You ever leave an episode of television so mad that you want to scream? You could be thinking about how great a show has become and how that one character had become redeemable – but then they prove you wrong. So, yes, you’re angry and even a little betrayed. Let me tell you, Doc, Season 1, Episode 9 did just that for me.
Doctor Richard Miller, I hate you. I think you’re disgusting. There is no redemption for you. You are one of the worst characters ever and you need to lose your medical license.
I should have never let my walls down – not even for a second. I should have known that I wasn’t in my right mind and I was letting emotions get the best of me. This time, I am letting anger get the best of me – because WTF!
I am mad.
Amy does not deserve what happened in this episode. She didn’t deserve that mess.
Ok, take a breath. I need to take a breath because we’ll get there. It’s just getting there may be a moment. As usual, I have a lot of feelings so sit back and prepare yourself for my anger over this episode dump of words.
THE WHITE COAT
It’s apparent that one thing that seems simple is so very complex. For Amy, having passed her boards means that she’s going to get her white coat back. She’s a doctor, again. Everyone knows that she’s the smartest doctor in the room, but with her accident, and starting over – should we be surprised that she passed on her first try?
No.
What I am surprised about is that Richard is celebrating her. Everyone is celebrating her. I am not sure if it’s them actually caring or if she’s just on display. It feels like she’s always on display for people to judge her and I know that may not be the fairest statement. Fair or not, watching this show, it’s how I feel.
People want to see if Amy has remembered anything. People want to see if she’s the person she was before the accident. All I can see is a bunch of people who are waiting for her to fail and those who are waiting for her to succeed.
DOC doesn’t show that Amy may feel that way. Well, at least they hadn’t until this episode. Amy has always seemed unbothered by those people that aren’t her immediate co-workers. She is learning all of the things that she may have done in the past and that is hard enough.
She doesn’t want to be the person that she was. The hardest part of that is people will still believe that you are who you were in the past.
The only thing Amy wanted was to be a doctor and getting that back is something she’s really needed. Getting her white coat back was so important to her. I’m glad she got it.
THERE IS SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU
TJ was off that day, but when he walks into the lounge and sees Amy, you can tell by the look in his eyes it’s important. And it is important, because its TJ’s family. They trust Amy.
TJ’s Dad is having issues and being as you aren’t supposed to treat family and loved one, he can’t treat his parents. But Amy can. There are a lot of debates over the best course of treatment when a tumor is found.
It’s kind of crazy when you watch shows like DOC. People have all sorts of interpretations of what you are supposed to do in life. People have their opinions and having opinions isn’t ever a bad thing. TJ may not agree with the opinions on what is best for his father, but ultimately it’s up to his father what is truly best.
The neurology department wants to cut through the spinal cord, which means that he will be numb for the rest of his life. It would desperately affect the fathers life. The other choice is chemotherapy. Each doctor is loosing their mind over what could happen with each proposal.
TJ’s father makes his choice what he wants to do. TJ may not agree with it, but what he says to Amy at this point was not okay. The way he tells her that she’s who everyone thought that she was and that she hasn’t changed wasn’t okay. As a matter of fact – TJ, you need to take a step back.
There are way too many men on this show that feel like need to push women down and blame them for everything. TJ, I never thought he’d be a part of that, but here we are and he is one. I understand that he’s too close, but it still doesn’t give him the right.
I hope he regrets it and I don’t think that I would ever want to wish that upon anyone, but here we are.
TJ’S STORY
You may remember that in an earlier episode, TJ Coleman told Amy that she was the reason that he became a doctor. Now, I admit a lot of times throughout this series, I have wondered why it is that these lines that should mean something, were just forgotten.
Because that’s what it felt like – they were forgotten. That line from TJ early on means something. It leads us to here – where we learn how TJ and Amy met. It wasn’t how I thought it would have happened, but that’s Doc for you – keeping you on your toes.
When Amy was pregnant with Danny, she was on a flight with Katie, back from Hawaii. My worst nightmare happened, the flight attendants asked if there was a doctor on board.
We are introduced to a young TJ who is experiencing a ton of pain. He can barely breathe and gets help from a young Dr. Amy Larsen. Watching her find a way to talk to TJ and comfort him as much as possible really made me like her.
No matter what was happening with TJ on that plane, she was right there. She was figuring out what he needed, talking to his parents, and making sure TJ stayed away. The simple fact is that seeing her be the doctor that she wanted to be – the doctor that she was – meant something to her.
And it meant something to TJ.
The bond that these two experienced on that plane, made me understand why he loved and admittedly disliked her at times. Amy didn’t want to leave TJ’s side for even a second.
My feelings on Amy seem to fluctuate with every breathe. What does bother me is that it feels like she is being chastised because she is a woman. It’s as if we’re supposed to see that she was treated a certain way because of her attitude. I hate when a woman in charge is portrayed as angry when she is in a position of power.
