St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Two Docs, One Conf

St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 4, “Two Docs, One Conf,” is all about ulterior motives and high roads not taken as Ron reluctantly bonds with Bruce at a weekend medical conference.

Meanwhile, Joyce tries to show her appreciation for her nursing staff in a comedy of errors that highlights the importance of nurses (and how appallingly little they’re paid). At least we know she means well. 

St. Denis Medical, “Two Docs, One Conf” 

The core theme of this outing is an intriguing one. Multiple characters across the A and B plots are presented with opportunities to take the high road, to do the morally sound thing. However, this is a sitcom. There’s comedy to be found in these endearing characters’ selfishness. 

For example, Alex, who’s won the nursing award for seven years consecutively, vows to vote for Matt to break her streak. You know, to give someone else a chance at hospital-wide recognition. But Alex’s hubris takes the wheel. “Two Docs, One Conf” digs deep into another facet of Alex’s personality.

The dissonance between Alex’s amiable demeanor and this newly discovered ego creates a hilariously relatable, multifaceted portrait of her. She’s not the pitch-perfect, all-star nurse she appears to be. This messy humanity makes her more enjoyable to watch. Allison Tolman deftly balances these different aspects of Alex in a nuanced performance. 

Then, there’s Serena, who “disrespects” Joyce by pitching her rock. It spirals into a whole to-do as Serena tries to find a new rock to throw Joyce off her scent.

Ultimately, Serena opts not to tell the truth, fabricating an elaborate lie about a “nursing gang” disposing of her rock. It’s a hilarious plot twist for that narrative button, with Kahyun Kim leaning into the silliness of it all to delightful results. Additionally, it’s a fun mirroring of Serena and Alex, two exceptional nurses who choose the self-serving route over the selfless one.

Ron and Bruce 4eva

Perhaps the only character who changes their tune in “Two Docs, One Conf” is, surprisingly, Ron. Initially, he resists Bruce’s push for them to hang out at the conference. St. Denis Medical cleverly plays with this odd-couple pairing on this episode beyond their occasional encounters at the hospital. 

David Alan Grier and Josh Lawson are a hoot and a half together. Grier gets to step out of his “straight man” persona here, while Lawson continues to showcase Bruce’s vulnerabilities. For the first time, Ron sees Bruce not as a cocky, bombastic doctor, but as a man desperate to find companionship. 

Here’s where Ron, a character known for inaction outside of his job, casts aside his preconceived notions of Bruce in favor of making a new friend. St. Denis Medical knows how to balance heart and humor, albeit sometimes inconsistently. In “Two Docs, One Conf,” Ron helps Bruce recover from his embarrassing hotel rager (side note: the attention to detail regarding Bruce’s interests really makes him more well-rounded). 

In the end, the Ron/Bruce arc is the stronger of the two, although both make for an amusing whole. And they’re best enjoyed by ingesting 20 slices of cheesecake and two glasses of white wine (acid reflux be damned). 

Stray Observations: 

• Joyce is a GERD girlie like me. I feel seen. 
• Loved seeing Enuka Okuma as Dr. Fenner on this episode, aka Sloane from Workin’ Moms. 
• To Ron’s credit, that dude does look like a blonde version of Mr. Bean (complimentary). 
• Bruce quoting Ace Ventura is painfully on-brand for him. 
• I’d watch a side plot featuring Val trying to con Matt into partaking in various scams. Our boy is pretty impressionable. Comedy ensues! 
• I love the supporting characters (like Brandon) getting more time to shine this season. Even the patients, like the “righteous bowels” lady, are funnier. 

---

What did you think of this episode of St. Denis Medical? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

Critic Rating:

Audience Rating:

 

St. Denis Medical airs new episodes every Monday at 8/7c on NBC, with next-day streaming on Hulu. 

Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!