Crafting Chemistry: How Brilliant Minds Is Mastering the Art of the Slow Burn

If you’ve been keeping up with the Fall 2024 programming, then you probably already know that Brilliant Minds is, well, brilliant.

The medical drama feels right at home on NBC, a tremendous following act to the late, great This Is Us and the formerly great New Amsterdam.

Zachary Quinto is a spectacular lead as Dr. Oliver Wolf, and the series’ premise is unique in that, unlike many medical dramas, it focuses exclusively on cases involving the brain.

Quinto Brings Wolf to Life, Making Brilliant Minds One of the Best New Offerings of the Fall

Wolf, while seemingly a curmudgeon on the surface, is a bearable bleeding heart who dedicates his career to “treating the patient, not the symptoms. ”

This has resulted in genuinely unique approaches to treating patients with empathy, compassion, and kindness.

Yes, there are so many things to enjoy about this series, from the fascinating cases to the compelling characters; the character dives into the series lead with flashbacks, rare conditions, and a generally unique approach to the job.

But one thing that this hit new series is already perfecting well is the lost art of a quality slow-burn.

Slow-burn relationships are rare these days.

Between an increase in short attention spans, the desire for instant gratification, and the constant fear of cancelation and incomplete plots looming over the average series, not too many shows opt to partake in this beloved genre or execute it well.

Like almost everything else, it’s safe to say that Brilliant Minds is getting this right.

And they’re pulling it off in two different formats with potential pairings.

Brilliant Minds’ Queer Representation is Vital at a Time Where Representation is on the Decline

Another thing that separates Brilliant Minds from many other medical dramas is that there is an openly queer lead character.

While this shouldn’t be groundbreaking today, with what has become a troubling decline in LGBTQ Representation on television, it’s no exaggeration to say that every bit of it counts and is meaningful.

Brilliant Minds is neither self-aggrandizing nor tokenizing its representation here, not just from the queer angle but with its characters of color as well.

The series’ characters already have defining, unique personalities that mesh well together and make the various dynamics forming as intriguing as each individual character.

Perhaps knowing that Brilliant Minds is a series that puts individual characters ahead of whatever dynamics they can form every day, it is as much as Wolf puts patients ahead of symptoms that one can appreciate what they are doing with some of the show’s dynamics.

Two strong contenders for a future love component in this series are handled in fantastic ways.

Wolf & Nichols is The Rivals-to-Lovers Ship to Watch For

At the forefront, we have Wolf and Nichols.

What’s great about the series and how it continues to approach this possible pairing is that with each passing installment, we still get to learn more about both characters on their own and not just in some orbit around one another.

These two will likely become something, as the series nonchalantly confirmed that both men are queer but also feeding us bits of their chemistry in nearly every episode.

Anyone who loves a good rivals-to-lovers trope could see the writing on the wall for these two from the second they lay eyes on one another.

A lack of understanding and what initially seemed like fundamental differences in how they approached practicing medicine appeared to leave them in opposition to one another.

But the more we learn about both characters as individuals, the more aligned Wolf and Nichols are.

They come from similar places, with passion and devotion to their patients and a desire to make a real difference.

With every episode, we learn little bits that confirm that they’re more alike than different, and the series does a great job of showing how these little realizations about one another impact each other.

It’s not long before Wolf and Nichols realize that they’re prejudging one another, and they actively work to avoid doing that.

Brilliant Minds Expertly Builds Up Wolf & Nichols’ Dynamic

But they still rub each other the wrong way, and that’s primarily because of this unspoken sexual tension that continues to simmer beneath the surface every time they’re in the same scene or even mention the other person.

And that’s where Brilliant Minds fully comprehends the art of a proper slow burn and applies it perfectly to the series at the proper pace.

Because proper pacing is essential to all of this.

There has to be just enough there to tip us off that something is brewing, that there’s a layer to this dynamic that’s worth exploring deeply, but it can’t be so overt that it distracts from everything else that is happening.

Brilliant Minds nails that in large part due to the phenomenal chemistry between Zachary Quinto and Teddy Sears—a chemistry that they honed after their previous work together in American Horror Story as a couple.

Quinto and Sears’ Natural Chemistry Elevates an Already Fan-favorite Ship

Both actors are already so in tune with one another, which has undoubtedly helped with the burgeoning Wolf/Nichols dynamic and ship.

