Coroner Review: In Bloom (Season 3 Episode 2)

Many people are finding the light they need to grow on Coroner Season 3 Episode 2 “In Bloom.” It’s actually rather amazing that so much is packed into about 40 minutes of television. 

Not one, but two deaths force Jenny and Donovan to learn the lessons they need to from each victim, and they are two very important lessons. Plus, we meet Donovan’s dad!

But I’m burying the lead because Liam is back! His voiceover is a lovely way to learn about the contents of the letter he sent to Jenny. Coroner‘s cold opens remain strong. 

It is strange to then see him in treatment trying to get a horse to warm up to him, but the symbolism is clear. Just as he might need to move on from the horse that doesn’t like him, he may need to move on from Jenny to the random woman
working at the treatment center whose name I don’t care to remember. 

No matter what happens between Jenny and Liam, we should all be proud of Jenny for taking her therapist’s advice and saying “yes” to the life she wants. It’s so refreshing how seamlessly Coroner continues to weave mental health issues and therapy into its fabric. 

Perhaps Jenny learns from Shirley’s death that she deserves work on herself and live the life she wants to live. 

Clearly, the more obvious lesson there is that while it might be possible to fall in lust with someone by talking to them through a vent, you should probably confirm their identity before calling it love and turning your life inside out.

Shirley’s death is heartbreaking. But it is hard to blame Oliver for her suicide. He is so young he’s barely qualified to give her the advice he is giving about his mom’s “Turning Tides” program. 

When they are talking about going to Hawaii, Oliver is just dreaming for fun though Shirley is anxious to get out of her marriage. Still, there is no mal intent to what he is doing or saying. It’s unclear whether he could be charged with manslaughter or even a lesser crime. 

Faye gives off less than transformative vibes and it would be more satisfying to see her charged for not letting Shirley’s husband into the center to see his wife.

But Coroner is not concerned with the legal side each case. We follow how deaths happen and how they impact the lives of the people investigating them. 

Even though Andrew’s death is the “B” story on the episode, it’s crystal clear how his case affects Donovan.

He learns to let his dad live his life even though he doesn’t agree with all-inclusive resort vacations during the current health crisis. 

Andrew’s death is essentially a hate crime, so it’s disappointing that the race element of it all is an afterthought. Asian people all over the world have been facing extra discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s good to see it addressed on TV at all and Donovan learns an important lesson. However, I’m scared that Donovan has also been encouraged to keep his cancer a secret because of this case. 

Like Andrew did not want to burden Ben by telling him he had to get a food delivery job, Donovan does not seem to want to burden anyone with his cancer. 

It’s actually a very frustrating reflection of our collective society that needing help is seen as a weakness, burden, or annoyance. Some people don’t have a choice but to ask for help in life and they aren’t being weak. They’re being vulnerable, strong, and normal. 

Hopefully, both Donovan and Jenny get more comfortable with asking for help. Stress is not so slowly creeping up on them both in different ways. If they try to carry it all alone for much longer, they’ll break. 

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Coroner airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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