NAT GEO: The Hot Zone: Episodes 3 & 4
We’ve got a great interview with a real scientist to discuss some aspects of the show at the end of our recap – Don’t forget to check it out!
On to the recap/review:
The fear is mounting
Ben and Peter continue to question if they have the Ebola virus. Especially when Nancy gets the call about someone getting sick at the monkey lab.
Peter gets a visit from his fiancé, Rebecca (played by Lauren Collins), who he smartly doesn’t let into the lab. One because they might be infected and two, well, she is pissed.
Which I don’t blame her. He seems to be an ass in all aspects of life.
Bruce gets sick
One of the monkey caretakers, Bruce Domanski (played by Mark Kelly), falls ill just as Humbolt explains to Frank what’s going on.
Trying to contain it
Nancy wastes no time in getting down there and getting Bruce suited up and ready to be quarantined.
Enter the CDC
Trevor Rhodes (played by James D’arcy) who will seem familiar by the memories of his time in Africa with Carter – Swoops in and takes over. He takes the guy to a normal hospital not believing it’s the Ebola virus. Or more likely – like Peter who tries to lie to himself about it.
At least he makes sure all the doctors and nurses wear protective clothing.
And gets blood samples.
Trying but failing to get permission
Nancy, and Col. Tucker try to get access to the monkeys to destroy them before it can spread.
But the CDC and Hazelton wouldn’t budge
Even telling them it was airborne didn’t do much to get the suits or the CDC to do anything. Hazelton even lawyered up.
Humbolt and Nancy make a plan
Visiting Humbolt at his office, she has seen he has been throwing things.
And that Hazelton has shut down the lab and that the monkeys are going starve to death.
At first I thought Humbolt was like Peter, but he’s not, he’s a caring loving guy.
As neither of them can do anything, they decide to put pressure on Hazelton by telling the papers about a monkey disease.
It works
It seems like everyone is afraid of the media even big corporations.
Because they fold and give the army permission to destroy the monkeys and the lab after the paper calls them.
Putting together a team
Nancy and Carter put together a team to go in!
Bad news
During the meetings she gets beeped by her mom, and finds out her dad’s in the hospital and probably won’t make it.
Luckily she can talk to her dad, who tells her to do the work she needs to. After she apologizes for not being there.
And at the end of the call she tells him to hold on.
And, yes, I cried my eyes out at this scene.
Peter on the run
Nancy I’m guessing is ready to blow a gasket as Ben tells her everything about them sniffing the sample and possibly being infected. And about how Peter has ran instead of staying quarantined in the office.
Finding Peter
Even though I wouldn’t have cared if he never came back…
Nancy finds him. Which is good for everyone. In a health sense.
At least he wore gloves. Luckily she talks the idiot into coming back and staying in the lab.
Misogynistic Pigs
After putting together a team. Nancy is called in by Tucker and finds out her husband Jerry is taking over.
Feeling stepped on
When she confronts Jerry all she hears is he’s expandable. And he needs to protect her.
We find out his brother died. And that makes him very protective. But still the pain is there.
Carter is no different
Nancy soon finds out Carter is going with her husband. And she feels betrayed by all the men around her.
As Jerry gets the team ready to go in, Nancy goes to see her daughter at her gymnastics meet.
Where her daughter asks her about the monkeys – and she tries to sooth her by telling her it will be taken care of.
But family fun time ends too soon
Watching her daughter run off to her meet, she gets beeped. Oh, how I feel old as I remember the days of beepers.
Nancy’s day just keeps getting worse
Getting a page from Peter of all people, she finds out the worker in the hospital tests positive for Ebola.
Dealing with Rhodes
After going to tell Rhodes, he still wants to keep it quiet as to not start a panic.
I guess I do see that. Again them taking all things into real consideration in the show.
Finding a middle ground
She does however talk him into helping her round up all the doctors and staff who worked with him, to draw blood panels.
Visiting her dad
In another tear filled scene… They cried. Not me. Promise.
Ok, I did.
He tells her how much he loves her and to keep fighting.
He also tells her she should give Jerry a chance… Because although he also always wanted to protect her, it didn’t mean he didn’t believe in her.
