Monroe s01e02 Episode Script

This is Mr Monroe, Neurosurgeon.
You're taking a knife to someone's head.
The only difference between you and a psychopath is good A levels.
Dr Mullery, you appear to be wearing my clogs.
Dr Mullery, leave the clogs on your feet.
How did you learn to suture so quickly? By wanting to.
I'm leaving you.
You're just gonna stand up and go after 22 years?! My daughter died on the operating table.
Brain surgeon's daughter dies of a brain tumour.
Long odds by anybody's book.
You remind me of someone I don't like very much.
Who? Me.
(RINGS) Hello? Yeah, I'll be there in half an hour, tops.
I'm sorry, I've just come to pick up some things.
Oh, that's very decent of you.
Could you start in the bedroom? I've been a little lax with the laundry.
I don't want this to be difficult.
Maybe I should come back when you're not here.
What, so you walking out didn't make things difficult? A bit simplistic, even by your standards.
Am I missing some pertinent details? Your adultery.
Pedant.
I'm really sorry, but I've told Nick we've split up.
What did you say? He'd guessed that something was wrong.
I'm sorry.
I wasn't going to lie to him.
Did you tell him why? I just told him we'd grown apart.
I thought anything else should come from you.
Right.
Riverside Theatre, ã50 each way, Kempton, 2:30.
There's enough to choke a donkey here.
Are you sure? That's how sure.
I don't see a problem.
She's told Nick you've split up and you have split up.
But she hasn't told him about my affair.
How do you think he's going to take that news? He's already got a very low opinion of me so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
So, when are you going to tell Nick the truth? Never.
Sounds like a plan.
I've got all the referrals and admissions up to date, including last night's emergencies.
Are you still here? What? I thought we agreed you weren't cut out for this.
I never agreed to that.
Sally, Anna told Nick.
Can you believe that? What have you got for me? A double shooting.
One for us and one for Cardiac.
Sounds fair.
James Chadwick, 14.
Somehow got hold of a loaded handgun, him and his younger brother Danny were playing around with it and Danny ended up getting shot in the chest.
He called the ambulance.
An hour later, he shot himself in the head.
The bullet entered laterally in the right frontal area and exited out the right side of the forehead.
Has he been scanned yet? After he was stabilised in A & E.
The results should be ready for you.
By the way, the parents are split up and not talking.
He shot his brother in the chest and himself in the head and they both survived? Sounds to me like he's not cut out to be a hit man.
Just kids messing about, by all accounts.
Except with a hand gun.
How is the cardiac doing? Bremner's already operating.
A woman who doesn't believe in foreplay.
This is going to take a while.
Should we go and talk to his mum? How do you go about talking to parents in circumstances like these? I stick to the facts.
The medical facts.
Keep it clean.
Keep it simple.
Minimum damage.
So, we've cleared out all the blood clots.
We've managed to find the damage and repair it.
But we are having a problem getting him off the bypass machine.
He's gonna be all right, isn't he? Tell me he's gonna be all right.
He has suffered a very bad injury.
But why? Why would he have a gun? Where would they get a gun from? Has the boys' father arrived yet? He's with James.
We can't be in the same room.
Especially not after this.
Not now.
Right, yes.
Well, I've got to get back, so I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
What for? There's a chapel in the hospital.
If that was It's peaceful in there.
OK.
Oh, good, another candidate for the Empathy Party (!) You know me.
Always got a little emotion to spare for the needy.
Bremner? Yes, yes.
Sorry.
There's a bleed and we can't find it.
James will go into surgery for his injury.
Mr Monroe will come down and talk to you straight after he's operated.
I know.
You said.
What about my other lad? What about Danny? Somebody from the Cardiac team will talk to you about him.
I need to speak to somebody now! Bit volatile.
He needs handling with care.
Do you think you can do that? Not me you want to be talking to.
Monroe's virtually sacked me twice already.
He might be like that for reasons you don't need to know about.
His wife leaving him.
I know about that.
That's why I'm making room for allowances.
(BEEPING) Yeah, the bullet's passed through the front right of his skull and nicked his right frontal lobe.
He's a very lucky boy.
And a bad shot.
Good job he's right handed.
Yes.
Are you just being sycophantic or do you actually know why? Because the same angle from the left would have damaged his speech centre.
Not as interesting as if he'd been a better shot and given himself a bilateral lobotomy.
(CHUCKLES) That's my son you're talking about.
I'm sorry.
He's young.
I'll talk to you after the operation, Mr Chadwick.
Is that it? Is what it? This prick is laughing and joking about my boy trying to blow his brains out and you think "I'm sorry" deals with it? I agree this young man is a prick, but he's part of my team.
I-I'm sorry, Mr Chadwick.
I didn't realise you were there.
Is there another hospital that can do this? What about another surgeon? I know you are going through hell right now but your son will get the best care we can give.
I promise you that.
Your best? I don't think you give 'that' about my son.
What do I have to do to convince you that we do? You can let me watch.
You can let me watch the operation.
OK, if that's what it takes.
You have a seat here, Mr Chadwick.
Dr Springer, tell Dr Wilson to fetch Mr Chadwick some scrubs.
Now, please! Thanks for sticking up for me.
Don't count on it happening again.
Are we getting a meaningful rhythm? No.
His pressure's down.
Come on doctors, we all need to think.
Blood must still be leaking from the back of the left ventricle.
Still bleeding.
Don't state the obvious.
Have you got any ideas? Doctors? Ideas? Before we lose him? OK, he's asystolic.
I'll have to massage him by hand while we get him back on bypass.
OK.
Tubes in.
Bypass back on, please.
How are we doing? No.
OK, on the basis that any idea is better than no idea, I would welcome suggestions.
Anything? Perhaps the bullet damaged the left pulmonary vessel but it was sealed by a clot.
That way, it wouldn't have shown on the first operation.
Good.
All right, let's go with that.
What if I'm wrong? He'll bleed out and die.
Then might be the time to get emotional with his mother, and not before.
Mr Chadwick, we're ready for you.
(BEEPING) Yes, got it.
3-0 Prolene.
Out! Get out, out! Good call, Dr Witney.
Hello, Mr Chadwick.
This is the theatre nurse, Mrs Wickens What's going on? This is Shepherd, the anaesthetist.
James has been anaesthetised and draped and part of his head has been shaved and painted with antiseptic so that we don't infect him.
Monroe? Can I have a word? What the hell are you doing? He's the patient's dad! Just trust me on this, will you? Are you OK, Mr Chadwick? Monroe, I'm sure Mr Chadwick is probably reassured by now.
Are we OK here, Larry? Gases and bloods OK, yes? Yeah.
Wickens, drill, please.
Dr Wilson, go and look after him.
Knife, please.
We debrided the wound and it looks as though James will come through this.
I understand his brother is still in surgery.
Someone needs to keep me up to speed on him.
Can somebody here please arrange that? What about your wife? My wife?! I don't think so.
I know what you're going through is difficult, but perhaps you need to put your differences to one side.
Your sidekick laughs at my son and you get to laugh at my marriage.
Is that it? Nobody is laughing at you.
I don't know! Maybe you agreed to take me into that operating theatre just so you could humiliate me some more.
I agreed to it in order to reassure you.
No.
I know what people like you think about people like me.
I know what you were doing.
What do I say to him? You can tell him he's going to be sore, he's been very lucky, and tomorrow we'll take the chest drain out.
How do I tell him what's happened? Why it happened? His brother? It's not really my field, I'm afraid.
There's a hospital social worker.
Yeah.
Shall I get you his number? Yeah.
Alright? Mm.
You're a good person.
I can tell.
I am trying my best.
Of course.
I really need you to believe that I love both my boys and I'm trying my best.
(SOBS) Um Well, after we have taken the chest drain out, out we can do an X-ray.
And umthen, the day after that, we'll take the monitoring lines out.
(MOBILE BEEPS) Mrs Chadwick, I've really got to get that.
Sorry.
Sorry, I don't want to hold you up, cos you're busy and Why did you text me? I thought you might need an excuse to leave.
Right, yes, good.
Direct and practical.
Good, good work, Mullery.
Keep it up.
What did you expect? A big "Thank You" for inviting him to look inside his own kid's head? The Chief Executive would class it as a "major untoward incident".
I suggest it was a cack-handed attempt for Mr Chadwick's approval based on the lack of love in your life.
All this smugness can only mean one thing - you have a date.
With a consenting adult.
I have a date.
Is it someone I'd fancy or your usual type? I have a type? You mean aside from single and desperate? You have a type.
It's like horses.
Do I know her? No.
Sounds like I know her.
Rebecca.
Bremner! (SIGHS) How's your gunshot victim? He's doing very well.
Do you think the fact the parents can't stand to be in the same room has anything to do with one brother shooting another? Are you playing family therapist out of guilt for inviting the father to watch you operate? I only did what you'd have done if you'd had the imagination.
No, I'm not that insecure that need to show off the size of my drill to every passing male.
She actually said that? That's funny.
I know.
Troubling, isn't it? What did you say? Nothing.
I walked away in dignified silence.
So you couldn't think of anything to say that was funnier? Not on the spot, no.
I'll call her later if I think of anything.
I'm sure she'd appreciate that.
Fortune! You seem to be heading in the wrong direction.
Have you forgotten our poker night? I'm on call.
But I got you a last-minute replacement.
Not Bremner, is it? No, it's not Bremner.
Come on, Witney, pay or play.
Go on, then.
He's still in.
I'm beat.
Thank you.
Interesting.
I'm folding.
What?! I'll call.
How are you getting on with the mother of the shoot-up boys? Mrs Chadwick? Yeah, she's finding it hard.
She cries a lot.
Holds hands with us.
"With us"? Do you include Bremner in that? Monroe, can we just attend to the game? Jenny Bremner holds hands with her patients?! I'll raise it two quid.
Well, it's not exactly voluntary.
How do you mean? How do you mean? I mean Mrs Chadwick wouldn't let go of Ms Bremner's hands and they stood there in the middle of ITU.
(LAUGHS) I'd have loved to have seen that! I'm calling the four quid.
What did Bremner do? Are you going to gossip all night? All right, granny! I'm going to raise it a fiver.
At last! The flop beckons.
(DOORBELL) Oh.
Michelle Pfeiffer - every Wednesday night.
Oh, my God.
Mum told me.
I wanted to see for myself if it was true.
Yes, it is true.
Texas Hold 'Em has penetrated the suburbs! Come in.
Are you OK? Yes.
You all right, big man? Yeah.
Ah, the old aortic regurgitation.
Moderate by the looks of it.
I had no idea you were so versatile.
It was always a close call between Cardiac and Neuro.
If I could have guaranteed I'd be working under you it clearly would have been a no-brainer.
I see.
Of course, if you thought I might be better suited to Cardiac What makes you think I'd be any easier on you than Monroe? Please don't attempt to flatter your way onto my team, Springer, it diminishes you even further in my eyes.
You're not really getting the hang of this student lifestyle, are you? You don't have to be light-hearted for my benefit.
Could you be a bit less ladylike? It's freaking me out.
When were you actually gonna tell me? About you and Mum? You don't have to protect me, you know.
I didn't know if it was going to be permanent.
Your mum and me have argued as long as we've been together.
Do you think she's met somebody else? No.
How do you know? I cannot believe you came all the way from uni just for this.
If nothing else, it gives you a good chat-up line.
The girls love a lad from a broken home.
In fact, it cancels out the fact you're middle class.
So are we gonna talk about it? You are not the person I should be talking about it with.
I came home because I thought you'd be staring at the walls and feeling like shit! That's Thursday night.
Wednesday night is poker night.
When did he come round? Early this morning.
Obs are OK.
GCS of 12.
Good.
Good.
How are you doing, James? I'm afraid I'm the man who gave you a sore head.
How's Danny? Where is he? Is he OK? He's not very well, but he's alive.
Can you just grip that hand for me? Other hand.
When can I see him? I'll check that out for you.
OK, close your eyes and turn your hands palms upwards.
I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I? Everyone knows it was an accident.
But you might need to explain why you had a gun.
Because I was scared.
And did you find it made you feel less scared? How is he? He seems to be on the mend.
Thank you.
He's worried about the trouble he's in.
You might want to reassure him about that.
