Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Pulse’ is a medical drama that follows the complicated lives of the doctors at the Maguire Medical Center in Miami. It begins at the point where the residents find themselves in a grave conflict when third-year resident Danny Simms makes a sexual harassment complaint against the Chief Resident, Xander Phillips. With his reputation as a talented and lovable doctor, a lot of people find it hard to believe Danny’s claims, which makes things even more difficult for her when she is chosen to be the acting Chief while Xander is suspended. To make matters worse, Hurricane Abby strikes Miami, flooding the hospital with patients and requiring all hands on deck, which means calling Xander back to work, though temporarily. Working alongside him heightens the tension for Danny.
As the details of their relationship come to light, a clear shift in perspective is seen against her. This affects her relationship with her best friend, Sam Elijah, and her sister, Harper Simms, both of whom want to support her but also have their own grudges against her. In the midst of all this, the question of the next Chief Resident hangs over the residents. Danny has worked hard to prove herself worthy of the position, even though she still remains hesitant to accept that she deserves it. Her only competition is Sam, who has wanted to be Chief for as long as he can remember and whose ambition pits him against his best friend, leading him to make some very selfish decisions. In the end, however, their skill and accomplishments as doctors aren’t the only things that impact the decisions taken by their bosses. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Why is Sam Elijah Made the Chief, Not Danny?
A lot of conflict that plagues Danny’s life is because of her desire to become the next Chief Resident. She always harbored that ambition but was reticent about it as she didn’t think she would actually get it. Despite being great at her job, she had trouble accepting her own capabilities and relied on constant assurance and validation from her superiors, particularly Xander. He convinces her to work towards that ambition and give it a chance, no matter if she gets it or not. So, when she finally starts thinking about that possibility, the only thing she is focused on is getting the job because she deserves it and not because Xander, who is in a secret relationship with her, campaigned on her behalf.
When things fall apart with Xander, Danny yet again finds the doubt creeping up, even though she performs exceptionally well in the face of all challenges. Following her complaint, Xander is suspended, and she is made the acting Chief. Everyone expects her to fail, and yet, she handles the pressure of things incredibly, though she ends up ruffling some feathers in the process. This also puts her in the good grace of her boss, Natalie Cruz, who had already been looking at her as a prospective Chief. Following the hurricane, she becomes even more convinced about giving the job to Danny, but by the end of the season, some major complications arise.
Danny’s sexual harassment complaint against Xander does not sit well with his mother, who is one of the major donors at the hospital. She wants Danny fired, but Cruz refuses to do so, and as a result, a major shift happens at Maguire. At the beginning, Cruz is the Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine, but at the end, the two departments are split, which means Cruz is now simply the Chair of Surgery, while the department of Emergency Medicine is placed under a different doctor, who happens to be a person she is not a fan of. As if in retaliation for her decision, and mostly to show Cruz her place, the new guy deliberately sidelines her decision to make Danny the new Chief and, instead, gives that position to Sam. Thus, it is not just Danny who is sent a message through this change, but also Cruz. And now, both women must tread more carefully as one mistake could unravel their entire life at Maguire.
Does Xander Become the Attendant? Does He Get the Promotion?
While Danny Simms presented herself as a viable candidate for becoming the next Chief, Xander Phillips had been looking forward to a promotion of his own. He was eyeing the position of the attendant, and the job was all his before Danny made the sexual harassment complaint, which brought his career to a standstill. Eventually, as the complaint starts to ruffle some feathers, especially of Xander’s family, who are also the top donors at the hospital, Danny takes back her complaint, and for Xander, things go back to normal in the blink of an eye. In fact, it seems as if he had never been suspended, and nothing ever happened. Because as soon as he comes back to work, he is given back his promotion.
Many people, including Sam, see it as a bad example. Danny, who made the complaint, is punished for the act, while Xander simply gets his life back. The reality of the situation is not lost on him, and eventually, it helps him understand Danny’s point of view and what she was trying to convey to him when they broke into an argument, following which everything went downhill. Getting his job and promotion back without any repercussions, even when it is revealed that he pursued a relationship with his junior and did not report it to HR, shows the unfairness of the power dynamics that had always existed between him and Danny. It’s just that neither of them wanted to see it in the beginning.
