SPOILERS
Oh, Bones. As soon as they started questioning Wendell's broken arm last night, I got a bad bad feeling about poor Wendell. Wendell is probably my favorite intern in the entire series, so last night's episode was just heartbreaking, as it was meant to be.
I truly applaud the writers for last night's episode. So often in TV and books, writers try to play "Gotcha!" with twists and surprises and reversals, and frankly, it gets a bit old. Wendell's diagnosis wasn't that way, but it also wasn't canned or predictable. It felt the same way I imagine cancer would feel in the real world - a shocking stun, but something that you know unfortunately happens.
The writers also worked their magic on Wendell's character. His decision to stay and fight the cancer, understanding better than most people exactly what was involved, surprised me. When he started talking about taking off, ticking off his bucket list, living every second without the haze of treatment, I thought that would be the end.
And I wouldn't have blamed him.
I have been very blessed in my life that cancer hasn't touched me very closely, at least not while I was old enough to remember and understand. But about a month ago, I lost a family friend to liver cancer. She had fought for three years, through chemo that caused her to lose her hearing and take up residence in a nursing home. She was lucky to survive those extra three years, even getting a chance to meet her first grandchild shortly before her death, but at what cost? Unable to hear, to care for herself, to get out of bed by herself, she suffered, and still the cancer claimed her. It's a difficult choice, with seemingly no right answer.
Bones, the writers, and the actors all portrayed that beautifully.
Bravo.
No comments:
Post a Comment