With only a few days left before starting chemotherapy, April is determined to live as normal a life as ever. But as she has to deal with Leo drama, Beth falling apart and trying to live under the hovering eye of Sara, April quickly learns that nothing will ever be "normal" for her.
So often, April wants to be seen as normal. The person others can go to guidance. Not the person who needs sympathy because of the bad things happening to her. For so much of her life, she has been the rock in the family always taking care of Sara and Brenna. She wants to deal with life on her own terms. That means she'll keep her cancer a secret from her own family until she knows exactly what she's facing and learning more about her half-sister as a distraction. So when the truth is exposed to her co-workers, you can understand why she feels betrayed. However, it's also much more of blessing. Now, she simply doesn't have to worry about that part of her life. Her attention can now solely be about doing chemotherapy and getting better. She's ready to fight and there's this weird calmness about everyone at work knowing but not needing her to do it. Cancer is a bitch but it has finally allowed her to analyze her own priorities. She never would have had the confidence to reveal her diagnosis in the newspaper. But now, she's strangely stronger than she's ever been. She's no longer afraid or worried about how people will react. She is focusing on herself and her needs. That is so uplifting. And watching the Carver family as a united front leaving the home to go to that hospital was such a powerful few minutes. How could you not be shedding a tear?The folks at the paper found out about April because Beth was in the bathroom of a gubernatorial debate crying and confided in a stranger who just so happened to Raquel. The Beth-April friendship has been so strong and so powerful since probably the second episode when Beth learned about April's cancer. She has been there for April. And yet, the weight of this is wearing on her too. No, she doesn't have cancer and she's not family. But she's incredible close with April. She thinks of her as a sister and the thought of loosing her is unimaginable. Beth has frequently been asked to be the fun best friend but it's really nice to see these real emotions as well. On top of all of that, it challenged and later strengthened their bond.
But the hour also felt the need to have to write out two of the more annoying characters in Brenna's orbit - Kiernan and Ford. Neither have come across as genuine and neither seem to understand Brenna all that well. And with lines like "your sister is ruining our social life" and "we don't care about foreign countries where the main tourist attraction is poor people," how can you not think those two are the absolute worst? Sure, Greer was introduced in the most laughable way possible. But she is honestly concerned about Brenna and her family situation. That was the only friend she needs in a time like this. Sure, it also gets a bit confusing once you add in their romantic entanglement - plus Sara hilariously walking in on them making out. But it's a genuine and honest bond that has surprising grown into something special. Their bond isn't a distraction like so much of the Brenna stuff was at the start of the season. However, it was still a pretty clunky plot throughout this episode.
Some more thoughts:
- "What to Expect When You're Expecting Chemo" was written by Lisa Melamed and directed by Melanie Mayron.
- April is chasing after Leo simply because she needs an explanation for why he wouldn't fight for his own life. It's a decision he's at peace with and she just needed to accept that. I don't think this is the end of their story. However, I do think April should focus on herself while she's in the hospital.
- But hey, Dominic may be coming back to town because he learns of April's cancer in the most awkward way possible - the paper!
- Grandma making April pot brownies was pretty great.
- Also, Sara and George kissed. That was something that happened that has been a pretty sudden development over the past few weeks. Eh, let's just see where it's going.
- Speaking of annoying characters, Raquel really has only been the mean girl at April's office. Her advice to Beth while she was crying was absolutely terrible! And yet, she gets a somewhat rewarding moment because she doesn't treat April any differently after finding out the truth.
