It’s week two of Good Sam and things are already spicing up.
In the pilot episode, a lot of information was thrown at us. From the introduction of the Griffth family dynamic to the interworkings of the hospital, it was plenty to process in an hour. This episode, however, slowed things down a bit and tried to flesh out some of the storylines established in the pilot.
With a lot of events and decisions had already unfolded, we found ourselves watching a group of characters that are either stuck in the past, trying to get through the present, or moving toward the future.
Past
One of the biggest revelations of the first episode was that Lex and Sam’s father, Griff, was having a relationship. This came as a massive shock to Sam as all she did leading up to her father’s coma was confide in Lex about how awful he was to her and everyone around him.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Sam would be a little pissed off that her friend essentially slept with the enemy. The fact that Lex expects Sam to magically get over this bombshell in a day is just mind-blowing. Lex already made one mistake in betraying her friend, the least she could do was give her the time and space she is asking for. And then she has the nerve to get mad at Sam for accidentally spilling the beans on their relationship in front of the other residents. Honestly, I’d call that karma.
Now, I’m not saying Lex is a terrible person for what she did. Feelings can develop between people and it can be hard to resist no matter who the person is. The real fault is with Griff who had a relationship with his subordinate. So should Sam cut Lex some slack? Probably. But is her reaction completely justified as well? Definitely.
Griff is not only trying to revive his past relationship but also his past life as a doctor. He is so incapable of respecting Sam and the proctorship it’s actually infuriating. Even if he’s a great doctor, why would any institution put up with his bullshit? If Sam is correct in her claim that her leadership has led to happier staff and more effective medical care, then it’s not within the hospital’s best interest to reinstate Griff.
If the board can’t see that then Sam really had no chance, to begin with.
Present
With all this drama going on, it’s hard to imagine how they get any of their work done. Seems to me that only the residents actually focus on their medical work. Everyone else just seems to chime in whenever they aren’t dealing with their own problems.
We did get a nice moment with Caleb in Good Sam 1×02 “Natural Order.” Up until this point, I only thought of Caleb as a love interest for Sam but there may be more depth to his character than I initially thought. He never really showed empathy toward his patients until now after telling his patient that he is also an alcoholic and that he knows what he’s going through. It was at that moment that I started to understand why Sam was with him in the first place. He isn’t just a shallow resident wanting to date the hottest doctor in the hospital, he’s a compassionate man who also saw that in Sam.
I’m excited to see more of the residents and their backstory. As much as I love watching Sam and Griff go at it, there is a whole group of people that have so much potential. That’s what made Grey’s Anatomy so great in the beginning. While it was about Meredith Grey, the show wouldn’t have been the same without the other doctors that also roamed the halls.
Good Sam 1×02 “Natural Order” is on the right track when it comes to the characters and the stories that they’re telling. I hope it continues that momentum.
Future
Despite all the odds against her at the moment, Sam is trying her best to move forward and make the most out of her situation. That includes going on a date and kissing Malcolm, the handsome Chief of Finance.
I can already tell that these two are going to steal my heart (and probably break it at some point) and I am so here for it. It also seems like the most promising and non-problematic relationship in the show. While Sam used to have a relationship with Caleb, the writer really hasn’t done anything to make me root for them. Sam and Malcolm, however, have already proven they have the chemistry and the compatibility to be a long-lasting couple.
Sam isn’t the only one, though, looking toward the future.
Even though Griff is pretty adamant that the past becomes the present, it hasn’t stopped him from trying to secure his future. I have to admit, Griff going behind everyone’s back to the board to try to sidestep the proctorship and get his job back was very cunning.
The problem with this war for the title between Sam and Griff is that the writers have done everything in their power to try to prove Griff is the right choice. Both patients and doctors still side with him and it seems like every five seconds it’s mentioned how much experience he has. What’s frustrating is that they really haven’t done much to convince us that Sam is the right choice other than a view medical victories every now and then.
I know we’re only on the second episode, but I would really like more backstory on Sam. What was her journey to get to where she is now? Why is she such a phenomenal doctor that she deserves chief? I think I speak for everyone when I say I want Sam to win but I want it to be not just because I think her dad is the devil’s spawn.
Either way, the episode ends with a sort of truce between the two doctors. Both of them will have their case to give to the board when they vote and the better Griffith will win. Guess we’ll have to wait and see who that is.
Catch Good Sam on CBS on Wednesday at 10/9c.