I've lost everything.
And now this.
Do you think that's reassuring enough? Or is that too real for the likes of you? He's just a child.
Listen, I don't like you, and I don't like you being around my son for any other reason than for doing your job.
Do I make myself clear? Yes.
I think clarity is your strong suit.
James is my patient.
As long as he's my patient, we'll have to put up with each other.
Mrs Chadwick? Yeah? What is it? What's the matter? Nothing.
My name's Monroe.
I operated on your other son, James.
Oh, right.
Thank you.
I am going to come up and see him, I just wanted to wait until his dad wasn'taround.
Sorry.
No need to apologise, I've met his Dad.
What did you say your name was? Monroe.
James is doing OK, you know.
He came from a broken home.
What? That's what people will say about James and Danny.
They came from a broken home, what do you expect? That's what I would have said.
One minute we were a hardworking family, with our own business, and a nice house, and then what are we? One of those families that you read about.
James is just a normal boy.
Normal boys doesn't hide guns underneath their beds.
My brother used to hurl rocks at my head just to see what would happen.
I'm afraid it's what boys are like.
If you don't love somebody any more and you stay together, how do you stop that turning into hate? You don't, do you? So should you stay together and end up tearing each other to pieces? Your break-up isn't why this happened.
Life doesn't work like that.
It was an accident.
We should have tried harder.
We should have been stronger.
Would me saying it's your fault make it easier? You don't have to.
I know it's my fault.
Ah, there she is, The Angel of the North.
Morning, Mrs Chadwick.
How is he this morning? He's doing well.
As I was telling Mrs, Chadwick, he's being looked after by the best.
I'm sorry would you just one minute.
Um What was all that about? She's the parent of a child that I operated on - I think I'm entitled to talk to her.
Why did you look at Danny's chart? I was being supportive.
Oh, I see your pathological need to be loved has been made even worse by your wife ditching you.
It wasn't about me.
I was worried Mrs Chadwick's emotional needs weren't being met.
Where would you get that idea? Call it a hunch.
Twice a day you check his obs, you take his pulse, and you look at his latest ECG.
Understood? JVP and ankles.
And another thing, come here.
Come here.
Did you tell Mr Monroe Mrs Chadwick lacked emotional support? No.
Is that what he said? Did you talk to him about any of our patients? No.
Not during your poker game last night perhaps? Let something slip? No.
I don't talk about that stuff when I'm playing poker.
I know.
I know.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I've made a reservation for 7.
00.
A reservation? You're 18 years old! What's wrong with a kebab? I take it this your idea? Well, it wasn't Mum's.
Hello.
Hello.
Are you keeping the electives up to date? Thank you.
I just wanted to I just wanted to apologise.
I may have said something indiscreet to a colleague about Mrs Chadwick's emotional demands, but they were in no way intended as a criticism of you.
I just thought Mrs Chadwick is a single mother.
She lives on a rough estate in South Leeds.
She moved on to the estate when she separated from her husband.
Within six months, her eldest son got hold of a gun and well, we know the rest, don't we? She blames herself, her broken marriage and her husband in that order.
I do know all this.
I just don't think it's relevant, all right? Right.
I'm sorry.
And while we're being honest, do you consider me emotionally unsupportive of my patients? I don't know how to answer that question.
A simple yes or no.
I don't know that I'm in any position to judge.
You're damned right, Dr Witney.
You are damned right.
Thank you.
Could you bring us the cheapest wine you've got, please? It's our wedding anniversary.
Anything else, sir? Just water.
Well, Nick I think it's inspired you've arranged this.
You are showing a capacity for deceit that both your parents can take credit for.
I just don't think that this is a great idea right now.
Why not? I'm not sure your mum and I have got much to talk about at the moment.
This isn't about you and her.
This is about me.
Don't you think I come into this? I'm sorry you're upset.
I'm old enough to know the reason why you're splitting up! Your father and I Calling me 'Father'.
is a bad sign.
Shut up, Dad! I want to hear this.
It's just .
.
these things happen.
We both got caught up in our own lives.
We're sorry.
Just like that? You left Dad for no reason? I left your Dad because it was clear that we'd fallen out of love.
