Dr. Thackery knows that electricity can also affect our emotions.

He will now demonstrate.

ThisThe Knickreview contains spoilers.

The screeners I receive forThe Knickdont have the episode titles on them.

As Im watching this episode in particular, I notice this motif of whiplash begins to pop up.

And of course she knows what whiplash is.

How else do you describe that other than whiplash?

*I like that there are a few cuts thrown in here and there during the fast-paced surgery scenes.

And weirdly that significantly changed how I felt about the episode.

Its not because the plot demands it either, its because shit just happens.

And then the rest of the episode moves along at its normal, languid Knick pace.

*The story of the Negro in America, is the story of America.

The title Whiplash, however, lampshades everything in far too meta and annoying of a way.

Its strange, we so rarely think about the quality of the actual individual titles of episodes of television.

And the way I viewed Whiplash without knowing the title and then finding out, negatively affected my experience.

Its a shame too because there is plenty to appreciate in the episode.

The surgery sequences are fantastic as usual and not just the subway accident ones.

The episode is book-ended by Dr. Thackerys ongoing mission to identify the root cause of addiction.

He thinks he has in the brain of his morphine addicted patient Sidney.

Electricity can also effect our emotions.

I will now demonstrate, he tells the surgery audience before prodding the patients brain to make him cry.

Now THAT would make a low-key good episode name.

Dr. Thackerys understanding of the human brain is even more primitive than our own already primitive understanding.

Sure, you made the guy cry, John but is that all it takes to create emotions?

Random pulses of electricity?

Is it random pulses of electricity that make Dr. Gallinger such a eugenics-obsessed dick?

Is it random pulses of electricity that endgender the sweet moments among the Chickering family and Berties girlfriend Genevieve?

  • Do those impulses cause Harry to selflessly stand up to a girl in menstrual pain being bullied?

Or cause Barrow to reject his poor wife and instead have a go at rescue his prostitute crush?

*The Bertie and Genevieve scenes are an episode highlight.

As is her joke.

Maybe thats the whiplash.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5