Once again, Edwards taps into the episode’s underlying themes better than anyone, as his relationship with the Robertson family continues to develop interesting contours. Whereas last week made it seem possible that the Captain’s affections for Edwards were born out of guilt and paternal responsibility, tonight’s dinner party put a much more exploitative spin on their relationship. The Captain parades Edwards around as both a charity case and a venal example of his progressive leanings. No wonder the guy is so in love with the phonograph he busts out for the party; for guys like The Captain, progress, whether technological or social, is a sideshow to pass time between business meetings.
Still, for as crappy as Edwards’ position, and the audio of that phonograph might be, they’re a small step towards something better down the line. For Edwards, advancing his position in the hospital means knowing when to fight, and when to stand your ground. Withholding information from Gallinger so that he can perform the galvanization procedure is, to put it mildly, questionably ethical, but he’s always been the best man for the job. The operation is a complete success, but instead of their respect, Edwards walks away from the procedure with jeers from the audience, and a welt from Gallinger.
The only person who does seem impressed is Thackery, who admires the cojones on Edwards more than his surgical hands. Edwards was never going to get Thackery’s approval by being smarter than him, but proving he’s just as willing to take risks counts for something. It’s Edwards’ tenacity that may eventually win Thackery over, and it’s part of what makes Thackery a bridge between the two sides of America displayed in “Where’s the Dignity?” By virtue of race and class, he’s a respected member of society, but his work exposes him to the dregs of it every day. In doing so, he’s never lost that need to struggle in order to make things better for others, though in his case, it’s not his family or a people, but all people. Where others see a dead body, he sees a cadaver that can provide important research.
It’s just a shame we’re not seeing more of that from Thackery, or anything else really. The emphasis on other characters the last couple weeks has meant The Knick’s ostensible star hasn’t changed much since the show began. Though we get to see Abbie again, her involvement is much the same as last week: a flashback shows us Thackery as a reckless indulger, and a conversation with Abbie verbally reinforces how great he is despite that. Then it’s off to the opium den, and it’s as though we’ve learned nothing new about the guy.
Many shows only build outward once they’ve established a rock-solid core, but The Knick’s feels almost freeform at this point. This could pay off hugely once we’re at a point where all the characters are engaging people doing engaging things, but for now, it’s giving the show a shapeless quality that’s a tad frustrating. It’s better to be teased with potential than to question if there’s any there at all, but seeing as next week marks the season’s halfway point, it’d be nice to see more of the show’s pieces snapping into place.
- Stray Thoughts
-Looks like Barrow is pawning off pig ashes as those of the dearly departed, even for widows who didn’t request their husband be cremated. Tonight had him in funny-pathetic mode, instead of just pathetic-pathetic.
-Cornelia’s engaged to some suit who wants to whisk her off to San Francisco. The couch chat she shares with Edwards amidst the reveling over the phonograph really drives home how much they stick out in this world.
-Good night for Cliff Martinez’ score. Though missing out on Cleary, Rat Fight Promoter was a shame, it’s a sequence that doesn’t need dialogue when a sinister, but intoxicating beat will pull you right into the moment.
