Chicago Hope Season 1 Episode 2 Over the Rainbow

Chicago Hope season 1 episode 2, titled "Over the Rainbow," starts with the tragic story of a young mother who undergoes surgery to donate a kidney to her daughter with severe kidney failure. However, during the operation, the mother dies and the daughter's condition worsens, leaving her in need of a new donor.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kathryn Austin, the hospital's chief of neurosurgery, discovers that her mentor and former lover, Dr. Aaron Shutt, has been hiding his depression from her and is struggling with a patient who has locked-in syndrome. Dr. Shutt spends hours with the patient, trying to communicate with him and refusing to give up hope.

At the same time, several patients with emotional and psychological issues arrive at the hospital, including a man who believes he is the Wizard of Oz and a woman who is convinced that she's a mermaid.

As the hospital staff deals with these challenging cases, Dr. Jeffrey Geiger, the hospital's chief of surgery, is pressured by the hospital board to change his approach and be more conservative in treating patients. Dr. Geiger is frustrated with the board's lack of understanding and refuses to back down from his beliefs.

The episode ends with Dr. Shutt helping his patient to communicate through a device and brings hope to the man's family. The mother of the kidney failure patient also passes away, but her death brings the gift of life to another patient in need of an organ.

Overall, "Over the Rainbow" tackles some heavy and emotional topics such as life and death, mental illness, and the power of hope. The episode highlights the unwavering dedication of the doctors and staff at Chicago Hope, as they deal with challenging patients and situations while maintaining their compassion and professionalism.