Spoilers ahead for the Season 2 finale of Transplant, called "Free For What."
Season 2 of Transplant has come to an end, and "Free For What" managed to tie off some loose ends while also delivering some big cliffhangers. Some – like Bishop looking ahead to an uncertain future and Bash showing up on Mags' doorstep – aren't exactly life-or-death, but Theo's helicopter crash in the middle of what looks like the Canadian wilderness isn't looking good for him. Fortunately, star Hamza Haq spoke with CinemaBlend to break down what happened with Bash and Bishop, as well as give an update on the status of Season 3.
The two doctors ultimately each tried to sacrifice their career at York Memorial to save the other's, explaining what the star meant when he previewed the "crossfire" between their characters in the finale. Ultimately, it was Bishop who was able to save Bash's career, and not just by enabling him to keep his job. He used what remaining leverage he had to secure a three-year contract for Bash, which would presumably take care of at least some of his worries about building a stable life for his sister.
Of course, even though it was good news for Bash, and Bishop didn't seem too disheartened about the change of career, does Bishop leaving York mean the end of their dynamic? Their bond has been central to the series ever since Bash drilled some emergency burr holes into Bishop's skull. Speaking with Hamza Haq, the actor weighed in on whether "Free For What" was the end of their characters' dynamic:
We never say never. I think this is definitely a new journey for both Bash and Dr. Bishop in that their current working relationship is reaching a little bit of a hiatus. You'll have to watch and see to see if Bishop comes back and under which capacity he contributes to the people at York Memorial Hospital, or the show of Transplant at large. I think in the show, we had this steady hand of seasoned veteran like John Hannah kind of holding our hand through this whole thing and providing a presence that made us feel confident and allowed us to shine a bit more and it's totally reflected... Our relationships with John off camera [are] very reflected in our relationships with Bishop on camera. Regardless of wherever it follows, it's going to be an adjustment for everybody. So you have to wait and see.
The Transplant star wasn't about to spoil all the details about what comes next, but he had high praise for John Hannah as his co-star. Plus, describing the situation for the characters as "a new journey" is fitting for how they parted as colleagues. He'll no longer be Bash's boss, but he doesn't necessarily have to give up teaching. Bishop isn't simply going to retire, so there are surely ways for him to haunt the hallways of York again for some reason, right?
Only time will tell, and it seems very safe to say that the new status quo will indeed be an adjustment for everybody, in the show and for fans watching from home. "Free From What" did pay tribute to the power of their bond throughout the episode, including a moment when Bash had to drill some emergency burr holes to save a life.
Luckily for everybody, Bash was able to use a medical device in the safety of a hospital this time, rather than when he used a power tool to drill a hole into Bishop's head in the middle of a burning restaurant in the series premiere (which you can revisit streaming with a Hulu subscription or Peacock subscription). According to Hamza Haq, the burr hole scene was a "full circle" moment, as he shared:
When I read that episode, I'm just like, 'Nice. Well done, Joe.' [laughs] It was just like, 'Yep. Cool. That makes perfect sense.' It's such delicious television to have that. We're like, 'Ah, you remember!' You know, 'fans of the show will recall!' But yeah, it was just so wonderful to perform that procedure with him in order to save a life. It was just cool. One of those nice moments that come full circle.
The star credited creator and executive producer Joseph Kay (who also write the Season 2 finale) with coming up with the moment that not only nodded to their origins as a duo, but also showed how far they've come since that car ran into the restaurant where Bash was working as a cook. It was a nice moment before the reveal that Bishop truly was leaving and would not longer be the mentor figure at York.
Bash's future may be very different moving forward, and not just because he presumably won't have Bishop around as often. Why he went to see Mags is ambiguous at the moment, but the three-year contract at York gives him some freedom to catch his breath that he didn't have when he had to worry about his transcripts. Hamza Haq shared his thoughts on this new freedom, including an update on the status of Season 3:
The dynamic between him and his co-workers and who he is as a doctor and the things that he's struggling with as a human person, I feel like that's... you know, we're currently in production of Season 3. We filmed eight or nine episodes, so far. We're in the midst of filming Episode 8 and 9. And so far in the season, the main focus has been the human difficulty, as opposed to the sort of bureaucracy that he runs into. We get to see a different side of it. We get to see his struggle from a more day-to-day perspective, as opposed to a systemic or bureaucratic thing, or even a political thing. So I think there's a relief there.
Would it really be Transplant if Bash wasn't struggling with something on some level? The very good news is that Season 3 is already deep into production, and his struggles in the new batch of episodes will be different now that he doesn't have to worry about his transcripts. There's relief, according to the actor, but that doesn't mean things are going to be easy. He continued:
But now, it's like when your life goes well, when you're addicted to conflict, or when you're so accustomed to conflict, when things sort of level off, you sort of think like, 'Oh, I guess I just have to take care of my life now.' And we see Bash struggling with that for someone who's never had to do just that. We're like, 'Everything else is okay, man. It's just now you have to focus on yourself and who you are as a person.' It was like, 'Wait, no. Dealing with politics and all this stuff, that's stuff I can do. Those are problems that I can work towards. But if I have to now look internally, that's a whole new ballgame.'
So, how will Bash handle his new freedom from some of his longtime worries, other than struggling with working on himself? Despite both characters agreeing to pretend that they didn't almost kiss in an elevator, Mags didn't exactly look unhappy that he showed up unannounced on her doorstep. Of course, Rania is likely to always be in his life for as long as they're both in Canada, since he is determined to remain friends and she's so important to his sister. The return of Novak could be interesting for Bash, even though Bishop's former job is going to an outside hire.
Hopefully Bash just isn't so overwhelmed that he doesn't realize Theo is missing, unless Season 3 opens with a major time jump! Season 2 picked up right where Season 1 left off, so a time jump may not be in the cards. There is no news just yet about when Transplant will return for Season 3 to resolve all of the cliffhangers (and prove whether John Hannah will still be around), but the new episodes will presumably air in Canada first. For now, you can check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule for some viewing options in the not-too-distant future!
