Royal Pains Episode 2 Sends Message

Royal Pains episode 2 has aired and the show is starting to settle into its format. Unfortunately Royal Pains is developing two problems that might mean a premature end to the show. These are the doctor who cares and the health care reform message.

Some spoilers may follow.

First, Dr. Hank is starting to become something that used to be a staple of TV doctor shows and that is the Doctor who cares. And by that we just don't mean care about the diseases of his patient or even the lifestyle choices that may have contributed to those diseases. The case in point is when Dr. Hank gets involved in the problems of the hemophiliac trust fund kid who has a distant father who is too busy to be a real dad, another irritating cliché that was supposed to have been buried along with the 70s.

Alright, one might say one has been spoiled by Dr. House, a brilliant doctor who doesn't care about anything or anyone, especially himself. A misanthrope as hero was and is a refreshing change from a TV show main character who is so overwhelmingly nice that, while one would likely want him for ones doctor or even friend, one finds oneself wanting to throw things at the TV when he is on it.

The second problem is that Royal Pains is starting to violate that rule that says that if one wants to send a message, one should use Western Union (or the Email in the updated version) and not a TV show or movie. The message in Royal Pains episode 2 is that the health care system is broken. Also that the old money rich tend to be a lot of snots who care more for their art collections than for Jill Casey's free clinic.

Now it is very easy to feel unsympathetic to old money rich, who acquired their money by being born into the right family. Just look at the Kennedys. But one hopes that on some future episode of Royal Pains, we meet someone who, though now being a gadzillionaire, was born in Hell's Kitchen, worked like a beaver for thirty years to build up a computer software company, is using his or her wealth to do everything from a private space launch company or building electric sports cars.

It is fortunate that there was no dialogue about how wonderful it would be if we could all stand in line for health care like the lucky Canadians or how the evil insurance companies keep squelching health care reform. In fact, Jill and Dr. Hank do what people who care about the uninsured ought to do. Circumnavigate the rules and paperwork and provide their services pro bono, while thinking of more ways to guilt trip the old money folks in the Hamptons to cough off more charity dollars. No calls for a single payer health care system here, thank goodness.

The saving grace of Royal Pains episode 2 was Dr. Hank's brother Evan, CFO of Hank's practice, social climber, and moocher extraordinaire. That and the cute retiring ballerina. More of that please.

Source: Royal Pains: There Will be Food, TV.Com