St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 5 Review: A Strong Cup of Coffee

St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 5, “A Strong Cup of Coffee,” finds the hospital hierarchy turned on its head when Alex’s mentor returns. Serena and Matt bond over going the extra mile to help a patient, while Ron and Joyce get tangled in a web of mortality contemplation. Guest star Lauren Weedman gives the outing a shot in the arm, subverting expectations by playing against her type. 

St. Denis Medical, “A Strong Cup of Coffee” 

Alex compares Pam, a retired nurse and her former mentor, to “a strong cup of coffee.” Pam barges into the hospital and takes the reins with an iron fist, making everyone around her miserable and uncomfortable. This forces Alex outside of her comfort zone — she must confront someone whom she thought was her idol in the name of protecting her nurses. 

It’s a great moment of growth for Alex. She stands her ground against Pam, adopting a more assertive approach as she puts the latter in her place. That confrontation offers insight into Alex’s nursing style. Her obsession with rule-following makes sense when you consider Pam’s oppressive, abusive mentoring style. 

Weedman is a villain in “A Strong Cup of Coffee,” a stark contrast to her comedic roles, like in Hacks. It showcases her versatility. Pam’s behavior is abhorrent, and Weedman’s performance is believable because she understands dynamics. She knows when to give a little more and when to reel it in. 

It’s Not Our Job to Solve Anyone’s Problems

“A Strong Cup of Coffee” blesses us with more Serena/Matt scenes. Kahyun Kim and Mekki Leeper’s natural, easygoing chemistry makes it easy to root for this pairing. Matt telling Serena how he felt in Season 1 mirrors Kyle’s (the patient) journey to express his feelings for his roommate. Could this inspire Serena to admit to herself that she likes Matt? Hopefully. 

However, like any sitcom worth its salt, St. Denis Medical revels in the slow burn. The stolen glances; the charged moments. We’re now in the phase where Serena views Matt in a different light. Like Matt last season, we’re seeing her fall for him in real time. And this (begrudgingly) romance-loving reviewer is eating it up. 

The Serena/Matt storyline also speaks to the state of the medical industry in the US. We learn that Kyle will have to wait six weeks to see a specialist for his condition. “A Strong Cup of Coffee” subtly remarks on this while refraining from thwacking us over the head with it. This isn’t the first time St. Denis Medical has been a strong advocate for those in the medical field, and it’s one thing it does well. 

Name One Song

It’s always a good time when the show plays with the Ron/Joyce dynamic. This time, it throws in Val for good measure. Thankfully, Season 2 uses the hilarious Kaliko Kauahi more than its predecessor, and in “A Strong Cup of Coffee,” it’s Ron and Val versus Joyce — double the “straight man” to Joyce’s wild card. 

This arc is also a clever meditation on our affinity for co-opting tragedies on social media for attention and likes. Ron instantly clocks what Joyce is doing with her Stevie Wonder comment. White women tend to center themselves (intentionally and unintentionally) when tragedy strikes, especially if it involves a person of color.  

However, Ron adds here that a celebrity’s death puts our mortality into focus. If the rich and powerful can’t evade death, then we definitely can’t. It’s a more nuanced and painfully relatable take on the subject. St. Denis Medical is quite adept at tackling serious topics like this with its usual dose of humor and heart. (Lots of the former.)

“A Strong Cup of Coffee” seamlessly interweaves these character arcs in a way that makes sense while providing easy laughs. We could all use an easy laugh these days. 

Stray Observations: 

• Bruce would be a fan of “Yo Mama” jokes. That feels incredibly on-brand for him. The reliance on ChatGPT feels a bit out of character, though. Someone who prides himself on unadulterated achievement wouldn’t lean on a tool of that nature. 
• Speaking as someone abused under the guise of “tough love,” it’s absolute bullsh*t. Alex was right to put Pam in her place. 
• Ron is unfortunately right — when you work in an ecosystem of that nature, talking smack on occasion comes with the territory. 
• Rebecca von Bubblegum is a fantastic finsta name. Reminds me of Anastasia Beaverhausen. 
• We now need Paul Reiser to guest-star on St. Denis Medical as proof that he and Ron are besties. 
• I kinda want more Bruce/Alex interactions now. 

---

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!