Critic’s Rating: 4.7 / 5.0
4.7
Everyone deserves to have their voice heard. That’s why Dr. Wolf fought for John Doe, aka Roman, to have the experimental procedure.
Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 7 was a beautifully crafted episode that explored Roman’s backstory and why he needed to be heard.
Almost every doctor and intern was impacted by spending time with Roman and witnessed what a remarkable man he was.
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That’s why many of them struggled with granting one of the first things Roman asked for.
“The Man From Gronzy” showcased finding your voice, believing in love, and fighting for what you want before it’s too late.
Giving Roman His Identity and Voice Back Was Essential
Giving Roman back his identity and his voice was critical. Since he had been injured, he’d been passed around from hospital and long-term care facility with wrong diagnoses.
This was the first time we’d seen Wolf in the operating room since he wanted to watch Nichols operate on Roman.
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Everyone worked hard to create a device where Roman would speak, and it would translate from Russian to English.
It was heartbreaking that Simon and Wolf’s mom cared more about hospital investments and politics than Roman’s personal health.
It took some time, but the flashbacks showed that Roman worked in America illegally, so when he became injured, he couldn’t go to the doctor because he didn’t have his asylum papers yet.
That caused his injuries to worsen and caused a stroke. No one paid much attention to him since no one cared until now.
Why Roman Came to America
Wolf thought finding Roman’s family would help him adapt better, but Roman avoided talking about why he came to America.
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Dana finally got him to open up. That’s her gift. She makes others comfortable. She learned he came here for love and made it her mission to locate that person.
As Roman reunited with Alex, Nichols realized why Roman came to America. It was illegal to be gay in Chechnya.
Nichols looked so tortured when Dana confirmed that some of her cousins were persecuted there. He didn’t want to be right or for people to suffer for their choices.
You could tell his feelings for Wolf were intensifying by the looks he gave him before running out.
Alex wanted a second chance now that he had found Roman, but Roman thought Alex deserved a better life than caring for an invalid.
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This was heartbreaking to watch because they loved each other so much.
Roman’s Request Affected Everyone, Especially Wolf
No one expected Roman to want to die right after they helped him regain his voice. But Roman thought the doctors and interns at Bronx General were special.
He felt they treated him as a human being. Wolf saw him when no one else did. Jacob groomed him and shaved his beard. They all cared about him, so he suspected they would help him.
Sometimes, it was difficult to forget he wasn’t better when communicating with everyone since they showed him out of bed talking with them.
It was probably better that way than reading the computer constantly, but he looked fine one minute and then was back in his hospital bed the next.
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Jacob and Wolf had the most difficulty accepting that Roman wanted to give up after everything they did. However, Roman didn’t want to live in a hospital bed forever because of his stroke.
Now that he had a voice back, he wanted to die with dignity.
Wolf became a doctor to save people partly because he couldn’t save his father. He didn’t want to fail somebody else, but Carol reminded him that not everyone wanted to be saved.
It was harsh but true, and Roman seemed at peace with his choice.
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No one could reason with Wolf but Nichols, who reminded him that his strength was allowing his patients to view the world as they wanted.
Nichols: The decision he made was hard. If we’re good doctors, we honor it.
It was pivotal for these two as Nichols comforted and encouraged him. They’ve come so far to understanding each other.
Roman’s Decision Prompted Wolf and Nichols to Re-Examine Their Lives
We finally got the Wolf and Nichols content we had requested as they re-evaluated their life goals.
I’ve always had an affinity for couples who come together in times of tragedy, often forcing them to question their life purposes.
Roman saw many instances of how Nichols gazed at Wolf and the deep respect they shared. When he first commented that the two made a good team, Wolf initially brushed it off, but seeing Nichols touching his shoulder and encouraging him made him think.
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There were many parallels between Roman and Alex and Wolf and Nichols. They both felt like forbidden lovers, and Wolf commented on the star-crossed lovers who were forbidden lovers who were still connected in their hearts.
There was something special about letting Roman die at Wolf’s house instead of the hospital and having everyone gathered around him. It highlighted Wolf’s compassion and allowed everyone to grieve together.
Even though Wolf was afraid, he kept hearing Roman’s voice telling him to take the jump.
He fulfilled Roman’s dream, and instead of Roman running up to Alex on the street, Wolf took the leap and ran up to Nichols.
That kiss was hot, even if it took them by surprise. We can’t wait to see where it takes them.
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Over to you, Brilliant Minds Fanatics. Were you surprised by Roman’s decision? Are you excited that Wolf and Nichols took the next step?
Let us know in the comments.
Check back tomorrow for our exclusive interview with Teddy Sears. He’ll discuss this episode, including the long-awaited kiss.
Brilliant Minds airs at 10/9c on Mondays on NBC and airs the next on Peacock.
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