Warning: this article contains spoilers for Brilliant Minds season 1, episode 9.Brilliant Minds has continued adapting Dr. Oliver Sacks' work in episode 9's standout case, "The colorblind painter." NBC's new medical drama delves into the typical case-by-case episode structure with an exciting twist: the patients in the show are directly inspired by real medical cases, as recorded by neurologist Oliver Sacks. Zachary Quinto leads the Brilliant Minds cast as Oliver Wolf, the modern stand-in for Sacks and the character who carries on his legacy.
While still maintaining creative liberty, Brilliant Minds pays homage to the life and career of Oliver Sacks by turning each episode into a case study of its own, one that connects the characters through a universal experience or philosophy. Though the jury is still out regarding if Brilliant Minds season 2 is a possibility, there is more than enough source material to keep adapting Sacks's work for the public eye. Despite how fresh the show feels, the case study episode 9 is based on dates back to 1986.
Brilliant Minds Episode 9 Is Based On The True Story Of Mr. I
The Case Study From The 1980s Lays The Episode's Groundwork
Like Brilliant Minds, Dr. Oliver Sacks came across the peculiar case of a painter developing total color blindness following a car accident in 1986. As the painter ("Mr. Johnathan I") described to Sacks in a letter, "My brown dog is dark grey. Tomato juice is black. Color TV is a hodge-podge" (via Oliversacks.com.) For someone whose career centered on color, all at once seeing the world in total black and white was devastating. But it ran deeper for Mr. I, a man with synesthesia where everything turned to color. He searched for answers to no avail before discovering Sacks and his colleagues.
"The Case of the Colorblind Painter" is one of the case studies included in Oliver Sacks's book, An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales.
Sacks and his cohorts studied Mr. I as they attempted to make sense of his condition, navigating his deep depression with care before diagnosing him with acquired cerebral achromatopsia. While they couldn't return his color sight, Sacks and his team focused on the patient's unique strengths. Mr. I could see high-contrast images better than the average, non-colorblind person possibly could, so much so that he claimed to be able to read a license plate at night from four blocks away. With the help of green sunglasses, Mr. I adapted to his colorblindness and continued his painting career using grayscale.
How Accurate Is Brilliant Minds' Adaptation Of Mr. I's Narrative
Brilliant Minds Retains The Heart While Making Necessary Changes
The Brilliant Minds equivalent to Mr. I is Gabriel Ferguson, whose story mirrors Mr. I's aside from a major detail: the fictional painter's wife died in the car accident. The real Mr. I was not bereaved while grappling with his colorblindness, and he even recounts using his green sunglasses to watch television with his wife. Additionally, Mr. I sought out the help of Oliver Sacks while Gabriel pushed Wolf away for the majority of the episode. The biggest addition in the modern iteration is Wolf's use of psilocybin to elicit colorful hallucinatory memories within Gabriel.
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Medical dramas are one of the most popular genres on television, and it's a much broader genre than people realize outside of the most famous shows.
While Brilliant Minds isn't a perfect comparison, it retains the heart and soul of the original case study. The exploration of identity, the individuality of treating patients, and finding common ground makes Brilliant Minds a compelling watch, but it isn't afraid to construct narrative devices to better the viewer's entertainment experience (even if that means sacrificing picture-perfect detail). Instead of trying to perfectly recreate the life of Oliver Sacks and sensationalize what he left for the world, Brilliant Minds balances its responsibility as a fictional show with the tribute it pays to a renowned neurologist.
Brilliant Minds continues Monday, December 2, 10 ET on NBC.
Sources: The Oliver Sacks Foundation, An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales
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A renowned neurologist and his team of interns delve into the complexities of the human brain, navigating groundbreaking cases inspired by real-life disorders. As they explore this final frontier, they must also confront their own personal challenges and mental health struggles, making for an emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating drama.
- Cast
- Zachary Quinto , Teddy Sears , Tamberla Perry , Alex MacNicoll , Spence Moore II , Aury Krebs , Ashleigh LaThrop
- Release Date
- September 23, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
