Ritesh Sharma
Zoe Robyn’s Netflix medical drama series ‘Pulse’ takes intense dramatic turns in the fifth and sixth episodes, titled ‘Nothing Personal’ and ‘Homestead,’ respectively. With Hurricane Abby finally behind them, the residents of Maguire Medical Center hope for a moment of respite, but the relentless nature of the hospital offers anything but comfort. As Phillips’ departure leaves a void, Danny faces a wave of emotional turmoil. While they attempt to move on, she joins Harper to check in on their father, and Sophie finally gets a chance to shine at Maguire. With tensions running high and personal stakes at their peak, these episodes set the stage for deeply emotional and compelling final episodes! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sophie Finally Gets to Shine Before Her Boss
With Phillips gone from the hospital, the fifth and sixth episodes shift the focus to other characters and their evolving dynamics. One of the standout arcs belongs to Sophie Chan, who has endured relentless humiliation at the hands of Dr. Tom Cole. In the fifth episode, the surgeon assigns her a case involving a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Initially, she feels excited, believing this to be an opportunity to prove herself. However, her enthusiasm fades when she discovers that the patient is a 99-year-old with dementia. The true nature of Cole’s assignment becomes painfully clear—he had set her up for failure. Despite this, Sophie remains determined, especially when the patient’s daughter pleads for her mother to hold on until she can arrive.
Sophie pours every ounce of effort into saving the patient, but tragically, her attempts fall short, and the woman passes away before her daughter can say goodbye. The loss weighs heavily on her, leaving her shattered. However, redemption finds her in the following episode when a patient, mistreated by Dr. Pittman, is brought to Maguire. Dr. Natalie Cruz entrusts Sophie with the operation, and to her surprise, her boss is already familiar with her reputation. With careful precision, she follows Cruz’s guidance and successfully saves the patient’s life. For the first time in a long while, she feels an immense sense of pride in her abilities.
Swallowing her lingering doubts, Sophie shares wholesome, uplifting moments with Camila, basking in the rare but well-deserved feeling of triumph. In these moments, she finally gets a chance to shine, stepping out from under Cole’s oppressive shadow and reclaiming her confidence.
Danny And Phillips Try to Move On From Their Overwhelming Relationship
After enduring the relentless force of Hurricane Abby, the residents of Maguire Medical Center finally get a chance to breathe. The hospital, once engulfed in chaos, begins to settle, allowing its exhausted staff to leave for the night. Eager to unwind, Harper invites Danny to a party where the residents can finally let loose, but she refuses, preferring solitude over celebration. Meanwhile, a harrowing accident case shakes up the hospital. Two individuals, both caught cheating on their respective partners, are rushed in after a devastating car crash. As the medical team works to stabilize them, Danny finds herself tending to the female victim, Christina. Overwhelmed with guilt, she tearfully confesses that she never imagined herself capable of such betrayal.
Christina insists that infidelity isn’t in her nature, yet somehow, she crosses a line she never thought she would. Her words strike a nerve in Danny, stirring up painful memories from her own past. Amidst the tense atmosphere, she crosses paths with Cam Fuentes, the police officer handling the case. He flirts with her, attempting to get closer, but she remains indifferent. Before leaving, he hands her a coffee mug with his phone number scribbled on it—only for Danny to toss it straight into the trash. Choosing isolation over the party, she spends the night alone—until an unexpected impulse leads her to the bar where Cam is.
Danny and Cam’s interaction is lighthearted and effortless, a stark contrast to the emotional weight she’s been carrying. For a brief moment, she lets her guard down, allowing herself to enjoy a simple conversation. Meanwhile, at the party, Phillips arrives, scanning the crowd for Danny. Cole, noticing his distraction, teases and urges him to loosen up. Succumbing to the suggestion, Phillips tries to engage with one of the girls at the party, but his lingering feelings for Danny hold him back. Unable to go through with it, he leaves and heads to his former partner’s house—only to find her with Cam.
Danny, however, keeps things cordial with Cam, never letting the moment escalate. As she bids him farewell and walks away, she remains unaware of Phillips’ silent presence, his gaze lingering on her. The tension between them remains unresolved, and their relationship is still a tangled mess of emotions, regrets, and unspoken words.
