Happy’s Place Season 1, Episode 17, “The Doctor Is Out” Spoilers Ahead
Happy’s Place is an incredibly special show, and “The Doctor Is Out” is a brilliantly compelling episode that results in something we’re going to talk about for a long, long time. It’s a bit too early to say it now since this is network television, but this might just be the best episode of the season (and maybe even one of the best episodes of the year). In addition, for once, I’m letting myself have a completely biased opinion because this episode feels like it was made for me.
I’ve not made it a secret that I find Steve’s OCD relatable, but more than that, it’s the fact that Happy’s Place is the first show where I’ve seen such an accurate and thoughtful depiction of it. This week’s episode also makes space for a brilliant performance from Pablo Castelblanco, who’s unquestionably the performer of the week—and I’d go for enough to say the show’s season.
Pablo Castelblanco Delivers a Brilliant Performance in Happy’s Place Season 1, Episode 17
Because of stereotypical depictions, people often think that OCD is something we can simply “get over,” or that it’s merely a matter of breaking irritating patterns. But that’s so far from the truth it’s not even funny. Yes, therapy helps. Yes, progress can be made, but what people don’t realize is how horrifically exhausting it can be to think about every single move we make. The conversation that Steve has with Bobbie at the end of the episode is the exact conversation I’ve had with my loved ones. It’s how logic and reality are often on the back burner in my mind because I can’t help the places my brain goes and the associations it makes.
I was once told that I’m not a real critic because I can’t watch medical dramas, but what that person could never understand is how every time I do, I immediately spiral and start to believe it’s all happening to me. Despite the fact that my brain can distinguish fiction from reality in many genres, it’s nearly impossible to do with medical content. OCD has a strange way of showing itself because what people also think is that just because we’re fine with one thing, we must be okay with another. Yet, that’s so far from the case, and that’s what makes it so profoundly exhausting to explain ourselves. It’s how sometimes, we feel like we can’t be a functional human being because doing something as simple as going to the movie theatre, even when you’ve done it before, suddenly feels like it’ll be the end of the world.
Pablo Castelblanco is sensational this week because he evokes exhaustion with his entire physicality. Every move he makes is intentional to show the number of thoughts people with OCD face every second of every day. The way his voice cracks when he tearfully says, “When do I get to stop?” is going to haunt me for a long while. It’s apparent that everyone involved with the series cares deeply about handling this sensitive matter, and Happy’s Place Season 1, Episode 17, “The Doctor Is Out,” is proof of it. People also find it so strange sometimes that so many of us have trouble leaving therapy because it’s not an overnight fix. People also find it strange that we want to leave. There’s no end. It doesn’t stop. It feels like a neverending cycle, and we see it so clearly with Steve that it’s harrowing.
Still, how Bobbie speaks to Steve in this episode is crucial because he needs the reminder that he is a functioning adult. He can take care of himself—he can do his job. OCD can be deeply overwhelming and taxing, but so many people also work harder in spite of it. (For example, I berate myself with my writing in a way that no one else would.) We’re a lot harder on ourselves than anyone else can be, and throughout the episode, Castelblanco delivers the type of memorable performance that elevates the words on the page to show OCD struggles with poignantly compelling accuracy.
I often think of how Ron Swanson told Leslie Knope not to do anything in halves and how that’s sometimes impossible in the climate we’re living in. We find ourselves slipping through the cracks because of the expectations thrust upon us, and mental illness elevates this even more because we want to give our best at all times. “The Doctor Is Out” explores all these matters with so much heart that there’s quite literally no moment in the episode that we can’t excavate further. There’s something so lovely and inspiring about how this show can be so lighthearted at times and so profoundly inspiring. There’s also plenty to say about Reba McEntire’s gorgeous performance and how Bobbie meets Steve halfway, as she stands up to tell him he isn’t broken by showing him how much he’s already done in the time they’ve known each other.
Takoda’s Heart Remains Unbeatable
“The Doctor Is Out” also reminds us that Takoda would do anything for his friends by having him get involved in Gabby’s pyramid scheme. It takes a hot minute for her even to realize that’s what’s happening, but throughout the season, Takoda has been the show’s heart. He’s a light in so many ways—especially for Steve. (I’m still thinking about how he put the cloth over the cart to make sure he sits on something clean in “Whiskey Business.“)
This week, Takoda then gives Gabby the bracelet his daughter made for him as a reminder that he has her back. It’s little moments like this that continue to elevate the charm of Happy’s Place. I say it week after week, but when everything is drab and dreary, a show like this continues to be a balm that reminds viewers why it’s so important to look out for our people. To love them and appreciate them. To really see them and the things they want.
Stray Thoughts
- Gabby wants an espresso machine. I want Gabby’s shirt.
- “Something about your body being a temple or windmill or something.”
- Baby boy doesn’t know what to do with himself. This episode really destroyed and healed me at the same time.
- “Because it’s exhausting. Every minute of every day. I have to remind myself to do this or not do that. When you sit, you don’t have to think you just sit. I have to tell myself that I’m gonna be okay if I sit or if I don’t sit. And I have do those thoughts every second of every day. When do I get to stop, Bobbie? When will I be fixed enough?” Steve, you’re not broken. Tell him, Bobbie. Tell him!
- I can’t believe next week is the finale. How did we get here so quickly?
Now streaming on NBC and Peacock: What are your thoughts on Happy’s Place Season 1, Episode 17, “The Doctor Is Out?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image: (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC)