Jane Krakowski May Be Dr. Wolf's Most Puzzling Patient Yet on Brilliant Minds
The 30 Rock icon delivered a haunting performance opposite Zachary Quinto on Brilliant Minds.
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This story contains spoilers from the Brilliant Minds Season 2, Episode 4 ("Lady Liberty").
Television icon Jane Krakowski always steals the show, but it's safe to say she led viewers on an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster after making her way to NBC's Brilliant Minds as a misunderstood thrill-chaser.
Boasting a fresh lineup of medical cases inspired by the real-life works of neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, Season 2 of Brilliant Minds has been a gripping watch. Krakowski delivered an unforgettable performance during her recent appearance in "Lady Liberty," adding to Season 2's dynamite list of guest stars. Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) and his dedicated neurologists have crossed paths with Love on the Spectrum star Connor Tomlinson, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams, and Chicago Med alum Molly Bernard, to name a few. Krakowski was the latest star to grace Bronx General Hospital, leaving Wolf and his team perplexed to understand her troubling condition.
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After stealing hearts and scoring Emmy nominations on NBC's 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Krakowski kept viewers on the edge of their seats during her Brilliant Minds debut, raising the stakes for Dr. Wolf and his passionate team of neurologists.
Who did Jane Krakowski play on Brilliant Minds?
Jane Krakowski guest starred in Brilliant Minds Season 2's "Lady Liberty" as Arianna Burnett, a well-known businesswoman living under a conservatorship who grew increasingly irritated with the arrangement, ultimately choosing to challenge her family's decision. While Arianna's family felt they were doing what was best for Arianna, Dr. Wolf and Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry) soon discovered that there was more to Arianna's condition than it initially seemed.
Jane Krakowski led Dr. Wolf on a thrilling chase on Brilliant Minds
As interim hospital Chief Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears) encouraged Wolf to button up to save money around the hospital, he entrusted him with the dire task of visiting the home of a prominent hospital donor, The Burnetts. The family gained prominence due to Arianna's impressive career as a high-powered business tycoon, but she had recently been placed under a conservatorship following her retirement.
Arianna had grown petrified of leaving her home, so Wolf and Pierce made an emergent house call after learning she'd thrown herself down the stairs to see a doctor. After arriving at her home, they met Krakowski's Arianna, who appeared dazed out and barely responsive. After Arianna began secretly signaling to the doctors that she needed help, they urged Arianna to be taken to Bronx General. There, they learned she had been recently diagnosed with dementia and was under a guardianship.
After being weaned off her meds, Arianna's tests soon revealed she didn't show signs of dementia. Arianna confessed that she felt her memory was worsening with each day she spent trapped in her home. Arianna claimed her family was "making" her sick and poisoning her to control her. Pierce and Wolf took this accusation very seriously while trying to deduce if this was perhaps dementia-related paranoia.
Arianna's husband and daughter claimed that she was placed on a guardianship after her health took a turn following Arianna's selling all of her businesses. Arianna experienced a dramatic cognitive decline and began exhibiting erratic behavior, leaving for days at a time.
Her family felt they were truly keeping Arianna safe, giving Wolf plenty to chew on. To add an extra level of complication to the matter, Wolf wasn't supposed to upset the Burnetts as major stakeholders in the hospital.
After Arianna attempted to flee the hospital, she continued to show signs that she didn't have dementia with a dramatic shift in personality. After deducing this, Wolf offered Arianna another test: a night out on the town, playing poker. After betting high on a Blackjack game, Arianna was on cloud nine, absolutely at peace in the high-stakes table.
Wolf then told Arianna his tests came back negative for poison, telling her that he suspected that she didn't have dementia. Wolf noted that she had built a life around calculated risks — big moves and big gambles as part of running businesses — so she was hardwired to seek it out.
"They are confusing your innate thrill-seeking for disease," Wolf told her, moments before she stole Wolf's motorcycle and fled the casino. Consider that point proven.
Wolf and Pierce visited the Burnetts to reveal their findings: Arianna had an inactive amygdala, the brain's fear center. It was "natural" for her to do eccentric things and act irrationally. What they needed was a compromise between Arianna's eccentricities and the Burnetts' concerns, so they tracked down Arianna and brought the entire family together for an intervention.
After showing the family Arianna's brain scans, they realized Arianna wasn't as sick as they believed: she simply needed a healthy outlet in her retirement. Risk and danger had made her thrive during her career, while the guardianship prevented her from stimulating her amygdala, leading to memory loss.
So, what now? Wolf suggested that Arianna attend three activities per week that stimulated her thrill center, and for her family to attend these activities to help them all re-establish trust. With that, Arianna's guardianship ended, and Wolf closed another case with a smile.
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If you missed Krakowski's Brilliant Minds episode, fret not! Season 2, Episode 4 ("Lady Liberty") is available to stream on Peacock. Watch Brilliant Minds on Mondays 10/9c on NBC.
