Breathless (2024) – Season 1 Episode 8 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Episode 8

[Trigger warning: suicide attempt]

Episode 8 of Breathless aka Respira begins with a lot of rain, flooding and a cold drop that Valencia hasn’t seen in 100 years. Sorolla Hospital is at its wit’s end as the electricity flickers, the generators barely work and the ceiling is leaking. Hospital Director Lluis confides in Nurse Blanca that he had to choose between the upkeep of the X-rays and generators and he chose the X-rays. 

Does Jesica choose Lluis or Biel?

Lluis proposes to Jesica but she says she needs time to think. However, they are happy together. Following the case of the suicidal Manu, Jesica experiences PTSD as she is reminded of her brother. She is stressed out and ends up sleeping with Biel. As they finish up, she accidentally says that she loves him. She is confused and tells Biel to forget about it.

At the end of the episode, Lluis confronts Biel and claims that he knows Jesica is having an affair with him. He has let it happen but they need to stop since he has proposed to Jesica. But since Jesica is confused, he tells Biel to leave the country or he will make sure he is blacklisted. Biel is undeterred and claims that Jesica is worth getting fired over. 

Why does Patricia betray Dr. Moa?

During her latest appointment, Moa shares good news and bad news. Patricia’s cancer has slowed down but it has taken over her liver. He tries to get her into an experimental trial but due to her own policies, she doesn’t qualify. The only option left is a risky liver operation which doesn’t guarantee anything. 

Desperate to help her, her PA, Emilio informs another hospital director, Jaume who shares that he can get her into the trial. In exchange, he wants to be put in charge once she privatizes public hospitals.

Patricia is not happy with either of her options and tells Moa that she is giving up. In telling her to fight, he almost confesses that he likes her. However, she faints and he realises that her liver is bleeding out. The hospital is forced to operate on her and there are tons of complications as the generators give out in the middle. Moa panics and Pilar takes over. Patricia almost flatlines but he succeeds in manually massaging her heart. The operation slows down her cancer but doesn’t cure it.

As she recovers, Pilar tells Moa to step down as Patricia’s doctor as his feelings for her cloud his judgment. He agrees and tells Patricia that they can be friends. She jokes that she prefers being more than friends but once he leaves, she calls Jaume. She wants to live and tells him to get her into the trial in exchange for privatizing Sorolla.

What happens to Oscar?

Oscar continues to throw drug-addled parties which worries Quique. A stoned Oscar also shows up at the hospital in the middle of the storm just to see Quique who gets frustrated with his nonchalant attitude. However, Oscar interprets Quique’s concern as judgment and runs off. Quique tries to get in touch with him but Oscar simply texts that he is going to a party.

He gets scared and tells Oscar’s mom, Pilar. She breaks down and apologises for blaming him as she reveals that Oscar was a drug addict before Quique met him. He has ODed in the past as well and has tried to get clean but it hasn’t worked. She tries to look for him in the storm but Quique stops her.

The next morning, once the storm ends, Oscar is brought to the hospital. Pilar and Quique rush to him as he apologises for everything and claims he isn’t feeling too good.

How does Leo deal with her son, Hugo?

Meanwhile, Leo learns that Dr. Neus is counselling the rape victim, Joana which means she will be testifying against Hugo. Leo sees it as betrayal and is angry with Neus. But later, we see that she is conflicted when her son doesn’t show any remorse. Joana has offered him a deal – if he pleads guilty to raping her, she will make sure that he isn’t put in prison.

Hugo initially refuses as pleading guilty would give him a criminal record and he has always planned on being a gym teacher. While Lluis tries to reason with Hugo, Leo snaps that he is guilty. Alone, Lluis tells Leo to back off since she is upsetting their son. She shares that she will help Hugo however she can but she cannot forgive him. In response, Lluis decides to take full custody of Hugo which shocks Leo.

Does May forgive Rocio?

As for Rocio, she wants to hold and see their daughter but May refuses. Rocio apologises for everything and offers to take back her claim for full custody as long as May doesn’t take their child to Germany. May points out that that is exactly how she felt when Rocio threatened to take full custody. 

During the blackout, May offers to help NICU since her child is asleep. Once she heads back, she sees that Rocio has stolen their kid and she panics.

What does Manu do to Jesica?

During the storm, a suicidal patient, Manu is brought to the ER. He swallows a couple of razors and Jesica has to operate on him during the blackout. Once he recovers, Jesica tries to comfort him but he is furious that she didn’t let him die. He stabs her in the stomach and runs off. At the end of Breathless Episode 8, Biel goes to check up on him and finds a bleeding Jesica.

The Episode Review

Hmmm… as a finale, Breathless Episode 8 has us conflicted because what was that ending? The first half feels finale material with the bit about Patricia’s near-death experience, the hospital generators shutting down, Oscar missing, Jesica’s accidental confession and Rocio’s pleading.

This set-up is perfect as the final conflict before the show gets to its climax and gives us a high-stakes showdown with closure, resolution and a shocking cliffhanger to set up for the next season.

However, the Netflix show takes all of that and just throws it out of the window for a messy conclusion that feels more like a mid-season episode rather than the show. The second half of the episode has none of the tension and barely any closure. Instead, we are regaled with tons of loose threads which will go unanswered if the show is not renewed. A very bad gamble as this ruins Season 1 on its own as it is not able to provide an exciting finale.