Dr. Jack Gallagher (Chris Vance) arrives at his new job and uses unorthodox methods to gain a patient's trust in the pilot of a drama that follows a maverick psychiatrist and his clashes with the conservative hospital administrator (Annabella Sciorra), his ex-lover.
Gallagher treats a woman who believes she is seven months pregnant---but is not pregnant at all. Her husband also shares her delusion. Elsewhere, Gallagher searches for his mentally ill sister, Becky, whom he thinks is homeless on the streets of L.A. Melissa Ranier: Nicholle Tom.
A famous author-professor (David Carradine) and his wife are struck by lightning. She is killed; he is catatonic. Jack tries to bring the author back to reality using a risky, unorthodox treatment. Meanwhile, the attraction between Jack and the patient's daughter (Estella Warren) adds another wrinkle to the case.
Jack treats a bipolar 8-year-old boy (Billy Unger) who's obsessed with playing a video game that only exists in his own head. Meanwhile, Nora learns that her teenage daughter is posting racy photos of herself on the Internet, and Jack continues looking for his mentally ill sister, whom he believes is homeless in Los Angeles.
After a movie star (Tom Parker) has a mental breakdown on a talk show, he claims to the hospital staff that he faked the psychotic episode to publicize a new movie in which he plays a mental patient. Jack is determined to get to the truth. Meanwhile, Nora and Veronica have a girls' night out and share some details about their romantic pasts with Wharton employees. Spike Feresten has a cameo.
Jack treats a suicidal gambling addict (Willie Garson) and testifies on behalf of another patient charged with manslaughter by a prosecutor (Lori Heuring) who has never lost a case. Elsewhere, Jack and the team meet for a poker game after work, and sparks fly between Rylan and Veronica.
A patient returns with worsening OCD and Tourette's syndrome, and his wife pushes for unproven brain surgery, leading the team to suspect that the wife has her own issues. Meanwhile, Jack becomes infatuated with a neurosurgeon (Jaime Ray Newman).
Jack treats a suicidal 16-year-old girl (Allison Scagliotti) who has had a dark secret hidden from her since birth. Meanwhile, Jack's relationship with Dr. Avidan (Jaime Ray Newman) deepens, and he continues his search for his schizophrenic twin sister.
Jack is embroiled in a murder mystery when a drug dealer is murdered and the only witness is the victim's autistic teenage daughter. Detectives struggle to get any useful information from the teen, but Jack uses unconventional methods to glean clues from her statements. Meanwhile, Arturo gets a visit from his father, (Steven Bauer) who is convinced that playing a doctor on a soap opera will help him solve a real medical case.
Jack treats a construction worker (Trevor Morgan) who has physiological and psychological symptoms after an accident on the job. The doc learns the man's memory of his accident doesn't match what happened, but instead matches a more serious accident that occurred at the same job site more than 100 years ago.
Jack is reunited with his schizophrenic sister (Amanda Dogue), and he makes treating her a top priority. Meanwhile, Veronica asks for Jack's help with an Iraq War veteran suffering from amnesia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Major Arlen Rawlins: Glenn Morshower.
In the two-hour season finale, a factory worker loses his fingers and refuses surgery to reattach them. Meanwhile, Jack argues over the course of his schizophrenic sister's care, and a man who claims to be a werewolf holds the psych ward hostage.