What I’m Watching: Royal Pains (Season Finale)

Royal Pains: Season 2, Episode 18 “Listen to the Music” (B+)

It wouldn’t be a season finale on a medical show without an outbreak of the plague. Yet the events of this finale managed to subtly sneak up on me in the most positive and compelling of ways, as the tango instructor’s illness seemed perfectly harmless if perhaps a bit worrisome up until the very end. It was Divya’s serious line to Raj that made it really work, emphasizing that the plague is one thing that could truly put their marriage plans in jeopardy. There were plenty of other arc closings to be explored in this installment, as Eddie finally got a chance to maybe do the right thing and seemed completely prepared to take the easy way out and disappoint his sons. Boris seems to be more than losing patience with Eddie, though fortunately Hank and Evan have apparently found an airtight solution to their eviction problem through the always generous Mrs. Newberg. Hank’s encouragement of Evan’s relationship with Paige was rather sweet, and I’m so glad that one romance in working out well. It was touching to see Jill and Hank bond one last time, and I’m not sure whether Jill is actually going to end up exiting the series or not. She’s been good for the show but she’s hardly crucial to its storyline, and it might be nice to have one or two new characters (of the female nature) on board for next season, which should presumably premiere this July if it follows USA’s usual scheduling patterns.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Paulo Costanzo as Evan