TV REVIEW: Rush Spins Out of Control in “Where Is my Mind”

Doctor Rush has never been better and more watchable than in “Where Is my Mind.” Yes, it’s fun to watch happy Rush down pills, listen to bad 90s music, and zip from one crazy case to another. But in tonight’s installment we get a glimpse at the consequences of all those bad Rush decisions and see Will guilt ridden, unhappy, and riddled with anxiety.  Something’s gotta give and it certainly does in this one. Let’s take a look at the downward spiral that has all the makings of a one doctor pile up you just can’t tear your eyes from.

I Can’t Get You Outta My Mind

Rush is haunted by the ghost of stepmother’s past, so to speak. In “Where Is My Mind” Will’s mind is mired in the guilt of having sex with Papa Rush’s current wife, Corinne.  We see him sleeping alone when step-mommy dearest appears on his doorstep saying that dad knows about their tryst. Another knock is only the bellhop bringing up her bags. She’s moving in because she’s got no where else to go. A final knock comes. It’s gotta be Dad. He looks through the peephole and a gun fires.  Whew, it was all a nightmare! That was scary. Forget the gun, Rush almost had a live in stepmom!

Down the Rabbit Hole

Knowing this can’t be normal, even for him, he visits bestie Alex asking doc to check him out.  Alex mentions higher blood pressure, panic attacks, anxiety, and taking a day off.

Rush tries a little down time and his brief foray into relaxation has one perk. He picks up hot actress Jordana Rourke who tells him to take her to a premiere later that night after discovering he’s got a midnight blue tux just like a certain Bond in Skyfall.

That taking it easy stuff isn’t working though, so Rush decides to go full speed ahead taking any and all cases to “help” with the anxiety. First up, a nerd-filled company called Yurt that wants a doctor on call “just in case.” Facebook’s got one, Google’s got a clinic, they need a Rush.

Later, Eve negotiates for stock options proving once again she’s one smart cookie.

Pictured: (l-r) Tom Ellis as Dr. William Rush, Sarah Habel as Eve Parker — (Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network)

Next up, an older lady has worms. Imaginary worms. She says they’ll just get worse unless Rush removes them. She obviously needs psychiatric help, but her shrink is out of town. Will says he’s sorry, but he can’t and skedaddles off to another case.

It’s the case of “I need some marijuana to calm down” where he enlists his trusty and sage drug dealer Manny to hook him up. Manny’s taking the day off because even drug dealers need their down time. When Rush arrives there’s a family party going on and Manny’s concerned with the condition of his Dad’s legs.  Dad hates doctors, but you know he’s never met one like Will Rush. Our dapper doc charms him with stories of saving and getting slapped by Tommy Lasorda. In a couple minutes time, he’s figured out Manny’s Dad has diabetes and has garnered a promise by papa Manny to see a specialist about it.

Meanwhile, Alex is bonding with a nurse over a stopped up patient with a fecal impaction. Really? The nurse admits that after the blood stealing incident, Alex went from dorky khaki pants to hot danger pants.  Carlos Danger, anyone? I still prefer Sundown to Rush’s Maverick.

The nurse confides that her brother has cancer and needs an experimental drug. Alex calls Rush to see what he can do.  Will asks Manny if he can wrangle up some from Mexico. Drug dealer complains that he’s being “profiled” but says he’ll see what he can do.

Rush wanted action and he’s getting it in this one.  A cop rolls up next to take the doctor in … not to the station but to a bar.  A bunch of badges got a little crazy and one cop has been impaled by a cue stick. This was the most graphic scene of the young series with Rush slowly pulling the stick out. He wraps up the wound with Saran Wrap because it’s like duct tape only better. After he sends the cop to the hospital, Will starts to hyperventilate and passes out. We’ll call it a justifiable panic attack.

Because he has a whole two minutes before the big premiere, Rush goes back to the worm lady’s house.  He fake treats the imaginary worms making the old gal feel so much better. She says they have to come out. “If they stay inside they kill you.”

Rush gets it. “I slept with my father’s wife,” he reveals, those worms eating at him.

“Oooh, that’s a lot of worms,” the old woman says. It’s too bad someone can’t help Will get rid of his imaginary, guilt worms.

Pictured: (l-r) Rachel Nichols as Corrine, Tom Ellis as Dr. William Rush — (Photo by: Alan Zenuk/USA Network)

Obsession

Meanwhile, Corinne’s been trying to call him all episode. He finally meets with her, begging stepmom to never tell his dad, no matter what.  The guilt and fear of discovery is tearing him apart. She promises she’ll never tell the senior Rush. Will’s relieved at first, until Corinne says, “We’re never going to talk about it. We can still think about it.” Uh, oh, Will. Stepmom seems to have been doing some pretty major thinking, and dreaming, and fantasizing. I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve heard from her.

Back to Even (for now)

Eve gets him ready for his big date. “Daniel Craig, eat your heart out,” she tells her boss sweetly. She comments that he seems to be back to himself.

“The best way to avoid an accident is to accelerate. Take the rest of the night off Moneypenny,” he says.

We can’t help but feel all this “accelerating” is about to come to a head with Dr. Rush. There’s only so much Eve, Alex, and Manny can do for their out of control friend.

In the final scene, he escorts Jordana to her premiere with paparazzi everywhere.  Rush says, “Let someone else take charge every now and then.” Those are some pretty wise words, Dr. Rush.

A vulnerable Rush has made for some “Can’t tear our eyes from the TV” scenes over the past couple of episodes and in tonight’s offering we see he’s not indestructible. With only a couple of episodes left, it will be interesting to see how downward spirally our hero gets.

What did you think of “Where Is my Mind?” Will you second my nomination of Eve and Manny as Rush life coaches? Is there any hope for our messed up doc or is headed for rock bottom?

Rush airs Thursdays on USA Network at 9 pm