. Previous episodes keep ending on revelatory moments, but they don’t push the needle enough this far into Brilliant Minds Season 2. The clues are getting difficult to track, and working out how they fit together is impossible with so little information.

Hopefully, more time will be dedicated to framing the Hudson Oak story. There are only two episodes left until midseason break, and this particular story is still 4 months away in canon. 

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8 is perfectly fine, but some of the changes to the whole season feel more evident here. 

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8 is streaming now on Peacock, with new episodes on Monday nights on NBC, available to stream the next day on Peacock.

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