After Brilliant Minds Said Goodbye To A Key Character, Who Is Really Going To Betray Wolf In Season 2?

Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for the second episode of Brilliant Minds Season 2, titled “The Contestant.” You can watch it streaming the day after it airs with a Peacock subscription.

Brilliant Minds quickly got started with its second season in 2025. The first episode ended with a glimpse into the future, hinting at trouble for Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto). The second episode saw the departure of his father (for the time being) and then his mother while she was at Bronx General. With the season’s second flash forward, I’m left to wonder: who will betray him as the story unfolds at Hudson Oaks?

Muriel (Donna Murphy) resigned as Chief Medical Officer at Bronx General to allow Carol (Tamberla Perry) to come back to the hospital. The hospital board had been divided on whether to reinstate Carol, but Muriel made the decision to step aside. Carol initially objected, but Muriel was firm in her choice, and both she and Oliver were okay with it. Oliver even mentioned he’d prefer having Muriel as his mother, rather than his boss.

The plot twist doesn’t mean actress Donna Murphy is exiting the series. Star Zachary Quinto assured TVLine that she’s “always around” and “she’ll be back.” However, I suspect we might see her less frequently now that her character has left the hospital. The good news is that Carol can return!

Although Carol coming back seems like good news right now, a glimpse into the future suggests she might betray a close friend within six months. She was a valuable ally to Oliver in “The Contestant,” helping him convince a patient not to commit to Dr. Amelia Frederick (Scandal and Prodigal Son actress Bellamy Young) and the Hudson Oaks facility, which seemed suspiciously perfect when she talked about it. (We also saw her drugging Oliver in the Season 2 premiere flash forward.)

Oliver and Carol both agreed that they should try all kinds of mental health treatments before considering a hospital stay. Therefore, the scene where Carol urges Oliver to sign a significant document suggests that something very serious must have occurred for her to believe this final option is the right thing to do for her close friend.

However, I’m not fully sure we should see the ending as Carol committing her friend to an institution. Oliver appeared to be using drugs and was clearly disoriented. Then, Carol arrived and told him to go ahead and admit himself, saying it’s for the best. Is it possible this Carol is a hallucination, brought on by what Oliver experienced or what he was taking in that moment?

Dr. Frederick observing Carol creates a problem with this idea, but I keep thinking about Oliver looking unwell and being urged to sign a paper. If Carol is actually convincing her friend to commit himself to a place he doesn’t seem to like in the current story, I really hope Brilliant Minds has a good explanation for it.

Catch the latest episodes of Season 2 every Monday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC, or watch them streaming on Tuesdays.

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2025-09-30 07:08