Both of us, not just me.
And that's it? There's nothing else? There's nobody else? No, that's it.
All you need to know is that we love you very much.
And on the bright side, we'll feel obliged to shower you with cash and gifts to compensate.
I don't know how you can sit there just joking about it after what she's done to you! Nick! Bad idea.
Thank you.
For not telling him the real reason.
The reason I didn't tell him is because I think he needs to hear it from you.
I'm ready for the cheap wine now.
Fortune, you're a womanof sorts.
Do you have any intuition as to whom Shepherd might be dating? Is that your twisted way of asking if it's me? That is a mental picture I will happily carry around for the rest of the day.
This is the thing that men don't get.
Joking about your own lechery doesn't make you appear any less lecherous.
Well said.
Sexual politics is a minefield through which we must proceed on tip-toe.
Are you paying tax on that? Could you be a little less grudging when you take my money? Plenty of other bookies in the hospital if you don't like it here.
Are there? The WRVS woman's renowned for her accumulators.
No comment.
Woah, woah, woah, lady! This is sacred ground! You can't just come wandering in.
What is it? He developed a bad headache two hours ago and had a fit.
He's picked up again now, but his GCS has gone off a bit.
James, sorry you're not feeling good.
(GROANS) Look at him! What've you done to him? OK, James.
I want you to put your arms up, close your eyes, turn your hands over.
What's wrong with him? OK, let's get a CT scan done now.
My hunch is he's got a post-operative clot.
Did you do something wrong? No, not as far as I know.
What did you do to him? One son's facing a brain operation, another son got shot, and your wife won't speak to you.
I understand that you need to take that out on someone, but, to be frank, right now I'm not a good target - me being your son's neurosurgeon and all that! Oh, right.
So you read minds as well as cure them, do you? Why don't you make sure the boy's mother knows what's happening? I already told her.
She's coming to talk to you.
I thought it was the least I could do.
Thank you.
It's fancy name is a post-operative extradural.
It's in the front part of his brain just behind where we worked on the bullet wound.
This sometimes happens after major surgery.
An artery or a vein starts bleeding after the operation.
It happens very, very quickly, and we need to operate just as quickly.
This is an emergency.
Do you understand me? The haematoma is on the right side.
Agreed? Yes.
Yep.
OK, Fortune.
Scissors please, Nurse.
Watch and learn, Springer.
She's got the delicate touch of a 50-dollar hooker, which you would do well to emulate.
There it is.
The beautiful white dura.
I never tire of seeing that.
Are you looking for me? Is it Danny? No, no.
Don't worry.
Danny's fine.
In order to do my job, it's important that I don't feel anything for the patient.
I don't believe that.
When those drapes go over the patient it's for a good reason.
It's so that we don't see the person underneath them.
When a patient's presented to me, he is nothing more than a series of problems that I have to solve.
Any thought of the person he is, or the feelings that he might have, and I can't do my job.
Emotions get in the way.
The last thing I want is to feel what you feel.
Sorry, loveI don't understand why you're telling me all this.
Erno.
You saved my son's life.
You don't need to apologise for anything.
Mr Monroe explained that, you know, you weren't good with all that .
.
emotion and stuff.
Did he? Did he? Well, that's um .
.
that's good of him to put you in the picture.
Now, Springer, I want you to close him up.
Do you think you can handle that? Me? Yes, you.
(CHUCKLES) 2/0 Vicryl for the scalp.
Snap your fingers at me again, son, and it's gonna be you up on that operating table! She can't talk to me like that, can she? Oh, dear.
Get out of my theatre, right now! Are you serious? Fortune, close him up.
And you learn some manners before you set foot in this theatre again.
A red card.
Ooh, his cup final is over before it's even begun.
He's OK.
He's come through.
We found the haemorrhage and we've stopped the bleeding.
Oh, thank God.
We'll keep a close eye on him for the next couple of days.
In case you did something else wrong? No, because that's our job.
Thank you.
Rebecca! WellI know that feeling.
Don't you get it? I'm not playing.
What? If I give you my emotions on a plate, is that gonna make me feel better? No.
It's gonna make you feel better.
And that's what this is all about.
