The Golden Lotus

"The Golden Lotus" is the ninth episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by Steven Katz, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on October 10, 2014. The series is set in New York City in the early twentieth century and follows the staff of the Knickerbocker Hospital (the Knick), who struggle against the limitations of medical understanding and practice. The protagonist is Dr. John Thackery, the new leader of the surgery staff, who balances his cocaine and opium addictions against his ambition for medical discovery and his reputation among his peers. In the episode, Thackery's withdrawal worsens. Meanwhile, Cornelia discovers she is pregnant, while Gallinger faces tragedy. According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.319 million household viewers and gained a 0.09 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received critical acclaim, with critics praising Soderbergh's directing, performances, character development and pacing. Plot With his cocaine withdrawal worsening, Thackery (Clive Owen) breaks into a pharmacy to steal cocaine. However, he is caught by the police, and faces five years in Sing Sing for the charges. Barrow (Jeremy Bobb) and August (Grainger Hines) are forced to bribe the police to drop the charges and release Thackery. Nevertheless, news of the event quickly hit the newspapers even though his name is not mentioned.