As a viewer who has been following these Season 2 recaps, I must confess that Watson has not always held my full admiration. However, I am pleased to give credit where it's due, and Episode 8, titled "Livvy Sees the Doctor," offers a genuinely commendable – albeit familiar – premise. It steers clear of the nonsensical Sherlock and Mycroft antics, and there's a refreshing minimality of supporting characters and their bizarre subplots – with the exception of one key plotline – while Watson himself is faced with genuinely challenging ideas. This is the kind of episode that the show should be striving for, a medical mystery that resonates as a taut drama. Watson is perfectly capable of this, which makes it all the more frustrating when it strays into nonsense so frequently. Last week's episode was a step in the right direction; this one takes a significant leap.
The hook is that a soldier named William "Fitz" Fitzgerald, desperate to secure treatment for his daughter Olivia (the "Livvy" of the title), has decided to strap a bomb to his chest and detonate it if she isn't immediately tended to. It's worth noting that this isn't as rash a gesture as it sounds; Fitz has made multiple efforts to have Livvy treated, but she has been passed around (even by Watson) to multiple doctors in different states, despite the fact that he doesn't have the money to get her there.
It's a classic "wrong thing, right reasons" scenario, and to be perfectly honest, it isn't surprising in its broad strokes. But Jon Beavers delivers a compelling performance as Fitz, portraying him as a fundamentally decent guy who's at the end of his rope. He's desperate to save his daughter, and once Watson recognizes the sincerity – not to mention the enticing mystery of what's really wrong with the kid, which takes several twists and turns – he's more than willing to help.
Adams and Shinwell happen to be out of the building running an errand when this goes down, so they're sidelined for the majority of the episode. However, they still contribute to investigating the medical side of things. Shinwell even has a heartening moment after the situation has peacefully resolved, where he beats himself up about not being at Watson's side to protect him. Shinwell remains by far the most consistently characterized figure in the supporting cast, which shouldn't go unnoticed.
The sole genuine misstep in the eighth episode of Watson Season 2 lies in the insertion of Ingrid's ongoing subplot with her peculiar therapy companion, Beck. For contrived plot reasons, Beck is present in the clinic when Fitz arrives, inadvertently becoming embroiled in the situation. Despite being offered the chance to escape, he chooses to remain and play the hero, a fact he vocalizes multiple times. When the situation is at its tensest, he unleashes a surprise attack, stabbing Fitz with a pair of scissors, nearly causing a catastrophe and turning himself into a ridiculous figure. He, however, is oblivious to this, fixated on the notion that he has achieved heroic status through his actions. This delusion is so evident that it's no surprise this individual requires therapy. Sasha immediately picks up on his quirks and even confronts him about them, while Ingrid seems somewhat put off by his impulsive behavior and delusion.
Yet, Ingrid's interest in Beck doesn't diminish; at the end of the episode, she shows up at his place to sleep with him, drawn to the idea of him being the hero he perceives himself to be. This is odd. Even odder is that his clashes with Sasha have inspired him to look her up, suggesting that he's clearly planning to target her in some way going forward. Perhaps re-hiring Ingrid wasn't such a great idea after all.
