The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Season 1 Ending Explained

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 1, episode 8, “Apocalypse Got You Down?”

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy has made its premiere on Prime Video, and season 1’s ending brings Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak’s initial adventure to a satisfying close — one that leaves room for expansion should the show be renewed for season 2. An animated sci-fi show in the vein of Rick & Morty and Solar Opposites, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy follows best friends and surgeons Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak as they tackle the bizarre cases that cycle in and out of the hospital they work at. The pair also navigate romantic relationships, mental health, and their own friendship.

That friendship is challenged in the final two episodes of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, as Dr. Klak attempts to cure her anxiety by placing the parasitic worm from Glurg’s lump into her own head. Although it’s removed by the time the finale begins, the two surgeons face the consequences of their own actions in the last episode of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 1. Fortunately, they’re able to deescalate the situation and repair their friendship, bringing the first outing to a satisfying end. “Apocalypse Got You Down?” also sets up a potential season 2 with more antics from the main duo.

What Happens In The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Season 1’s Ending

Sleech & Klak Face The Consequences Of Their Actions

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 1 finale opens with Larvin revealing the history of his kind. The worm claims he came from a peaceful planet, one where they lived in harmony with aliens, whose anxiety they fed on without disastrous results. This changed when a toxic waste dubbed UniYum mutated the worms, causing them to become insatiably hungry — so much so that they destroyed any brain they attached to. Larvin’s mother sent him off-planet to “save” him from the eradication of their species, all of whom ate so much they could no longer survive. This is how he wound up in Glurg’s head.

The finale then transitions to Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak behind bars, a situation they soon escape. They seek out present-day Larvin, who’s wreaking havoc at their hospital. Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak enlist their colleagues to help them catch the worm, though they have different opinions on what to do with it afterward. Dr. Klak still wants to turn the worm into anxiety medicine, but Dr. Sleech believes they may be better off killing it. This drives their conflict throughout the episode, with tensions already high thanks to Dr. Klak’s earlier antics.

Larvin’s baby worm also escapes its confinement, creating double the problems for The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy‘s cast of characters. As Sleech and Klak take on the worm with their colleagues, Dr. Plowp suggests putting the baby worm into Larvin’s head. This backfires, getting the main duo eaten by the larger worm and forcing Larvin to sacrifice himself so the baby can grow stronger. Fortunately, Sleech and Klak find the mutation while inside of him and are able to remove it from the baby. Their efforts nearly kill them, especially as they simultaneously evade GHU.

What Happens To Larvin? The Worm’s Fate Explained

Larvin’s Species Gets A Happy Ending

Larvin doesn’t survive the ending of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, but his species gets a happy conclusion — and so do all the healthcare workers viewers follow throughout the first batch of episodes. Sleech and Klak are successful in their efforts to remove the mutation from Larvin’s baby. This allows the worms to be peaceful creatures once more, and they’re replicated for the purpose of becoming a new anxiety treatment. They’re not the only ones who survive the chaos, either. Thanks to time travel, Sleech and Klak also emerge from the finale’s confrontation alive and well.

The two are credited with saving a species and finding a new anxiety treatment. However, in an ironic twist, Dr. Klak is unable to benefit from the worms’ abilities. This blow is eased by her acceptance of her anxiety while she and Sleech are inside Larvin. Still, it proves that the worms aren’t an instant fix. They’ll help some people, but not everyone will benefit from their nature.

Why The Worms’ Anxiety Treatment Doesn’t Work For Dr. Klak

It Has To Do With Her Brain

The reason the worms’ anxiety treatment doesn’t work for Dr. Klak is because she has scar tissue on her brain. While The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy‘s ending doesn’t get too deep into why this prevents the worms from attaching, it does explain where the tissue comes from. Dr. Klak putting Larvin inside her brain damages it in the long run, forcing her to seek alternative treatment. This might be a benefit, as the Amazon series sets up a potential season 2 — one that could see the worms becoming more willing villains.

How The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Sets Up Season 2

The Worms & Dr. Azel’s New Role Will Prove Important

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy gives a brief glimpse of the new baby worms being used as an anxiety treatment, and season 1’s ending highlights their desire for revenge. Judging by their chants of “Down with UniYum,” the creatures aren’t willing to forgive what happened to their species. This tease sets them up to go after the company in The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 2, a development that could turn Sleech and Klak from heroes into villains in the public eye.

Dr. Azel also begins working above Sleech and Klak rather than at Nebula General, suggesting they’ll get more screen time in another outing. New episodes are likely to explore Azel and Klak’s relationship further, the natural effect of putting them in proximity to one another. Nurse Tup’s return to the hospital also bodes well for a second season, promising that every character will be present and explored during future adventures.

The Real Meaning Of The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy Season 1’s Ending

The Amazon Series Has A Positive Message

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 1 brings the quest to “cure” Klak’s anxiety full circle, emphasizing that she doesn’t need to fix herself. This seems to be the true meaning behind the first season, which offers positive representation and a compelling message when it comes to mental health. The finale proves that the other characters can love and appreciate Klak with her anxiety still present — and that she can accept herself as well. This won’t be a linear journey, but it’s a powerful message about coming to terms with the parts of oneself society insists are lacking.

There’s also a theme of corporate corruption running through The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy season 1, as the wrongdoings of a company are responsible for everything that happens with the worms. If season 2 is greenlit by Amazon, this theme will be explored further. After all, the worms’ thoughts in the finale prove that such evil is unlikely to go without consequences. Hopefully, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy can explore this more.

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy is an animated comedy series from showrunner Cirocco Dunlap. The series centers on Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak, two alien surgeons who encounter anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and a variety of space illnesses. All eight episodes of season 1 premiered on Prime Video in February 2024.

Release Date

February 23, 2024

Seasons

1

Directors

Cirocco Dunlap , Anne Lane , Shauna McGarry , Joanna Bradley , Kirsten King , Asha Michelle Wilson

Showrunner

Cirocco Dunlap

Creator(s)

Cirocco Dunlap