Written by John Edward Betancourt Slavko Popadić and Haley Louise Jones as Dr. Suzanne ‘Zanna’ Parker’ and Dr. Ben Weber in Episode 105 of ‘Beriln ER’ – ‘Side-effects’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+.)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Berlin ER’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
One particular truth about the medical field that we don’t speak of enough, is that collectively, we as patients really don’t pay doctors all that much mind as people. For to us, they are healers, plain and simple, and if we don’t get the pain relief we need or our problems tended to quickly, they hear about it and take some flak. Not to mention, they are in some instances all but forgotten when the healing is done and that’s wild. Because truly, they are people. Who have needs, wants, and feelings, and while they can sometimes turn all that off… they aren’t always able to and struggle like the rest of us, and we need to acknowledge that and give them a little more grace in such matters. If anything, that’s top of mind of today, simply because it was put on display in a powerful manner in the next episode of Berlin ER on Apple TV+. For ‘Side-effects’ really did explore the struggles that doctors go through emotionally on so many levels. For instance, Zanna’s journey here focused heavily on how hard it is for doctors to face the mistakes they make. Granted, they will make them, plain and simple, but they’re taught to not and understandably so. Since mistakes can cause real problems for people and they most certainly did here. Since the gallbladder surgery she encouraged Daniel to take part in, led to bad infection and talks of amputation and that broke Zanna. Because all she wanted to do was help and make her job successful and this was hard to face. Not to mention, Ben was going through it as well. Because the losses, the suffering, the fact that he could do so little at times, pushed him toward the hardest drugs possible. To just dissociate and ignore the ugly surrounding him. Which led to a harrowing sequence of events for him in this tale. Because he spent most of this episode just hiding away, high as a kite, enjoying whatever good vibes drugs sent his way. Which was tough to watch since it was just Ben at his lowest and it only got worse from there. Because eventually, a family member of a coworker arrived with hideous injuries, and he required surgery and because of emotional attachment, that duty fell to Ben. Who struggled to focus through his high to relieve pressure on the brain, yet somehow managed to save the day. But of course, it was the fallout of that whole mess that really spoke to how doctors are people and deserve more grace. Because it was Emina’s brother on the table, and she was deeply broken and emotionally rocked by seeing him require emergency surgery and his condition. Which led to some powerful moments, where Emina simply and rightfully broke down in trying to process this, and had it not been for Olvia, who knows how far she would have sunk. All of which hammered home, that doctors are not robots and should not take all kinds of abuse from the rest of us. Because they are people, and what they see and deal with, matters and impacts them, and they deserve better from us really, and that made this a supremely poignant and different type of episode from this genre. Simply because, that message is rarely seen on screen, and doctors on television are just expected to suck it up and move forward and be bigger. Perhaps because we admire them, and we should, since they are tough. But tough cannot last forever and kudos to this show for putting that on display, and for also showcasing how rotten care can be sometimes when business interests are involved, courtesy of Olivia’s storyline and for setting the stage for more drama. Since Dom was nearly exposed here, and it’s only a matter of time until he is. But while we wait for resolution there, we can offer applause for one brilliant and moving tale. Where Safak Sengül wowed us with her acting chops as Emina, and where we were truly given pause, since this one... had a lot of potent things to say. Until next time. Watch ‘Berlin ER’
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