Mr Monroe! I haven't had the chance to apologise for what happened in the operation.
I was hoping it won't spoil my chances in neurosurgery.
The fact that you upset relatives and nurses? I can't see that being a problem.
It's practically a requirement.
Oh, right.
You're being sarcastic, aren't you? You got off to a bad start, Springer, and it's been downhill ever since.
I've had interest from Cardiac, you know.
We both know that's not true.
Hello, James.
What's going to happen to me? I think you're gonna be alright.
Open.
I was thinking, you know, I might like to work in a hospital, when I get myself sorted out.
Why not? Push for me.
Good.
Course, umthe interviewing panel might want to know what you were doing with a gun under your bed.
To stop my mum from worrying.
To keep Danny safe.
Not sure that it worked.
When we moved onto the estate, you don't know what it was like, being the new kids.
I can imagine.
And Mum was like, crying every night, worrying herself sick.
And Dad said, now that he wasn't there, I was the eldest, I had to look after everybody - you know, I had to be the man.
It's not easy.
I'll see you in a bit.
How is he? He's fine.
Apart from having two parents more screwed up than him, he's fine.
Well, nothing unusual about that in my experience.
Do you want to know what the secret of being a good parent is? Umnot really.
Civilise your children before they're big enough to kill you with their bare hands.
Right.
No, just remember that, if you and the mystery date ever want to start a family.
I think it's a bit early for that kind of talk.
But she is of child-bearing age.
That narrows it down a bit.
It's not Anna, is it? No! Out of your league anyway.
Nothing worse than falling out with a woman when you're still sexually attracted to her.
What?! She's talking about your shortcomings, and you're distracted by the half inch of bra strap you can see edging out of the corner of her blouse.
I'm right, aren't I? Do you know what's worse? When it's a bra you don't recognise.
Cos why are they buying new underwear? Are they seeing someone else? (GASPS) So now you've got sexual nostalgia and paranoia.
For the record, I recognised Anna's bra strap when I saw her the other day.
But you noticed it.
That's what I'm saying.
Piece of advice: when you can't sleep at four in the morning, don't go through the clothes she left behind.
It'll kill you.
Why-why would I want to do that? You just will.
But don't.
It's like reading her old diaries.
Mr Chadwick! Yes? Look, I've saved your son's life twice now, you know, so I was thinking perhaps we could call it a draw.
Must be nice to be in your world.
Everybody wanting to be your friend.
Everybody ready to forgive you.
All right, I tried.
You look after of your family, Mr Monroe, and I'll look after mine.
Hiya.
I'm heading back to uni tomorrow, first thing.
Well, that's good.
What are you doing? I need to say something.
I need to say it now, so don't interrupt me or else I'll stop and then I'll never tell you.
Your mum left me because I had an affair.
A few years back.
Six years back, to be precise.
After Charlotte died.
My head was all over the place.
I just wanted somewhere and someone without the grief and the pain.
Someone who I could be a different person with.
And it was a stupid betrayal of Mum and you and Charlotte.
But I thought you should know.
I thought it wasn't fair that you didn't know.
So there it is.
That's the reason.
When Charlotte died? Why are you telling me now? Because you wanted to know the reason Mum left.
That's the reason.
So you escaped.
You had a way out? What? From the pain.
You had a way out.
You just left me and Mum to suffer on our own.
Look, Nick, I know it was wrong but you're a man, so don't tell me you don't know what men are like.
Hang on! If I don't forgive you then I'm not being manly? Is that the logic here? There is no logic.
I had sex with someone else to block out guilt and grief.
I'm sorry.
You forgive me or you don't, I have no control over that.
Well, isn't that convenient (?) Would you give me some slack? I lost my daughter! And I lost my sister! I was the one left behind, not you! You had Mum! I had no one! No one! I'm sorry.
I never thought.
You never thought? Well, that's funny.
That's fucking hilarious.
(RINGS) Drill two burr holes.
Cut the bone flap open.
Suck out the clot.
Close him up.
Bob's your knob.
Stop! Take David back to the ward.
I'm not going to operate.
You gonna be using ANY technology or should I book leeches? We're all holding out for some miracle in the end.
Not me.
You're a lost cause, Bremner.