The cast and crew behind Pulse address how the Kennedy secret impacts Xander and Danny’s relationship. The Netflix drama series, created by Zoe Robyn, tracks Danny Simms and other personnel at Maguire Medical Center in Miami. Early on, the show reveals that Danny (Willa Fitzgerald) reported Xander (Colin Woodell) for harassment and that they have a complicated romantic history. Another ongoing thread was the mystery surrounding Xander and why he was transferred to Maguire, but by the Pulse season 1 finale, the character explained what happened at Kennedy Memorial.

Speaking with Netflix’s Tudum, Robyn revealed that Xander has a “secret shame,” but it was something that would contradict what audiences had originally thought. Woodell added that what happened with Xander at Kennedy can reflect how close doctors sometimes become to individual patients and cases. He explained that, despite relocating to another facility, “that guilt is very real.” Read more of their comments below:

Robyn: We had the idea that Xander had this secret shame about something he had done at the old hospital and that a mentor made him do something that he wasn’t really comfortable with. All of that led to this tragic thing. His past was always different from what viewers would expect.

Woodell: With that episode, you saw the personal investment that can sometimes happen with a patient — how hard you can take it if something were to happen to them. You’re more likely than not going to bury those feelings, right? Xander can get a change of scenery, move to a different hospital, and meet all new people. But that guilt is very real, and it manifests itself in lots of different ways.

Addressing the relationship between Xander and Danny, Fitzgerald explained how shooting their heartfelt moment together was similar to The Graduate, because “there’s an acceptance of the imperfectness of the situation.” Fitzgerald also noted the last sequence in the ocean and how it was a good thing for Danny, commenting, “That scene is just a beautiful, poetic release for Danny after so much tension.” Talking about Xander being able to admit his secret, showrunner Carlton Cuse revealed that it demonstrates how Danny has had a positive effect on the character. Read their comments below:

Fitzgerald: That scene was a lot about letting go and acknowledging the relationship for what it was. Filming that felt like the end of The Graduate, where there’s an acceptance of the imperfectness of the situation that has led to the current experience.

Cuse: Danny has kind of challenged him to be the best version of himself. We use that moment as a demarcation of the ways in which Danny has changed Xander for the better across the course of the season.

Furthermore, Woodell revealed that, although Xander and Danny may love each other, it could be some time before their romance progresses. Cuse added that their future is uncertain, but that they are characters viewers can root for. Read more of their comments:

Woodell: They’re both two characters who want to be good partners to each other. But they also have a lot of work to do on themselves. Unfortunately, both of them need to figure some stuff out on their own first before they’re really available for the other.

Cuse: We see how much they care about each other, but what’s the path forward? Danny is still going to be a resident. Xander is now her boss again in a different iteration as an attending. Our hope is that the audience really cares about these two people and about their relationship with each other.

What This Means For Pulse

Could Xander & Danny Resume Their Romance In Season 2?

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The Pulse season 1 finale showed that Xander was treating Julio, a familiar patient at Kennedy. Xander was advised to continue on with Julio’s treatment without an ultrasound in the spirit of treating more patients, but in a tragic turn of events, Julio died, and audiences saw how that particular incident came to mind when Xander tended a severely injured woman in the present. He later apologized to Danny and acknowledged that what happened at Kennedy was his fault.

The ending leaves the door open for more drama in a potential Pulse season 2, and despite their previous relationship, the latest comments by Woodell and others suggest that Xander and Danny may not resume their romance right away. With Sam (Jessie T. Usher) having been named Chief Resident at Maguire and Xander deciding to contact the hospital review board, there are many new storylines that season 2 can pick up on instead.

Our Take On The Relationship Between Xander And Danny

It Makes Sense For Them To Go Slow

Now that Pulse has established that Xander and Danny still have feelings for each other, it makes sense for the series to gradually develop their relationship again, especially considering the intensity of their jobs. Xander revealing his Kennedy secret and repairing his bond with Danny may prove important for his character moving forward, and could lead to vital development that would pave the way for a romance. However, should season 2 happen on Netflix, it will be interesting to see if the romance between Xander and Danny gets sidelined altogether.