But, I also like Amy telling everyone to get back to work. She’s a doctor and patients need her.
DR. HELLER, I WILL WALK OUT
I’ve said it before and I will say it again – I love that there are multiple cases in each episode. I look forward to seeing the cases and how they are handled.
Dr. Heller gets a lady in with her child. She doesn’t want to be there long and wants to make sure to get her daughter to breakfast. She only gets breakfast at school and her Mom is really worried that she won’t eat. But, we get a look at Dr. Heller and his caring side.
When it comes to Dr. Heller, I admit that normally I am just drooling and I think that this man is HOT. But then seeing Dr. Heller with patients I realize what a good doctor he is. He genuinely cares about his patients.
The mother is really sick. She’s got lung cancer and needs help. She needs a surgery and doesn’t want to get it because she is afraid of her daughter being taken away. It has haunted both of them and quite honestly – the love that the patient is showing for her daughter – is moving.
It is in shows like this that we see the complexity of relationships. We, as human beings, are quick to judge without knowing what someone is going through. It’s not easy to really talk about for some people. They don’t like talking about what they’ve gone through or what they are going through.
Unfortunately, due to hospital regulations, the daughter has to go home for the night while she’s in the hospital. At first, I don’t understand why it is that she is fighting it so hard, but I get it eventually. She’s had her daughter taken away from her and lives in fear it can happen again.
It made me think about doctors in hospitals – and yes I have been in a lot of them – and the way that they have to figure out what is best for their patients. This show also makes me remember that I have never seen a doctor this much in my room. A nurse? Yes. Doctor? No.
But the thing about Dr. Heller is that he’s going to make sure that his patients are taken care of. He’s going to make sure that he does his best to keep his promises also.
I think that Dr. Heller has a soft spot for people and he’s showing this more, because he feels more comfortable these days. He’s comfortable because he knows that this is where he belongs – at this hospital and with Amy.
AMY’S ASKING ABOUT…
Hospitals seem like high school. Every one gossips and people don’t know how to keep their secrets. I guess that we’re all going to be a bit high school throughout life.
As we know from the previous episode, Amy had found an unfinished email asking about a patient. She wants to find out what happened and has been asking about the patient.
The thing is when you ask questions, the answers are not what you want to know. The worst part is that people can manipulate the truth and that is what is happening to Amy.
She figures out what happened to Dixon and confronts Dr. Miller. It is one of the worst things that happens because he destroys her spirit. Amy is fighting to stay strong and the hard part is that everyone else can destroy her. She doesn’t know what happened.
But Miller telling her that the Dixon death was her fault – this whole scene infuriated me. I know that means good television, but also that scene was a lot. The fact that someone isn’t redeemable – that’s a hard pill to swallow.
THE LIE
Miller’s lie made me so mad and physically ill. I was MAD and he’s legitimately the worst. I know, I know – everyone needs a villain in their story, I think. But I can not and will not accept that Amy gets to be the villain – in anyones story.
She doesn’t deserve that.
I couldn’t be a doctor because I would not be able to handle people passing away. Its too hard. It would destroy me. What Richard says to Amy makes her feel a little broken. She’s not the doctor she was.
She’s a doctor who feels all of the emotion that she didn’t think that she would. It is literally her first day back as a doctor and he decides that destroying her is the best route. I hate him.
When Amy leaves to head home, she gets in the elevator and Michael is there. Now, I love Michael. I do. But I also think that he’s not really objective when it comes to Amy. He loves her. The Amy that is right now is the one he fell in love with.
When she breaks down crying in his arms, the two start making out. He’s a married man – let’s be smart here – and I feel like a jerk because I cheered this kiss on. I was like yes please! Lets do more of that!
And I hate that, because that is condoning cheeting and that I don’t want to do that. I just am sitting here, staring at these two and I love them together. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they should be together.
Oh DOC, what you do to me! I am so invested in these characters. I need to know what happens next.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Look. I get being in love and stuff, but come on Michael and Amy – this is gonna affect a lot of people
- That elevator kiss was hot
- Man, I love Amy and Jake together
- I don’t think everyone loves Amy and Jake together
- Dr. Miller is trash and we hate him (we being me)
I agree with everything you said, except the cheering for the kiss haha, I understand Amy being in love with him still because that’s how she feels from recent memories, and like you said he is feeling things too because she is the old version he fell in love with, but I knew the way she looked at him she was gonna go in for a kiss, I’m just like gasp because I feel Jake or someone will catch them next episode, but yeah I agree and feel really bad for Amy especially the recent episodes made you see Richard’s side and what happened, not that it was right or excused but I thought from the episode he admitted it he would change but no he went so low to blame Amy of
Dixon’s death just to cover his own self.