The AIDS virus
I love how this show keeps reiterating and comparing the Ebola crisis to the Aids crisis.
And mentioning how people in that time wouldn’t even get close to people with aids. Just like those who have become paranoid.
Like Jerry and Ben’s wife.
Animal love
As an avid campaigner for animals rights – even though they used them for lab work… I love how much Frank and Humbolt care about how the monkeys were suffering and starving to death.
Bruce’s wife even mentions how horrible it is to test on animals. High five to her.
Going back again to Carter and Rhodes past
Another tragedy
Going back to the hospital with the nurses, Carter and Rhodes find out that the hospital had been quarantined.
And many of the patients and nurses. All but one died due to bad sterilization practices
Meeting Melinda
They also meet an aide worker named Melinda Danport (played by Grace Gummer), who happens to end up marrying Rhodes.
Going to find one of the missing patients
Talking Rhodes into going to another village, even though they have a sample.
The two of them and Melinda, go and find her, and find her dying a horrible death. But her son looking healthy.
My final thoughts
I love this show so much. It has a great mix of drama, excitement and fear all in one.
Can’t wait to see the final two episodes
Catch the final two episodes tonight on National Geographic at 9/8c.
Let’s chat with a scientist!
A quick interview…
We spoke with Dr. Kimberly Huggins – a biomedical researcher – about some aspects of the show and how true/accurate they may be.
‘The Hot Zone’ introduces us to some really nasty viruses – Are these still real concerns in today’s world?
The viruses in the show are still a real world threat today. Specific to Ebola, we of course had some cases in the US in 2014 which prompted alterations in basic questions asked at medical clinic check-ins, precautions still in effect today. Professionals have known for quite some time that with the interconnectedness of our world, we are always just a few flights away from potential global pandemics. The 2014 outbreak reminded us of that in no uncertain terms.
Based on your experience and education – how accurate was the portrayal of the science and those that work in the USAMRIID?
Hollywood always struggles to create an accurate portrayal of science. One reason is that no matter how important the reagent or reaction, the vast majority of liquids used in science are clear. That doesn’t make for very exciting television or movie experiences so fluids are often colored in interesting ways. The show was pretty accurate in describing the different biosafety levels in labs for each level 1 to 4. Unfortunately, the complacent behavior of some of the scientists regarding their own safety (use of PPE or personal protective equipment) was fairly accurate. In reality, disposable gowns, eye protection, gloves and face shields are always to be worn when working with any primate tissue. I can’t speak to the specifics of USAMRIID procedures having never worked in that environment.
More specific to the viruses: Although I’m not a virologist, Marburg virus does not include large blisters or sores on the body. It does include fever, vomiting, blood loss, and can have a non-itchy rash associated with it.
Would you consider the procedures and equipment used on screen fairly close to how it’s done in real life?
Some of the procedures were fairly close, others were made more exciting for TV. For me, the varied roles of the scientists was glaring. Although in an incident like this, exposure risk needs to be limited, the circle of knowledge should be larger. It is a balance between risking panic and not letting enough people know the risk. Some of these procedures have likely changed as we have become more aware of pandemic and outbreak risks and somewhat better at planning. Even most universities have pandemic planning as part of their overall master plan or strategic plan these days.
Did you notice anything glaringly missing from the show – about the viruses/diseases themselves, the scientific/medical professionals, the procedures in place, etc?
As mentioned there are several oversimplifications to procedures, but one glaringly obvious issue is the lack of PPE for the workers changing the monkey cages. The Hazelton site was a quarantine area for arriving primates. Beyond the super hot agents like, Ebola, monkeys have other diseases and pathogens that can be passed to humans. There are (should) always be more PPE worn. The lack of PPE in those workers would not even be appropriate for a mouse or rat colony. Gloves are worn even there.
What would you say to someone who has watched the first few episodes and now has a real fear about something like Ebola – and the fact that it’s just sitting in a refrigerator somewhere in the US right now?
I would tell them you absolutely want these pathogens to exists in the laboratories in which they are studied. Only through research can we understand the mechanisms of infection, pathways of infection and discover possible treatments or preventative measures. Be thankful that there are scientists willing to engage in these studies.
A giant thanks to Dr. Huggins for taking a few minutes to chat about the science behind the show!
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