Episode Report Card Sars: D+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Sex and Death
By Sars | Season 4 | Episode 14 | Aired on 02.06.2001
Establishing shot of Capeside Memorial Hospital, which must have gotten built since Bessie gave birth to Alexander -- if memory serves, it took an ambulance an hour to get to Capeside from the nearest hospital -- and which looks suspiciously like one of the office-park sets from The Sopranos. Continuity calls from the couch, "Do we have eddy bore Kleedex?" Dawson heads down the front steps of said hospital, but a glasses-wearing doctor stops him to tell him that their files indicate Dawson signed a "health-care proxy" for Mr. Brooks. Dawson says that's true, but it's only so that Dawson could help him get his medications. Dr. Bronin says that the situation has changed, and since there's no immediate family, so have Dawson's responsibilities. "Meaning?" Dr. Bronin looks ill (word, my bespectacled brother) and suggests that Dawson call his parents.
Quick cut to Mitch "The Flash" Leery and Gale "Ew-Tan Clan" Leery as Mitch grunts, "He signed the papers so that he could pick up the guy's medicine." Dr. Bronin says he knows that. A shot of Dawson looking angry and Grams looking headachey. Gale snaps, "That piece of paper should not give a teenage boy the responsibility to decide when and how a man should die," like, give that woman a cigar. "It's state law," Dr. Bronin says wearily. "It shouldn't be his choice," Gale says firmly. Dawson passes a hand nervously over his mouth as Dr. Bronin says that she's right, "it shouldn't be, Mrs. Leery, but it is." He starts to leave so the four of them can discuss the matter in private, and Dawson asks him what chance Mr. Brooks has of waking up. Dr. Bronin doesn't know, but even if he did, it wouldn't make Dawson's decision any easier. Um, what? If Mr. Brooks has, say, a fifty-fifty shot at regaining consciousness, I'd say that makes the decision pretty damn easy indeed. Shut up, Dr. Bronin. Dr. Bronin leaves. The Flash starts ruminating about "the only humane thing to do," and when Gale stops him with a warning "Mitch," The Flash grumps that he doesn't want to talk about it either, "but here we are." Gale turns to Dawson and tells him that he doesn't have to make any decisions, but he says that he does, and asks how he knows what's best. Grams sits next to him, her mouth clamped down in a line, visibly trying not to trash the room in response to this entire insultingly ludicrous turn of events. The Flash sighs, "It's not that kind of choice." Profile shot of the nostrils going to Flare-Con 4 as we fade to commercial.
Dude. Heath Bites. Bundle up, Continuity -- we're going on a snack run.