St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 10 Review: This Is From Joyce

St. Denis Medical Season 2 Episode 10, “This Is From Joyce,” is all about a botched ladies’ night, a memecoin acquisition gone wrong, and the awkward exchange of belongings post-breakup. We definitively (or perhaps seemingly) close the door on Joyce and Sanderson, but not before Joyce getting the last word. Serena and Alex are always a dynamic duo with guaranteed laughs, and the laughs come easily during their scenes. 

St. Denis Medical, “This Is From Joyce” 

The dialogue feels sharper in Season 2, and that certainly applies to “This Is From Joyce.” This reviewer found herself laughing out loud more than normal at the one-liners and even the “throwaway” moments. It’s tighter than Season 1, to be sure.

Beyond the dialogue, what works in this episode is the dynamics between these characters. As a pairing, Joyce/Matt doesn’t get enough exploration, so it’s great to see them in the spotlight for the B-plot. Matt is the perfect “straight man” to Joyce’s boundless chaos. Ron and Bruce are another fun “odd couple” duo, though the memecoin arc is weaker than the other storylines. 

Serena and Alex are a tried-and-true character pairing, and Kahyun Kim and Allison Tolman play off each other well. Tolman, in particular, is hilarious as the fish-out-of-water Alex, who struggles to adapt to a new environment. Tolman shines whenever Alex has to fish for information from the “Botox Bubbly” group or explain her unorthodox behavior. It’s even funnier considering that Alex is, at face value (and compared to other characters), a straitlaced person. 

Big J and Matty Matt

Wendi McLendon-Covey never goes over the top in her portrayal of Joyce. It would’ve been so easy to do that in “This Is From Joyce,” but McLendon-Covey allows the already witty dialogue to land. She gets out of its way. It’s also fun watching her go toe-to-toe with Steve Little’s Sanderson. 

Joyce desperately wants to prove to Sanderson that she’s doing better post-breakup than he is, but the latter has his own meet-cute right in the hospital lobby (with the talented Kristen Schaal). It’s a moment of panic for Joyce; however, Matt swoops in with the unexpectedly profound advice. 

Matt admits to crushing on the “wrong person,” marking the first time he’s talked about his feelings for Serena since last season. It’s abundantly clear that those feelings are still present, even though he’s trying to move on.

In true — and hilarious — Joyce fashion, she interprets this confession as about her. St. Denis Medical is adept at turning a situation on its head through a comical subversion. 

“This Is From Joyce” doesn’t quite gel as a single entity, but this is an example where certain episodic storylines are stronger than others. Thankfully, the performances and the solid dialogue really sell the whole thing. 

Stray Observations: 

• “Grey Mornings” is the perfect name for a fake British show. Someone should make it a reality in-universe. 
• Ah, the ole “Keith died” trick to get out of a sticky situation. Works every time. 
• Bruce being a crypto bro is the most accurate character detail of all time. 
• You gotta dump that hydrogen peroxide down the dog’s throat to get him to vomit. Signed, a dog owner whose bulldog swallowed something poisonous (he’s fine). 
• Sanderson looks like a member of Men in Black. All he needs is those fancy glasses and a Neuralyzer. 

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

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