Stream It Or Skip It?

We shrugged when we recommended Breathless during its first season last year, mainly because it was pretty much a bog-standard medical show with all the tropes you expect. That’s the case again in Season 2, with the only caveat being that the characters are more involved in their stories with one season of drama under creator Carlos Montero’s belt.

BREATHLESS SEASON 2: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: We see the bloody face of Dr. Jésica Donoso (Blanca Suárez) as she’s wheeled into the ER of the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital after she’s attacked by a patient.

The Gist: During surgery, Dr. Pilar Amaro (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón), assisted by resident Biel de Filipe (Manu Ríos) almost lose Jésica, but Pilar cuts out the damaged part of Jésica’s liver to save her. As the staff anxiously looks on, Lluís Jornet Blasco (Alfonso Bassave), the hospital director (and Jésica’s boyfriend) gets a call that the hospital is being privatized, effective immediately.

Jésica pulls through, and Biel, with whom she had an affair right before she was attacked, stays with her when she’s not working. Two weeks after the operation, she’s out of ICU but still in pain. She’s also having delirious episodes where she gets out of bed and other activities that might make her condition worse.

The person who made the decision to make the hospital private, Valencian president Patricia Segura (Najwa Nimri), is still getting treatment for breast cancer, under the care of the hospital’s head of oncology — and architect of the strike that led to the privatization decision — Dr. Néstor Moa (Borja Luna). Nicolás (Gustavo Salmerón) is brought on as the new administrator, and his goal is to make things more efficient. Of course, he gets resistance, especially from Biel, for reasons his buddy, Dr. Enrique ‘Quique’ Román (Xoán Fórneas), finds out about later.

Nicolás calls on renowned oncologist, Dr. Sophie Lafont (Rachel Lascar), to treat Patricia with the immunotherapy treatment she’s published studies about. Of course, when Néstor gets wind of that, he accuses Patricia of favoritism and corruption. However, when the immunotherapy causes a blood clot, Néstor is the one who sees it and saves Particia’s life. But Lafont is doing another study that needs funding, and she proposes that Patricia be a part of it, if she can get the hospital to back it.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Name a medical drama, and Breathless resembles it: Grey’s Anatomy, Doc, Brilliant Minds, Chicago Med, etc. About the only medical drama it doesn’t resemble is The Pitt.

Our Take: There are still about a half-dozen stories to navigate as we start season 2, and we didn’t even include all of them in the Gist section above. There’s still a dispute between May (Marwa Bakhat) and Rocío (Macarena de Rueda) over Rocío grabbing their baby during a crisis at the hospital. Also, Pilar’s son Òscar (Rafa Verdugo) gets treatment with Dr. Neus (Abril Zamora) for his addictions while dealing with his bipolar disorder. Pilar goes over the head of a OB/GYN attending to help a patent, which attracts the attention of Nicolás.

It’s a lot, but par for the course for medical shows. At least these characters are now well-established, as well as the chemistry in all of the storylines. There is some intrigue with Jésica, as she’s in dire straits by the end of the episode, thanks to delusions caused by hepatic encephalopathy. We’re also intrigued by the rivalry that’s developing between Néstor and Sophie, and how it affects his love-hate relationship with Patricia.

Will the privatization, along with the plans Nicolás has for the hospital, make for some interesting developments? We’re not sure. But the prior relationship Nicolás has with Biel should help give that story some oomph.

Sex and Skin: Nothing in the first episode.

Parting Shot: Jésica is back in the OR, and this time Pilar doesn’t have a plan on how to save her.

Sleeper Star: Blanca Martínez continues to shine as the underappreciated ER nurse Blanca.

Most Pilot-y Line: At some point, shows will depict bipolar disorder correctly. In one scene, Pilar comes home to see that Òscar has rearranged the furniture and knocked things over, because has a vision. But the next day in therapy, he’s OK. As far as we know manic cycles aren’t that quick in most people who live with it.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Breathless is a bit grittier than most medical shows, showing a bit more blood and a bit more skin, but at its heart it’s a medical drama, and it’s a show we can take or leave.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times