Alan is struggling to focus on his thoughts because he’s “in his head.”
He could go to the store and buy some more coffee.
He takes a bite of his food, but can’t focus on it. His mind is on the noise coming from upstairs. It can’t be Sam; he left. He’s been hearing that noise for hours now, and he’s starting to get worried. He tries to think of what could make that noise, but nothing comes to mind. He’s about to go up and check it out when his chains are pulled from his feet and he’s thrown onto the ground. ..
When Sam returns, he knows what Alan has tried with the fork and insists he’s not going to be able to escape like that. His tone is friendly, but there’s an underlying threat in his words when he says that Alan must help them; otherwise, where will that leave them? ..
Alan says that therapy requires a safe and comfortable environment in order to help the patient. Sam agrees to this and also promises not to commit any violence against Alan or anyone else unless he talks to him first. This could be a way for them to try and understand why Sam has a compulsion to kill. ..
Alan wakes up in the night to the sound of someone making noise upstairs. He remembers an instance where his wife threw some cake at the wall. She was upset with their son, who was rebelling against them in some way. ..
In their first session together in this new setting, Sam shares details with Alan about the man he wants to kill. As a health inspector, Sam evaluated a Greek restaurant about four months ago. Its manager acted like Sam didn’t know what he was doing, and the interaction stayed with him. He’s wanted to kill him ever since. That’s when he began going to see Alan in his office for counseling. ..
Later, Sam becomes frustrated with talking with Alan. He feels that it isn’t helping, though he still asks for another session after dinner. He then leaves for work.
Alan is startled when he hears the thudding upstairs again. He tries to call out to whoever is there, but they come downstairs with a cane.
Alan greets the strangers with a smile. ..
The Episode Review
The Patient Episode 2: Steve Carell’s Reserved Frustration and Domhnall Gleeson’s Wry Dramatics Continue to complement Each Other Superbly
The show moves through its scenes naturally, slowly unfolding both the most chilling and absurd of scenarios. However, there are moments where scenes are cut away abruptly, leaving them feeling awkward and unfinished. ..
This episode left us with questions about Sam’s attic. Is there a mother or father in Sam’s attic, aware of his murderous tendencies? It would be an unlikely thing to see in The Patient so far.