That may be critical in explaining why many viewers have gravitated to this particular dynamic so much.

Through the episodes, we follow the interactions between these two characters and see how they can blossom into something spectacular.

The flirty interactions amid their constant prodding and jibes at one another create a fascinating balance that makes their every interaction more alluring than the last.

What’s also compelling and clever about Brilliant Minds’ approach is how they continuously use the characters’ conditions as anything other than a hindrance.

Wolf’s Facial Blindness can come with a host of issues, but when it comes to Nichols, it provides this amusing and sexy way of keying in on what about this man he may find attractive that he fixates on to recognize him.

Brilliant Minds Takes its Time Building the Dynamic While Still Providing Teases

And the series delivers that to us within the first two installments.

Even when they’re at one another’s throats about something, the undercurrent of that tension results in these sparks that make you relish their interactions and crave the next time they cross paths.

The most turning moment for this pairing was in Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 3.

At this point, via a hilarious blue tooth situation, we get confirmation that Nichols is also a queer doctor at the hospital and quite the hot commodity, too (I mean, it is Teddy Sears).

But more importantly, we see where Nichols is starting to have some fundamental understanding of how Wolf works enough to track him down and be of service when it’s time to cart the patient back to the hospital.

And he also expertly talks Wolf through a medical procedure in the backseat of the car.

Both characters’ mutual respect is only growing, and they’re finding ways to manage each other’s conflicting ways of handling things while recognizing that they’re better together (professionally, that is).

Wolf and Nichols learning how to work as extensions to each other in a professional context only makes the possibility of what’s next for them on a personal front all the more captivating.

And with each installment building on this dynamic, inarguably one of Wolf’s most compelling ones in a series where he has a best friend and estranged mother under whom he now works at the forefront too, there’s a real sense that we’ll get some progress romantically before the season let’s up.

And we don’t even mind waiting for whenever that inevitably happens because the teasing along the way is satisfying in its own right.

Brilliant Minds Takes a Similar Yet Unique Approach with Ericka & Van

Meanwhile, there’s a similar component with the interns, but it’s starting to veer toward a more traditional love triangle.

Van and Ericka are also a possible pairing that has caught our attention, and the prospect of this pairing and how adorable they’d be together hits you almost instantaneously.

Of all the interns, Van is the one who gives off the Golden Retriever energy.

He is genuinely endearing, positive, and sweet as a character, which makes you instantly root for him from the start.

Meanwhile, Ericka is a confident, headstrong, unapologetic, and bright young doctor who easily adapts to Wolf’s methodologies.

This is largely because, at her core, she’s motivated to treat the whole patient rather than just the symptoms.

As the self-professed real quarterback of the interns, she’s a powerhouse, and it’s exciting to see her become a doctor with each case.

Van & Ericka Have a Nice Balance that Makes them an Endearing Pair Worth Rooting For

And no one appreciates that and sees her brilliance and light without averting his eyes or finding it intimidating like Van Marcus.

The seemingly bashful doctor is truly enamored by this woman. He tracks nearly everything she does and is a quiet cheerleader and avid supporter of Ericka.

They also work incredibly well together.

So far, they’re a dynamic duo working together on cases and do incredibly well at adapting to Wolf’s personal brand of practicing medicine.

If anyone has adapted to it most, Ericka is often the most fiercely outspoken about Wolf and standing in his corner.

And it’s her ferocity that seems to endear Van most, along with her compassion and strong empathy.

Out of all the other characters, Ericka takes a softer approach with Van, ensuring that he never feels excluded, speaking up for and out on his behalf, and being a strong support system for him in nearly every professional situation.

Van does the same, so their special moments spark something for those who enjoy a great pining story arc.

Van looks at Ericka as if she were hanging the moon, and Ericka, in turn, sees the best in Van and continuously uplifts him.

With a foundation of strong support and affection, this possible pairing attracts many, and the series plays it well with meaningful looks, smiles, and soft and fond moments that lay down the tracks for something spectacular.

Van’s Empathy and Neurological Disorder Could Coincide with His Affection for Ericka

Of course, Brilliant Minds Season 1 Episode 4 has also boldly introduced the possibility of a long triangle.

