Recap: St. Denis Medical "A Strong Cup of Coffee"

 

When Alex brings her former boss and idol back to work, things don't always go as she hopes. Here's a recap and review of St. Denis Medical, "A Strong Cup of Coffee."

When Alex's former charge nurse, Pam, returns to St. Denis Medical to cover a maternity leave, Alex quickly realizes she misremembered her old boss. Pam is far from the kind nurse Alex thought she was, making fun of Bruce, calling Keith stupid, and cracking "Forrest Gump" jokes at Matt's expense. It takes Alex a moment to realize that Pam wasn't a great boss to anyone. With Ron's help, Alex finally steps up, confronts Pam about her bad behavior, and successfully makes her leave.

Meanwhile, Matt and Serena investigate a medical mystery: a patient experiencing frequent fainting spells. When Ron diagnoses the cause as emotional fainting, Matt tries to identify that specific emotion using the hospital's pain chart. As Matt and Serena review each emotion, they realize the true cause: love. They confirm this when the patient faints upon a visit from his roommate, whom he has a massive crush on. Not coincidentally, the relationship between Matt and Serena also becomes noticeably more interesting during this investigation.

Joyce attempts to make Ron feel guilty about recent celebrity deaths, but he remains unmoved, declaring he wouldn't even be sad if Stevie Wonder died. Joyce then lists more celebrities, focusing on Paul Reiser (Mad About You) because of his connection to Ron's story about his first encounter with the Western Omelet. Ron admits he spoke to the celebrity, but then Joyce reveals that his name was at the bottom of the list. Could Joyce have developed a crush on him, following Ron's revealing comment in episode three?

"A Strong Cup of Coffee" was a funny episode from start to finish. Alex learning that hiring her former boss could backfire and realizing the negative impact Pam had on others really underscored Alex's true character as the caring nurse we know her to be.

The Matt-Serena storyline was just fun as they navigated the search for the emotional cause of their patient's fainting spell, and it clearly opened a crack in their relationship. If this dynamic continues, they could easily become a couple by the end of the season. And the Ron-Joyce tension, which I can't get enough of, is gold; these two could fight over a phone book, and I'd still be laughing. Given Ron's previous admission, you're definitely not "out there" for thinking a relationship is possible! Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

What did you think of the episode? Which potential couple are you rooting for more: Matt and Serena, or the unexpected possibility of Ron and Joyce? Leave a comment.

You can catch St. Denis Medical Mondays at 8/7c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.