Doctor X – Gekai Daimon Michiko
Episode 7
Review by David Cirone
SUMMARY
Torii continues to deny treatment, and powers through the completion of his research presentation. As soon as he hits “send” on his PC, his condition worsens, but he insists on getting ready for his Paris trip. His staff members congratulate him on his way to the airport, but Torii collapses in front of his wife and mistress on the hospital floor.
“I have to go to Paris,” he protests. Daimon is right by his side to sternly put him in his place. “You’re a patient already.”
Torii’s wife is worried that her husband will die before they have enough money saved for their son’s schooling, but otherwise shows indifference to his condition. Busujima takes advantage of the situation to bring in a new star surgeon Hijikata to replace Torii.
Daimon believes that Torii has gone past the point of saving his own liver, and requires a transplant. Torii believes her, and signs the consent form naming her as the surgeon for his operation. Busujima hides the consent form and pushes Torii’s wife to name Hijikata as the surgeon.
Daimon publicly calls Busujima a liar, and she’s fired from the Teito University staff. Luckily, assistant Morimoto witnessed the true consent form, and the doctors ransack Busujima’s office to find it.
Torii’s a star in the medical world over night once his paper receives honors at the Paris conference, and the operating room observatory is crowded with reporters. Hijikata is about to begin the surgery when Daimon enters and reclaims Torii as her patient.
PEER LOYALTY
The loyalty of Torii’s surgical staff is moving, and they all risk career suicide by breaking the rules to follow through on Torii’s wishes. Confusing thing is, Hijikata is a renowned liver surgeon, so the problem isn’t his skill — it’s just that Torii doesn’t like him. It seems like either surgeon would have gotten the job done.
WHAT’S POLITICAL
Hospital politics are given a lot of focus in this episode, and it seems clear that the condemnation of the university medical system was the main goal of this series all along. The power plays displayed are sort of simplistic, high-school versions of real life (would Busujima really hide the damning consent form on his desk?), turning Doctor X into a full-fledged morality play.
WHAT’S PREDICTABLE
Daimon’s right… again. And Daimon gets what she wants… again. Ryoko Yonekura’s performance as super doctor Daimon Michiko is compelling and charismatic, but the writers aren’t giving her much variety.