Danny Asked Phillips to Report Their Relationship to HR
The fifth episode takes us ten months into the past, offering a glimpse into a crucial turning point in Danny and Phillips’ relationship. At the time, their romance was still a well-kept secret—one that Danny was beginning to feel increasingly uneasy about. Sitting across from Phillips, Danny brought up a topic she had clearly been thinking about for a while: reporting their relationship to HR. As someone who always tried to play by the rules, she believed it was the right thing to do. She understood that Phillips, as a senior figure at Maguire Medical Center, held significant power, and keeping their relationship hidden might lead to speculation or even serious professional consequences.
Transparency, Danny argued, would prevent misunderstandings and allow them to be together without secrecy casting a shadow over their careers. However, Phillips didn’t share her perspective. Instead of agreeing, he pushed back, his expression unreadable. He cautioned Danny about the repercussions—if they reported their relationship, people would assume the worst. He told her bluntly that the hospital staff would whisper that she was trying to “sleep her way to the top” and that her achievements would always be questioned because of their relationship. Though the conversation ended without resolution, the damage had already been done. A seed of doubt had been planted—one that would only grow over time.
Danny And Harper Open a Can of Worms by Meeting Their Father
For Danny and Harper, family has always been complicated. The two sisters, both brilliant doctors, have spent most of their lives dealing with the emotional scars left by their father, Matty. In the sixth episode, their already strained relationship with him takes center stage when they decide to visit him. What is supposed to be a simple check-in quickly turns into a deeply emotional and tense encounter. Matty is a short-tempered man with a drinking problem and someone who has never been particularly kind to Danny. When the sisters arrive, it becomes immediately clear that his health is declining. He has congestive heart failure, and despite needing medication, he has been neglecting his health.
Danny, always the more pragmatic one, notices something alarming—her father’s legs show signs of a worsening condition. She insists that he needs immediate medical attention, but Matty, stubborn as ever, refuses to listen. Harper, who has often acted as a buffer between her sister and their father, tries to keep the peace. But she can’t even ignore the reality of the situation. Danny doesn’t just see Matty as a patient—she sees the man as the person who shaped much of her childhood, for better or worse. The resentment between them is palpable, built on years of unresolved tension.
When Danny makes it clear that Matty has only two choices—either he goes to the hospital now, or she walks away for good—the atmosphere in the room shifts. It’s a rare moment of authority from her, which is both heartbreaking and necessary. But it’s not just about Matty’s current state. Their conversation dredges up painful memories, including the event that changed everything—the episode that put Harper in a wheelchair. Danny finally brings it up, pointing out what had only been hinted at in the first episode: Matty pushed Harper in a fit of rage. This revelation is something they have both lived with, but hearing it spoken aloud reignites old wounds.
Harper, however, doesn’t blame Matty the way Danny does. She turns the blame toward her sister, saying that it was her fault for provoking him. According to Harper, their father got angry because the elder sister stained the new wallpaper he had just painted. It’s a chilling moment, not because the former is necessarily right, but because it shows how differently the two sisters have processed their trauma. Danny has spent years resenting their father, while Harper has found a way to rationalize his actions. Before either of them can say more, Matty collapses, unconscious.
In a deeply emotional moment, Danny is forced to put aside all her pain and resentment to operate on her own father. As Matty’s life hangs in the balance, the tension between the two sisters only grows. Harper and Danny might have come together for their father’s sake, but their conflicting perspectives on the past ensure that their own relationship remains as fractured as ever.
Elijah and Danny’s Past Influence Their Current Companionship
Danny and Elijah’s relationship has always been complicated, but the fifth episode sheds new light on its complexities. We learn that Elijah once asked Danny out when they were interns. Over time, their connection deteriorated, but in this episode, long-buried tensions resurface—this time, with raw emotions and deep-seated resentment. The situation escalates as Danny’s past with Phillips comes to light, only for Elijah to fail to contain his anger. Confronting her with biting words, he says, “You wanted to be the chief, you slept with the chief, and now you are the chief.” It’s a brutal remark, one that clearly cuts deep.
Danny has spent years proving her worth in the medical field, constantly fighting against assumptions that she advanced through anything other than talent and dedication. Yet Elijah’s words make one thing painfully clear—no matter how hard she works, some will always question her success. But beneath his harsh tone lies something deeper: hurt. Elijah’s anger isn’t just about Danny’s career. He is hurt that she never told him about Phillips. He’s frustrated that she once rejected him yet secretly entered a relationship with someone far more powerful. For him, this isn’t just about professional ethics—it’s personal.
Despite Elijah’s accusations, Danny refuses to let his words break her. She knows her relationship with Phillips is far more complicated than ambition alone. Still, his words linger, forcing her to confront the uncomfortable reality of how others perceive her choices.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Pulse Based on a True Story?