While getting the promotion is a great thing for Xander, it also comes with its own set of challenges. He is made aware of the fact that the higher up one is on the ladder, the lesser the scope of the mistakes one can make. So, if anyone under him messes up, it will be his responsibility. Moreover, his getting the promotion and Danny not getting hers widen the gap between them, where he is in a much bigger position of power while her stature remains the same, if not reduced. This spells even more problems for them, especially if they consider getting back together now that the air is cleared between them.
What Happens to Nia? Will Tom Cole be Fired?
While Xander and Danny suffer the consequences of mixing their personal and professional lives, there is another doctor who crosses the boundary. Tom Cole is a surgical resident who, though arrogant, is pretty good at his job. He forms an unexpected connection with Nia, a paramedic, who likes to engage in banter with him, which interests him just as much as it annoys him. When Hurricane Abby hits Miami, Nia is one of the first responders on the ground, and it is while saving a family that she herself sustains a major injury. Her getting hurt throws Tom off more than he expected, which makes him realize that the extent of his feelings for Nia might be more than he had estimated.
To ensure she gets the best care possible, Tom decides to take on her case. The repeated visits to her ward catch the attention of his colleagues, particularly Cass, with whom he is still in a sexual relationship, even though his heart isn’t completely in it. Over these visits, his and Nia’s bond gets stronger, and he starts to get more vulnerable with her, sharing things about his past, especially his father, whose fate and actions have had the most impact on him. Eventually, they kiss, even though they both know that it is against regulations. A doctor and a patient cannot be in a relationship.
At first, it seems that Nia is doing pretty well and would be discharged soon. But then, she suddenly gets worse, which happens while Tom is away at a yacht party that his boss, Ruben Soriano, and Cass told him not to attend. As Nia’s situation deteriorates, Tom rushes back, and when she is sent into surgery, he asks Soriano to let him scrub in. Initially, Sophie is supposed to be there, but Tom pushes her out and takes her place. Once there, Tom is overwhelmed seeing Nia in such a condition and is unable to perform the procedure. Soriano cannot understand why his star student, who never misses an opportunity to learn something new, is skipping such a critical part of the surgery. It is only when they meet Nia’s parents that the truth comes to light.
It seems that Nia talked to her mother about Tom and their burgeoning romance. When her mother discovers that Tom is her doctor, she immediately raises concerns, which Soriano shares. He chides Tom for breaking the professional code and forbids the resident from getting involved in Nia’s treatment again. With the patient’s parents involved, even Tom is aware of the possibility that he might get sued, and even if he doesn’t, his superiors would still want to look into the matter, which means that a punishment is on its way. The worst-case scenario is that he will get fired, but the due process is yet to happen, which means he will have to wait and see how things turn out.
Why Does Camila Stay at Maguire? Is Sophie in Love With Her?
The issue of mixing personal and professional extends further in the final moments of ‘Pulse,’ when it turns out that Sophie, a surgical intern at Maguire, has developed feelings for Camila, a third-year medical student. Under Tom Cole’s mentorship, Sophie is so defeated that when she meets the bubbly and colorful Camila, she is irritated. Slowly, however, the duo grows on each other and eventually becomes close friends who can rely on each other. This is why when Sophie discovers that Camila is leaving Maguire at the end of her internship, she is heartbroken. When asked why she is leaving, Camila reveals that she cannot stand the toxic environment of the place, especially the way Tom treats Sophie. She does not want to get caught up in it and turn out like her friend.
Realizing that she has set a bad example, Sophie decides to fix the situation. The next time she crosses paths with Tom, she lashes out at him for the way he has treated her so far. Camila witnesses this interaction and is happy to discover that Sophie is taking charge, while Tom is humbled in his own way. Later, when Cruz compliments her and shares her disappointment about her leaving, Camila is surprised to discover that the Chair not only knows her but has been keeping tabs on her. Small things like these make her realize that amidst all the chaos, the people at Maguire do care about her, even though they might not show it all the time.
This is why she decides to stay, and Sophie is ecstatic to hear this. In fact, she is so happy that she almost kisses Camila, but she stops when her boyfriend shows up. What shocks Sophie even more is the discovery that the man isn’t simply Camila’s boyfriend, but they are engaged to each other, and she is embarrassed about almost making a move on her. Interestingly, the scene also shows that perhaps Camila feels something, too, because when Sophie thinks about kissing her, she, too, leans in a bit. While there is still uncertainty about Camila’s true feelings, it seems that another office romance may be on the cards, with even more complications to feed the drama that never seems to leave Maguire.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Pulse Filmed?
