Watson Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Livvy Sees the Doctor

It’s the single most intense episode of the series to date on Watson Season 2 Episode 8, “Livvy Sees the Doctor.” That’s not even considering certain extenuating circumstances.

Sargent Fitzgerald (Fitz) makes several trips to the clinic, seeking treatment for his daughter Olivia (Livvy) and always being referred. Finally, he brings her in person and demands an appointment—or he’ll use the bomb he’s wearing to kill everyone.

Well, not quite everyone. Adams and Shinwell are out on an errand. And for some reason, Beck walks himself in just before the crisis. As he progresses, he fancies himself a hero to the point of stabbing Fitz (non-fatally) in the neck.

Livvy herself is an innocent and very sick 9-year-old. Her mother is dead and her biological father doesn’t know she exists. Fitz is just the man who stepped up. Or at least he is until tests in his own treatment prove she is indeed his daughter.

 After initially making himself a terrifying threat, he soon becomes an empathetic figure out of options. He gives up his vest so he can donate his blood to save Olivia’s life. Eventually, John personally takes him to surrender to the police.

All our characters are happily reunited, but there’s still the matter of Beck. Sasha confronts him at multiple points before Fitz throws him out. Later, as Ingrid visits him for sex yet again, we see photos of Sasha on his computer.

Several episodes have made me realize I didn’t quite know what I was getting into with what first seems to be just another contribution to Holmesian canon. There have been multiple in the first part of this season alone, and none more so than this.

Countless shows have had hostage situations and plenty of those have thrown their own wild cards into the mix. But I’ve never seen anything quite like what Beck does, even with the very clear hints that he’d create trouble at some point.

Stabbing a man who has a bomb is a frankly absurd move (did I mention Dr. Watson himself has just been fearlessly calling Fitz out?) and it’s likely pure creative license that everyone wasn’t blown up in that moment.

Even with the situation resolved, it’s clear we’re only just getting to know what he might be capable of. Ingrid, back in the team’s fragile good graces, threatens everything she has by going to him. It may also lead to a direct threat to Sasha’s life.

Amongst all the fear and tension, we eventually reach a climax that is painfully bittersweet. Even at his angriest, Fitz doesn’t want to kill anyone. And he knows from the start that when he says goodbye to Livvy, it might be forever.

That goodbye is indeed heartbreaking, tempered by the knowledge that this girl will at least get to live a long and happy life. And the scenes of everyone together are a moving reminder of how much they care—and how much they have to lose.

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Watson airs Mondays at 10/9 central on CBS 

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