The show opens with Leo (Charlie Rowe) and Kara (Zoe Levin) discussing their sex, before arriving back home and encountering Dash (Astro), who instantly bombards Leo with questions. Dash insists he isn’t guilty, since Emma (Ciara Bravo) broke up with him. Kenji (Wilson Cruz) rushes in and tells Leo that Emma was brought into the ER a few minutes ago, by her father. Next, Jordi (Nolan Sotillo) meets with Alexa and sells the medication he scrapped together, despite insisting he isn’t a drug dealer.

Dr. McAndrew (Dave Annable) is woken by Nurse Dobler (Rebecca Rittenhouse), who informs him of Hunter’s status, before McAndrew apologizes for snapping at her earlier. Kara checks her bed and finds the envelope that Dash mentioned, which contains a pre-state dispensation. Dr. Parker speaks with Emma’s father about her condition and suggests she could be facing irreversible damage. Emma insists she should’ve never left the hospital and apologizes for being mean to Leo, before she left. Kara speaks to Nurse Jackson (Octavia Spencer) and questions her about the letter. She tells Kara about Hunter’s surgery and the letter, which allows him to donate his heart to Kara, if he doesn’t make it.

McAndrew, Jackson and Dr. Erin Grace (Mandy Moore) discuss Hunter’s letter, with Grace suggesting there were better candidates. McAndrew agrees with Hunter’s decision, but Grace insists she will appeal the decision. Dash and Leo help Jordi get dressed for court. Leo returns to his room to find his mother and father, who insist it is time for him to head home. Meanwhile, Kara makes a fool out of herself in the hospital cafeteria. McAndrew belittles Kara for her decisions, but Dobler takes up for her. Kara considers refusing the surgery.

Dash confronts Leo about his departure, but Leo is considering his options. Dash insists Leo makes Emma worse and she would probably be better off, if he left. Next, Jordi practices for his speech, when he gets a mysterious phone call and Jackson shows up to help him. Leo visits Emma and  tells her about his departure. Emma insists they can hang out, when she gets out. Leo suggests they can be friends, but nothing more, before admitting to sleep with Kara. Emma forces him out of her room.

Kara heads to the chapel, where she speaks on Hunter’s behalf. Hunter’s sister enters and insist she should take the heart. She suggests Kara doesn’t care about Hunter, since she is willing to deny him this wish. Jordi meets with the judge and is asked to speak about his outlook on his life, as an adult. She makes him throw away his prepared statements and speak about his potential future in five years, but he can only remember selling his drugs, before running out. Nurse Jackson speaks on his behalf in his absence. Jackson insists Jordi is already a grownup and pleads for the judge’s support, but she refuses and denies his emancipation.

Grace finally agrees with McAndrew and agrees to honor Hunter’s wishes. She confronts him about Kara’s drinking, before the pair argue. Kara pays a visit to Hunter, where she suggests she might love him. Hunter smiles at her, before his heart monitor goes off and the doctors rush in. Jackson breaks the bad news to Jordi, before he admits to selling the drugs to get the money for the application. He insists he isn’t capable of asking for help, before he suggests he is becoming his mother. Jackson tries to comfort him and suggests he is a better person.

Leo meets up with Emma’s father and tells him that they’re living in a weird world, where they’re all alone, but they still need their parents. Leo insists he be there for her. Kara visits Emma and is confronted about the sex with Leo. Kara admits to it, but insists it happened for all the wrong reasons. Kara suggests Emma is a good soul, who would never hurt anyone, but herself. Emma finally admits she isn’t in charge of the situation, before the pair admit it would be nice to be friends.

Meanwhile, doctors operate on Hunter. Despite Adam’s persistence, Hunter passes away. Dobler drags McAndrew to MRI. Kara overhears nurses telling Hunter’s family about his death, before she comforts Hunter’s sister. Emma’s father pays her a visit and apologizes. He suggests they can do better from now on. Jordi returns home and is informed he has a visitor, who turns out to be his grandmother. Jackson confronts McAndrew and checks out the MRI, which shows bad news for Leo.

Meanwhile, Dash and Leo enjoy their time on the rooftop, while discussing Leo’s upcoming departure. Leo insists it is difficult being disliked, especially by the first person he loved. Before he can leave, Jackson stops him. Kenji is introduced to Jordi’s grandmother, before he tells Jordi about Leo’s condition. Kara grieves over Hunter’s death, while McAndrew and Grace share a drink. Emma walks through the halls and pays a visit to a broken Leo.

Review


Well, it took a long time for Red Band Society to return, but the episode was definitely worth the wait. Although there are a few cheerful, cheesy moments in the beginning, this was a bleak episode, which was difficult to watch near the end. Everything that could possibly go wrong certainly did, but it made for an excellent episode, which was likely the best of the season. The future of the show is yet to be determined, but episodes like this definitely give the show hope. The episode deserves an 8.5 out of 10.