How Brilliant Minds Connects to the Real Dr. Oliver Sacks makes

When a series or film is even loosely based on actual people or true events, sometimes many real-life details are lost in the adaptation. However, NBC's medical drama Brilliant mindswhich is loosely based on the writings and life of the famous neurologist Dr. Oliver Wolf Sacks has incorporated a lot not only from his case studies but also from his actual life.

In the series, Zachary Quinto plays Dr. Oliver Wolf, an unorthodox neurologist who recently returned to Bronx General Hospital to serve as chief resident in the neurology department. He works under his long-time colleague Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry) and the Bronx's chief medical officer, Dr. Muriel Landon (Donna Murphy)…who also happens to be his mother.

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As with all adaptations, some details are highlighted to emphasize the drama of the whole, but in the case of Brilliant mindsconfirmed Kate Edgar, current director of the Oliver Sacks Foundation NBC Insider that quite a lot of what showrunner Michael Grassi and Quinto have integrated into the series and characters has its origins in the real life of Dr. Sacks has.

Why Brilliant minds takes place today, during Sacks' lifetime

If you like the work of Dr. If you are familiar with Oliver Sacks in neurology or his non-fiction books about his work in the field of neurology, you may know that he died of cancer in 2015. Throughout his career, Sacks authored case studies and research papers and was instrumental in advancing the knowledge base in his field, including through his extensive writings, lectures, and speaking engagements that helped humanize the patient experience of dealing with rare brain disorders.

Because so much has improved in the field, Grassi and his authors decided to set the series in modern times, bringing some of Sacks' case studies into the present and infusing them with updated science and research to make them more relevant to make current medical practice more relevant.

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Edgar said that was one aspect of Brilliant minds which she supported from the first script.

“That really gave (the series) a lot of freedom to explore so many themes that Oliver didn't really get to explore until the end of his own life,” she explained. “The medical world has evolved since then. Things like brain imaging that we all take for granted today only came along in the 1980s. When Michael made the decision to bring this (series) into the present day, “I thought it was great and also adding his mother as a character to the cast was really fascinating to me.

While Dr. Landon was never Dr.'s boss in real life. Sacks was, was Dr. Muriel Elsie Landau one of the first female surgeons in England. She practiced her specialty until her death in 1972.

Dr. Oliver bags Easter eggs Brilliant minds

Given everywhere Brilliant minds In this episode, Edgar said that there are many connections to Dr. Sacks that she knows his fans and colleagues will enjoy.

“I personally love that there are so many great queer characters and complicated queer relationships,” she said of the LGBTQ storylines, which reflect Sacks' own life as well as that of actor Zachary Quinto. “We can see that Oliver Wolf is a person who falls in love, just like the rest of us. And he has his problems with his mother, and who doesn’t?”

She said to also keep in mind Wolf's love of ferns, which is one of Sacks' true loves.

“He would actually walk around with ferns and take care of them like they were babies,” she shared.

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Wolf's peculiarity regarding his dislike of cell phones is also related to Sacks.

“The fact that Zach's character doesn't have a cell phone is hilarious because Oliver never had a computer in real life. He wouldn't touch a computer. He finally had a cell phone, but it was one with old technology.” .

“And in the opening of the pilot, it’s a wedding and there’s a piano playing,” she pointed out. “And by God, that piano is a Beckstein piano, exactly what Oliver had. So I see all these little Easter eggs, which to me are little valentines for Oliver. I love that. And I think his fans will appreciate that too.

Brilliant Minds airs new episodes Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.