I don’t suspect we’re on the precipice of a masterpiece with Netflix’s PULSE. Period.
Throughout Season 1 of PULSE, we see a conflict between the two main characters, Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald, seen in Reacher, Strange Darling, Alarum) and Xander Philips (Colin Woodell, seen in I Love America, The Continental: From the World of John Wick). Immediately in Episode 1, Danny reported Phillips to HR. None of the other residents, except Harper, Danny’s sister, “believes” in understanding and knowing what has happened. After 10 long episodes, we finally got an answer in Episodes 9 and 10.
Let’s delve into some context: Danny and Phillips were in a relationship before the allegation. As the series unfolds and more flashbacks of their relationship are revealed, we witness a complex breakdown from both sides. No one is innocent in this, adding a layer of intrigue to their dynamic.
Danny reports Phillips for harassment. Purely on the basis that she didn’t want to end up in a relationship with him because he was Chief Resident, a job she wanted in the future. She feared that if she ended up in a relationship with him, that would mean if she became Chief Resident, it would be because of her relationship with him. But she fell in love with him nonetheless. So they kept everything hush-hush.
During their time, Danny learned that Xander had done similar things with other ladies at his previous employment. However, Xander decides to break his NDA and explains to Danny that that wasn’t the case. His old hospital pinned a patient’s death on his hands, but then his parents covered it up.
But Danny withdraws the HR complaint at the end of this dragged-out storyline.
So what does this ending tell me? It reflects the modern world, where women sometimes make false allegations about men. However, the show doesn’t just take the woman’s side. The other residents don’t rush to conclusions. They don’t just side with Danny. They strive to understand the situation, making them question her role as Chief Resident while Phillips has been dismissed since the accusation. This balanced approach is a reassuring departure from the norm.
Thankfully, the show handled this issue in the right way, had Danny do the right thing, and withdrew the accusation. Resolving a lot of conflict between Danny and Xander led to Xander being open about Danny’s NDA.
However, another theme this season has touched upon is Workplace Politics.
Dr Cruz, the head of Maguire Hospital, sees some repercussions regarding Danny’s complaint. His family wants her fired. Dr. Cruz refuses but must now share the hospital with Dr. Patrick Sanchez. And he wants the power and the position.
Cruz tells Sanchez she wants to promote Danny as the new Chief Resident for the following year. So, as the end-of-year party ends, Cruz announces to her staff that she’s now splitting and sharing her ER. Something she’s hurt about. As she introduces Sanchez, he drops that he is promoting Elijah to Chief Resident. Cruz is hurt. Danny is hurt. Phillips is hurt. Elijah is happy!
This touches on how backstabbing and sneaky people can be in a corporate setting. Every man defends himself. And the nice guys finish last.
However, this opens the possibility of Danny and Xander rekindling their relationship in the next season. This could be a hopeful turn for fans of their love story. But at the same time, what Danny did was wrong, so there would be a lot for them to work through.
Episode 10 closes with the suggestion of a massive incident in the Miami area requiring Elijah to step up immediately as Chief Resident, which we’ll learn about in Season 2.
