St. Denis Medical Episode 12 Really Made Matt & Serena’s Relationship More Confusing

Warning: SPOILERS for St. Denis Medical season 1, episode 12, "Buffalo Bruce and Matty the Kid."

It’s seemed almost fated from the start of St. Denis Medical that Matt and Serena would at least attempt a relationship at some point or another, but episode 12 makes it more unclear than ever when that story might actually move forward. Aside from Joyce’s seemingly one-sided rivalry with Portland General, Matt and Serena are the only two St. Denis Medical characters that have a tangible running story arc. Although St. Denis Medical’s showrunners have said in the past they intend the relationship to be a slow burn, things seemed to heat up as recently as episode 9.

Episode 12, “Buffalo Bruce and Matty the Kid,” follows Bruce and Matt as they try to hunt down a plague-ridden emotional support cat while Serena struggles with whether to stay in Oregon or go back to her old life as a travel nurse. Both plots converge toward the very end when Matt risks his own safety to wrestle the cat away from Serena, but the results of Matt’s bravery don’t seem promising for those who would like to see Matrena become official before the start of St. Denis Medical season 2.

Serena Barely Thanks Matt For Saving Her From The Plague In St. Denis Medical Episode 12

She’s Shown Him More Appreciation For Doing Less

Through much of the episode, Bruce and Matt spend their time camped out in a hallway hoping for the plague cat to run by rather than actively hunting it down. In just a few seconds of conversation, Bruce immediately infers that Matt has a crush on Serena. This almost seems out of character, since Serena still appears to be in the dark about Matt’s feelings despite typically appearing much more perceptive than Bruce. But it should be a lot more obvious when the cat getting close to Serena is what ultimately motivates Matt to spring into action.

Blended image of Matt from St. Denis Medical in front of Amy and Jonah from Superstore

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Even if Serena wouldn’t necessarily connect Matt’s actions with his particular feelings for her, it’s still strange how casually she thanks him. She personally nursed his wounds after he suffered an accidental blow to the face in episode 9, but she only gives him a verbal declaration of gratitude for getting torn to shreds and potentially contracting bubonic plague. She doesn’t owe him any grand gestures of affection, but the problem is that her casual thanks seem to indicate their relationship momentum has all but died after seeming to accelerate just a few episodes before.

St. Denis Medical Episode 12 Reverses Progress Matt Made With Serena In Episode 9

They Seemed Right On The Verge Of Getting Together

Kahyun Kim as Serena and Mekki Leeper as Matt in St. Denis Medical episode 9

Serena claims in episode 9 that she’s treating Matt’s wound to repay him for defending her honor after he chastised a grieving family for yelling at her, but the accident that caused Matt’s injury didn’t actually have anything to do with him defending Serena. Still, treating his wound leads to her seeing the scars he’s gotten from his farm life in Montana. Soon after, she admits to the camera that she’s starting to find him a lot hotter than she did when he first started working at St. Denis. She later clutches Matt’s hand as they watch their patient pass.

Some may argue that Matt and Serena’s relationship is too toxic to work, but episode their differences only make their dynamic more charming.

If Serena’s attracted to Matt’s scars, then his war wounds from wrestling a bubonic feline should raise the temperature quite a bit. Not only does this not seem to happen, but Serena also seems to have forgotten Matt telling her in episode 9 that he’s straight. There’s an odd moment where she refers to his new necklace as “gender-bendy,” something the incredibly religious Matt probably wouldn’t take as a compliment coming from anybody else. St. Denis Medical co-creator Eric Ledgin has promised movement in their relationship by the finale, but that movement currently seems mostly halted.

Episode 12 Would Have Been Stronger If Matt And Serena Were Already Together

Her Decision Not To Leave Could Have Had More Impact

Mekki Leeper as Matt and Kahyun Kim as Serena holding hands in St. Denis Medical episode 9

Given the strong comparisons between St. Denis Medical and Superstore, it isn’t that surprising the creators would draw out the series’ main romance as Superstore did. Writers often suspend relationships to avoid “shipping death,” in which characters’ arcs sometimes lose tension and feel less interesting when they get together. However, episode 12 shows why this wouldn’t have had to be an issue for Matt and Serena. If anything, Serena’s dilemma about leaving Oregon and the ultimate decision to stay would have carried a lot more weight if Matt had been involved, but Serena’s friendship with Alex is the primary focus instead.

Wendi McLendon-Covey's Joyce stares at the camera in St Denis Medical

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Some may argue that Matt and Serena’s relationship is too toxic to work, but episode their differences only make their dynamic more charming. The closest thing to flirtation they share in episode 12 of St. Denis Medical is Serena ribbing Matt for liking Despicable Me. It sounds judgmental, but she’s also fully engaged and attentive until Alex interrupts the conversation. Their relationship might not seem like a traditional one, but their chemistry is already more than developed enough that the series’ writers should have no problem keeping them interesting once they finally get together.

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