Combat Hospital Review: Wrong Place. Right Time.
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Good news, Combat Hospital fans: last week's episode was not a fluke. We got more of the the show's war zone setting on "Wrong Place at the Right Time," a sign the show is hopefully taking itself more seriously.
Benjamin Ayers was brilliant in the guest role of Christian Bettany. He was sympathetic, but just strange enough to be scary. I empathized with Bettany's plight yet was completely wary of what might happen when this guy finally snaps.
His eyes seemed to burn holes through Pedersen, although the good doctor never flinched. I've really enjoyed her calm, quiet, professional demeanor. The accent only adds to it.
So Simon owns a farm somewhere in Afghanistan? Why didn't that surprise me? He seems like the type of guy who'd have his hands into lots of ventures, some bordering on definition of legal.
Even with bullets flying, Simon remained Simon. He might have been terrified but he got off on the adrenaline rush. I'll have to keep waiting for something to crack that shell.
As usual, I loved Marks. Instead of chastising Simon for being a bad boy, he found the one thing Simon cared about: His private vodka stash. Then, he blew it to pieces. You could see the shock and pain on Simon's face. Even though Simon performed two successful surgeries at once - one on a helicopter while under fire and the other telephoned in to Rebecca - Marks still didn't cut him any slack.
Marks: By the way, that was great stuff.
Simon: What was? The operation?
Marks: The vodka. | permalink
I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe this lesson will stick.
Rebecca was the biggest surprise of the night. She's always such a cocky surgeon. It was a treat to see her truly sweat the outcome of a patient because she was unsure of her abilities. It simply made her more human.
I wonder if the show is trying to push a Simon/Rebecca relationship. I hope not. I just don't feel that type of chemistry from these two, but they could certainly grow as friends. If Simon stopped trying to bed her with every encounter, I might find them more interesting.
Four episodes in, Combat Hospital has earned two thumbs up and two down. It's trending upward, though, as we head into the tie-breaking fifth installment next week.
C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.