REVIEW: ‘St. Denis Medical’ Season 2 Episode 7 Is Built Entirely On Misunderstandings
- Emma Fisher
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
This article contains spoilers for St. Denis Medical S2E7.
St. Denis Medical continues its streak of well-written, character-driven filler instalments in “No Wonder His Kidney Wants Out,” an episode built almost entirely on misunderstandings and one extremely misguided act of generosity. The show once again leans on the cast’s easy chemistry, moving the ensemble between a potential kidney donation, a GoFundMe gone wrong, and an attempt to impress an inspector who may or may not be someone Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey) once dated. It’s familiar territory for the show, but it's executed with enough well-timed hilarity to make the episode an enjoyable outing.
This week’s A plot is introduced in the cold open. Harry (David Hornsby), a renal patient who has been stuck on the transplant list for three years, is suddenly offered a kidney by his brother Ruben (Paul Scheer). The gesture creates a divide between Ron (David Alan Grier) and Alex (Allison Tolman), with Serena (Kahyun Kim) stuck in the middle. Alex sees the offer as a heartwarming start to her shift, while Ron assumes no one gives away an organ without expecting something in return. Hilarity ensues when Bruce (Josh Lawson) backs Alex by explaining selflessness through gym logic. The last thing he wanted to do today was go, but he did it anyway, for his chest, back, and traps. It doesn’t take long for the entire conversation to fall back into Ron’s favourite point: no act is truly selfless.
The writers get good use out of that back-and-forth, particularly once Serena joins in. She reminds Alex that she saw her at a pond clean-up last weekend, only because Alex had posted about it on Instagram without disabling likes. Desperate to win the debate, Alex insists that if needed, she would be the first to give any of them her kidney. Bruce, never wanting to feel left out, wants in on the potential organ donation and starts a list for Alex's organs so that there's no drama later. Lawson’s earnest delivery of "Who wants want?" may well be the biggest laugh of the season thus far.
Bruce’s sudden panic about his lack of close friendships feeds directly into the B plot. After reading that 92% of kidney donors are loved ones and that meaningful male friendships add on average four years to your life, he decides that Matt (Mekki Leeper) is going to help him find “a dude.” Matt, who would very much like to be that dude, spends the episode trying not to look crushed as Bruce cycles through various co-workers and patients within the hospital who, inevitably, are not suitable companions.
Alex’s belief in selflessness comes back to haunt her when she accidentally donates $1000 instead of $100 to Parker’s GoFundMe for his dog’s eye surgery. She tries to reverse the charge without revealing she did it, but Ron and Serena overhear, with Ron revelling in her spiral. When Parker (Jonathan Slavin) publicly calls for the anonymous donor to reveal themselves, Ron insists that all the thanks a selfless hero needs is the joy of seeing Parker happy. Dakota (Emma Pope), of course, wrongfully assumes that Ron is the mystery donor, a suggestion he is more than happy to let stand because it annoys Alex. Of all the pairings in St. Denis Medical, Alex and Ron remain the most consistently opposed yet entertaining, and this storyline highlights why.
When Alex eventually caves and admits the donation was hers, the show delivers the kind of awkward confrontation it excels at. Parker is confused, bordering on suspicious, as just last week Alex donated $25 under her real name. It looks like she’s lost this week’s moral debate, too, until Ron manages to find himself on the wrong side of Serena.
After hearing Harry complain that Ruben often lords favours over him, Ron smugly declares “behold the selflessness,” with his point proven yet again. Serena insists that it’s sad when bad stuff happens. Ron finds her optimism adorable and warns that in time, her light will die out. Determined to prove him wrong, Serena loudly announces that Ron is so generous and that there must be plenty of people around the hospital who could use his money. She then informs Holly that Ron would be thrilled to contribute to her church’s new bell. His face says the rest.
Joyce’s (Wendi McLendon-Covey) storyline is smaller as the C plot, but consistently funny. The birthing centre is finally ready for inspection, but the inspector, Michael (Al Madriga), turns out to be a man she is convinced she once dated. She spends the episode trying to jog his memory, first by quizzing him about the restaurant Enzo’s, then by launching into a brief rendition of No Scrubs, much to his confusion. The eventual reveal that he’s the wrong Michael entirely lands well, thanks to McLendon-Covey’s ability to play Joyce with equal parts earnestness and desperation. The centre ends up failing the inspection anyway due to structural and electrical issues, which feels exactly right for Joyce’s luck this episode.
Back in the renal ward, Ron ends up right after all. He and Serena inform the brothers that Reuben is a match, prompting Harry to accept the offer despite their earlier argument. Reuben, however, wants a night to think about it because losing a kidney is, understandably, a big decision.
By the end, Alex and Ron resort to handing over their bank statements to Parker, proving that Alex was the anonymous door. It still doesn’t earn her a refund, as Parker has already spent most of the money on a TV, though his dog’s surgery is at least paid for. Alex’s retaliation, assigning him six months of night shifts, is a brilliant touch of pettiness, even if it doesn’t feel like enough.
Elsewhere, Bruce finally asks Matt to hang out at his place, where they will continue brainstorming who the perfect candidate to befriend is. He'll order some wings, a couple of six packs, and there might be a game on. Matt’s delight is palpable, and you can only hope that Bruce eventually realises that his ideal friend has been beside him the entire time. Lawson and Leeper continue to make an excellent pairing.
“No Wonder His Kidney Wants Out” is a steady, good-natured episode that lets the ensemble bounce off one another in different pairings and groups without pushing too hard or too far. As the show prepares to head into its winter break after next week, it’s the sort of light, character-driven filler episode that makes St. Denis Medical worth watching.
About St. Denis Medical
Premiere Date: 8 December 2025
Episode Count: 18
Showrunner: Eric Ledgin
Executive Producers: Eric Ledgin, Justin Spitzer, Simon Heuer, Ruben Fleischer, Bridget Kyle, and Vicky Luu.
Distribution: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, More Bees, Inc. and Spitzer Holding Company.
Cast: Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper, and Kaliko Kauahi.
Synopsis: St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity. In season two, after receiving a large private donation, hospital administrator Joyce bites off more than she can chew while her employees navigate staff shortages, office conflicts and their own personal lives.
