Episode 4 of "Watson" kicks off with Watson introducing his team to the Signal-to-Noise exercise, presenting them with three potential cases: Ellen Samuelson, enigmatic due to her lack of fingerprints; Vaughn Timms, a figure shrouded in suspicion because of his susceptibility to multiple fractures; and William Betancourt, whose inflamed tongue hints at deeper health concerns. The team's challenge is to distinguish which case merits their diagnostic attention and which is mere noise. They opt for Betancourt, sending Ingrid and Adam off to diagnose and, ideally, heal him.
Betancourt proves to be an irritatingly preoccupied busybody, more engrossed in his work than his welfare. As Ingrid informs him that his condition necessitates a few hours of screening due to his heightened cancer risk, he dismissively brushes them aside. Mid-phone call, Adam slyly remarks to Ingrid that she is clearly Watson's favorite, keeping him perpetually on his toes.
Preliminary examinations raise red flags concerning Betancourt, confirming Watson's suspicions of Cowden Syndrome, prompting his immediate transfer to the ER for surgery. In the ER, Dr. Lubbock watches with palpable concern, her anxiety fleshed out through flashbacks to a similar case she handled as a naive medical student.
Watson notices her apprehension and ponders whether they can harness it for a greater good – perhaps by tracking down the patient Dr. Lubbock dealt with decades ago during her medical school days. Recognizing her meticulous nature and the likelihood that she still possesses her old notes, Watson tasks the twins with investigating further.
Accompanied by Ingrid and Dr. Lubbock, Watson heads to the lab in search of clues. There, they encounter Brenda, a lab technician who claims to remember everyone who has ever set foot in her lab, including the two women present. However, when Watson requests to see the confidential ledger, Brenda scorns the idea, laughing incredulously. In response, Watson devises a cunning plan to sweeten the deal with a strategic bribe.
Here, we delve into the intricacies of a lab that processes an astonishing 80 bodies annually, yet they seek a specific cadaver within a focused timeframe of two years, significantly narrowing their search parameters. Watson's approach is unconventional; he leans heavily on Lubbock's notoriously unreliable recollections from days gone by, meticulously scrutinizing even the most minute details embedded within. Remarkably, this peculiar method proves fruitful, as they harness Lubbock's scattered memories from that era to hone in on their patient. However, a twist arises when they notice a coffee stain marring the ledger entry, adding an element of intrigue.
Lubbock's journey into the past intensifies as she unearths an old flame named Micah, who owns an art gallery adorned with countless sketches of her, clearly his muse. Among these, lie a few vintage drawings of their cadaver, revealing an intriguing detail: a tattoo. This trail leads them to uncover the identity of the man – Jacob Hochstetler, an Amish individual whose immediate family, including his sister, they now urgently need to track. Rachel, his newlywed sister, becomes the center of their attention, and through online sleuthing, Ingrid and Adam track down her address. Concerns arise, however, as Rachel's son, Amos, may be at risk, necessitating prompt testing.
As they rush towards the lab, Rachel opens up about being a single mother, her child's father having abandoned them. Yet, another pressing issue looms: Watson's marriage mediation with Mary is impending, yet he is engrossed in the case. The tension mounts when Amos experiences respiratory distress. Fortunately, the team is adept at recognizing the symptoms and swiftly attends to him upon his emergency admission into the lab.
Back at the lab, amidst the aftermath of the recent turmoil, Adam engages in a discourse with Lubbock about Cowden Syndrome. Together, they have successfully pinpointed twelve individuals within the community, all of whom are now aware of the importance of early screenings, a direct consequence of Lubbock's prompt and astute actions.
Elsewhere, Ingrid adopts a more forthright approach, confronting Lubbock at the gallery regarding the secrets she harbors. She has deduced that Lubbock's engagement is a sham, noting the phoniness of her ring. Despite her numerous past deeds of salvation, Ingrid finds herself grappling with difficulties in this particular scenario. Moreover, she observes that Micah's persistent and decades-long depiction of Lubbock in his drawings bespeaks genuine affection, contrasting sharply with the superficial emotions Lubbock seemingly experiences with her current partner, who appears to be merely leading her on.
Concurrently, Watson ventures to Mary's residence with a heartfelt revelation. He informs her that he has decided against hiring a divorce lawyer. He refuses to contest the divorce, expressing his earnest desire for her happiness and fulfillment in the life sheaspires to lead.
Elsewhere, Shinwell receives his next set of directives from Moriarty's handler, equipped with a phone loaded with programming to manipulate the lab's robot. This device is tasked with uploading samples and genomes of all Watson's patients. Just before rejoining the others, Shinwell brazenly attaches a tracker to Watson's car. Stealth is not his strong suit. He tails her to a hospital, where he discovers she has a son battling cancer, painting a poignant picture of her personal struggles amidst her professional commitments.
