The Knick : I hope Gallinger gets away with everything

I hope Gallinger gets away with everything.

I know, I know Gallinger is a horrible character. Arguably the worst character on this show. I completely agree.

But do not mistake my hope that he gets away with everything as me condoning what he has done. I certainly do not.

So then why on earth would I want him to not face sever punishment? It's a simple answer. Because that's how life is sometimes. Life is not perfect. The criminals do not always get punished, just as heroes and honest people are not always rewarded and celebrated.

That. Is. Life.

And no work of art, whether it's a TV show, or a movie, or a poem, or a song, or an opera should be obligated to resolve everything with justice and with a sense of moral victory.

I will have more respect for this show, and for Steven Soderbergh, if it ends with Gallinger getting away with everything.

I don't even want Algernon, who is a character I really like and respect, to get the satisfaction of revenge on Gallinger. This is just my opinion, but that would be too neat and tidy and less courageous of the show.

Back then, people like Gallinger were not uncommon, as evidenced by the judges who side with him after Algernon's accusations. It would be more truthful and more respectful to America's history to demonstrate that such people did get away with these things. I think this show is strong enough and smart enough to do it. Question is, will it?

Yup, it'd be more realistic for Gallinger to get away with his behavior in those days. And actually, he does already, as far as his career and social standing go. I think that in the end (hopefully not soonlove this show!) that yes, it should be that way.

But I won't be disappointed if his personal/home life spirals further and further down. And if that deep down he always knows that not only is he an inferior doctor to Edwards, but that Thack will always choose Edwards over him. Even back in the early 1900s that wouldn't be unrealistic. On the outside, the sniveling, cheating racist wins, but on the inside he's the real loser and he knows it.

And of course, those of us in the 21st century have the satisfaction of knowing that the world Gallinger and his ilk dream of will never come to pass. :)

Speaking of his home life, I think his wife's sister is totally BSC. I'm not sure why he thinks she'll escape Eleanor's "bad" genes just because she supposedly looks more genetically blessed, or whatever he was saying to her last week.

That chick is a sociopath and I hope she brings him down and he drinks himself into an early grave.but not before producing some kid who turns out to be a rotten egg.

Gallinger has gotten away with what he had been doing. The operations on the kids at the "idiot home" so that is moot.

I don't much care what happens in his personal life, putting his wife in a decent mental hospital was what was needed anyway, and I don't care if he sleeps with his sister in law in the meantime.

Punching Algie in his bad eye on purpose is unforgivable.

---

Punching Algie in his bad eye on purpose is unforgivable.

---

Did Gallinger even know about the eye?


Anyways, I don't see where Gallinger would face any kind of comeuppance. He cleared the medical board, so he's covered on the vasectomies. (he'll likely perform more of them!)

The murder of his wife's shrink has been closed. Even then, she did it, not him. (and she's crazy!)

He put his wife in a nice home, where she needs to be anyway, so he's not neglecting her.

And he's banging her sister big deal.


Other than being a bit of a racist *beep* he's not really the 'bad guy' of this show. Barrow is, for sure. And now possibly Henry as well.




Wolf



"I Drank What?!" - Socrates

---

Did Gallinger even know about the eye?

---

Yes. He even mentions this to his sister wife.

thewolfchild wrote,

---

"Did Gallinger even know about the eye?"

---

Yes, he did. Iirc, the sister-in-law/lover asks Gallinger, "Did you get him in his eye?" and Gallinger gleefully says he did. He set that whole thing up to further damage his eye. He knows Algie's eye is injured. He makes it worse, possibly finishes the job, on purpose. In so doing, he not only destroys Algie's career, but he also robs the world of a brilliant surgeon. That is selfish, sadistic, and sick. And JEALOUS. He does it because he can't stand the fact that a black man is a better surgeon than he is.

He is a *beep* monster. But you say,

---

"Other than being a bit of a racist *beep* he's not really the 'bad guy' of this show."

---

Um, Wolf men like Gallinger make men like Hitler possible. Do you understand? Gallinger sterilized people he considered "unfit." He is involved with eugenics which will turn into Hitler's favorite philosophy. He thinks nothing of blinding a man just because the man is black and he doesn't like him.

And how is someone "a bit of a racist"? A bit of a racist? Wtf, Wolf? He blinds a man, he performs vasectomies on children, he believes in a master race. And you say that is "a bit of a racist." I wonder what you think a racist looks like and why you think it is all right to be "a bit of" one.

He is as bad as Barrow and Henry he just expresses his evil in a different way.

Your post is well written. However, what do you mean back then?? Today we are going through the same hatred, racism, deceit as this show, circa 1900, portrays so well. All one needs do is to read on MSN any controversial topic followed by the comments section. Sadly you would not know if you were in the early 1900's or in the era in which we live. History does and will repeat because mankind is too foolish to learn from its past endeavors.

I would be surprise if his wife escapes the asylum and discovers the two making out, then out of revenge she does poison the two. or just out of *beep* and giggles, their new house maid/cook is none other then typhoid mary

Thinking that absolutely nothing has changed is totally ignoring the hard-fought improvements that have been made in society since the show's time period. As a non-white person, of course I see that there are loud and proud "Gallingers" still forcing their views on everyone today. But when it comes to racism, today is better than 1901 by far. If there's any hope left in this world there'll be a time that's better than 2015 too.

HEAR HEAR! If you get your news in sound bites , more than likely you will make same mistakes as previous generations.

Excellent points. In just about every organization around, there is always someone who does whatever the hell he or she wants and is never, ever called on it, or if they are, they manage to slide out of it, as Gallinger did before the medical board. It is life, and it is also life when people like Algie know what they really are and no one believes him.

I wish Algie would give up on that circus, collaborate with the other black doctors (like the Jewish ones did) and impart his knowledge and expertise to a black hospital and medical training college while collaborating with Bertie and Gallinger on the side.

Why continue to waste his talents where they are not wanted, appreciated, or even recognized?

His wife will be his greatest asset. She's pushy and probably knows a thing or two about high society.

There is an area in Harlem that at one point (not sure if that early) where black professioinal lived (The Dunbar and Sugar Hill), that's where black dentists, doctors, and government workers lives (government workers that is until a certain president came along and had the high ranking ones fired).

Anyway, he should leave. He could probably spend the rest of his days without having to encounter the overt racism.


http://www.auplod.com/u/dalpuo430da.png
(\ v /)
(='.'=)

Your probably right about Gallinger because most of the Doctors were elitist,and believed in such ridiculous methods and farfetched theories with no factual data. I think Algie probably would have ended up teaching at Historically Black College say Howard University in Washington DC mentoring young Pre Med students.

I can't answer your question, but I agree with your points Life and history aren't fair, so why should the script of "The Knick" be?

I personally despise period dramas that project today's morality and social dynamics onto eras where they just wouldn't apply. It happens all too often in film and television for my liking. The Knick and Barry Lyndon might be my favorite period pieces for how unwaveringly they defy our contemporary world view when representing an older era with all of it's idiosyncrasies.