Dunk Cost

**Dunk Cost** is the fifth episode of the first season of *Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.*, and the fifth episode overall. It aired October 6, 2021.

## Synopsis

Clara is determined to lock down the Chief of Staff position. While she tries to win over the outgoing Chief of Staff, Dr. Choi, Benny learns that Lahela is pursuing a new passion. She’s intrigued with DripFlip, a website sneakerheads use to buy and sell limited-edition shoes for profit. He jumps at the chance to enjoy quality time with his daughter and impart wisdom from his stock-trading days. When Lahela takes it too far, Benny shares a lesson about balance and what’s most important in life.

## Plot

Lahela is disappointed when she misses out on all of the interesting surgeries at work, believing that she has been given the most boring patients. Her mood quickly turns around when she is handed her paycheck by the administrator, who cites that a change in payroll software means that they now receive hard checks. Lahela jokes to Steph that she has never received a hard copy and doesn’t even know how much she makes. The two are pleasantly surprised when they open the envelope and decide to go shopping.

Meanwhile, Clara is annoyed and disappointed when she finds that she cannot spend any time with the Chief of Staff due to Dr. Lee. She talks with Brian and Kai about the situation and she reflects on her time playing basketball before deciding to become a doctor.

After a successful shopping trip, Lahela and Steph hang out at Lahela’s house, where Lahela tells her of some sneakers on a bidding website that she is interested in. Steph explains the website and Lahela continues to monitor it. Eventually, Steph gets bored and remarks that she has turned it into a “Lahela thing” and leaves her to it.

Annoyed that she is possibly out of the race to become Chief of Staff, Clara talks with Kai and Brian about practicing and getting back into the race. The two applaud her and volunteer to help her plan how she is going to become the next Chief of Staff.

Simultaneously, Benny talks with Lahela about the sneaker bidding site, and explains that it is just like the stock market. Benny begins explaining his history of trading stocks but quickly goes off on a tangent about what life was like before Lahela’s birth. Lahela and Benny agree to join up together to maximize her profit buying and reselling sneakers.

After rigorous training, Clara talks with Dr. Chieng and the Chief of Staff about their basketball game. She agrees to participate and hopes this will frighten Chieng. Clara has issues, however, when she finds that her lucky sneakers have gone missing and therefore she feels she cannot play in the basketball game.

Benny is surprised momentarily when he finds out that Lahela has sold Clara’s sneakers on the bidding website. She tells him that it is no big deal as she will buy the sneakers back later at a reduced price, but Benny tells her that Clara needed the sneakers to play. In an attempt to get her out of the habit, Benny brings her horse riding and explains that sometimes they need to take a step back from certain things.

Despite not being able to find a suitable pair of sneakers, Clara takes part in the basketball game anyway. She is ruthless on the court and manages to secure herself a meeting with the Chief about being his possible replacement.

After the day is over, Lahela apologizes to Clara and gives her back the sneakers, joking about the extreme price she paid for them. The two agree to keep an eye on one another and check that they are not going to extremes.

## Cast

* Emma Meisel as Steph Denisco
* Matthew Sato as Kai Kameāloha
* Wes Tian as Brian Kameāloha
* Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman as Charles Zeller
* Mapuana Makia as Noelani Nakayama
* Kathleen Rose Perkins as Clara Hannon
* Jason Scott Lee as Benny Kameāloha
Guest Cast

## Trivia

* The creator of *Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.*, Kourtney Kang's brother Patrick Kang co-wrote this episode.
* Randall Park not only guest star as Dr. Choi in this episode he also directed this episode too.