We know that Van appears head over heels for Ericka, but she and Jacob have formed a connection, not unlike what we’ve seen with Nichols and Wolf, where a professional rivalry has softened to something akin to mutual respect and friendship.

The hour seemingly tested the groundwork for a possible Ericka and Jacob pairing, and they may even pull the trigger on that, but that’s more of a reason why the soft launching of Ericka and Van feels so much like a classic slow burn that takes us on an emotional rollercoaster.

We know how much primetime dramas love love triangles, and this has the potential to be a great one.

There’s no doubt that from what we’ve seen, Ericka seems to bring the best out of Jacob, from challenging him to pushing him to reveal sides of himself that are beyond the bluster.

It has the potential to work, and Jacob is more upfront about his intentions, which Ericka can easily respond to.

But even knowing that and the possibility that something could arise between the pairing, Van and Ericka’s possible slow burn is more intriguing.

It’s a great build-up that, in some ways, mirrors what we have with Wolf and Nichols while still being unique in that it does not copy the rivals-to-lovers pathway (like Ericka and Jacob openly do).

The Intern Love Triangle Poses a Potentially Interesting Wrinkle in the Slow Burn

There’s also the matter of how Van’s neurological condition factors into the perception of his connection to Ericka.

As a result of Van’s Mirror Touch Synesthesia, his level of empathy extends to being able to feel and experience what some of his patients are feeling.

We’ve seen various instances where, to the outsider, it seems like he’s too “soft and sensitive” to handle some of the basic procedures of medical care when, in actuality, he’s struggling with showing and feeling physical manifestations of what the patients are experiencing.

Brilliant Minds treats what the average person may view as some form of “curse” with their medical conditions as something that one learns to manage and even serves as an asset.

It’s a disability-friendly take that’s genuinely refreshing to see on the air.

With Van’s Mirror Synthesis, it’s evident that he takes some measures, like getting lost in the music, to drown out other people’s suffering because of his unique sensitivity to it.

It’s one of the few ways he can get through his day.

However, a large part of managing is also learning to manage who one is around, which extends to his deep connection and fondness for Ericka.

She genuinely makes him feel good.

Ericka Seems to Provide a Safe Space for Van, and He’s Her Most Avid Supporter

Simply being around Ericka seems to pull out the best traits in Van himself because he gets to, in some way, mirror this confident, brilliant woman who makes him feel good.

You can tell that some aspect of Ericka serves as a safe space for Van, which is a big factor in why he’s drawn to her. The possible pairing is appealing right off the bat.

Van’s heightened sense of empathy pairs well with an empathetic and passionate person like Ericka.

Combining his own experience with Mirror Touch Synthesis and whatever else may coexist along with that for him, it’s understandable how Ericka and Van’s feelings for her may play some role in what he endures as someone with this condition.

It’s fascinating to see Van navigate that, even if we just get glimpses of it so far.

And that’s not to romanticize the condition, per se, but it adds an extra layer to that particular dynamic, which is why it’s so intriguing for these characters.

We can understand why Ericka makes someone like Van feel so good.

In turn, for a smart, confident woman like Ericka, it’s deeply reassuring to be around a guy who actually appreciates her talent and intellect and doesn’t seem remotely intimidated by them.

Van and Ericka never compete with one another, unlike in other instances where the interns may feel competitive about something.

Brilliant Minds Uses Possible Ships to Enhance Characters Whether Than Detract From Them

Instead, they work well together and partner well, and if we already see that in a professional context and even as budding friends, then naturally, we can appreciate what the series could do by pairing these two romantically as well.

Even if Ericka and Jacob happen first, what makes Ericka and Van such a strong, slow burn this early on is that a relationship with Jacob could just be the type of conflict that makes the possible inevitability of Ericka and Van angsty and intriguing.

Brilliant Minds has a way of taking some of the most common tropes for a genre or any series and still bringing out the best in them, making them interesting to watch despite their familiarity and frequency.

It’s no surprise that even when it comes to burgeoning romances, they’ve mastered this as well.

Providing the possibility of them without detracting from the development of any of the characters involved for the sake of these dynamics, in fact, mostly using them to enhance character development.

The appeal of these possible relationships does not overshadow the series’ strong work with all of its other elements, either.

Over to you, Brilliant Minds Fanatics.

What do you think about the series’ ships?