Diagnosing Doc Season 1: Scrubs, Scandals, and Second Chances

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ll know that Doc has been one of the best and most successful offerings of the year.

With its character-driven storylines and strong cast, we’ve all fallen in love with Amy Larsen and this delightful genre-bending medical drama.

Hopefully, you’ve checked out our Doc Reviews and exclusives, but now, it’s time to break down the highs, lows, and Amy of it all regarding Doc Season 1.

From the best characters to the best episode, we’re here to unpack everything about Doc Season 1.

There’s plenty to discuss, but make sure you hit the comments below with your thoughts as well.

Did Doc make the grade? Check it out!

Best Character – Amy

Is it even a surprise that the best character on Doc is Amy? It shouldn’t be. She’s one of the most complex leading characters currently on the air, and to say I’m obsessed is an understatement.

At the center of Doc is watching this really intriguing character navigate so many changes and shifts in her life, and there’s nothing linear or clear-cut about how she does it.

Molly Parker is the gift that keeps on giving as Amy Larsen.

She buoys an incredibly strong cast as she brings these fascinating human stories and scenarios to life in a way that connects with the audience.

This season, the highlight of Doc’s journey has been following Amy’s journey, which has been quite emotional while simultaneously peeling back layers of this profoundly multifaceted character.

Amy’s grief does not make her an easy person to love, yet her humanity and relatability make her lovable despite that.

The season does a wonderful job of exploring how she got to the version of herself before the accident and how she can waver between that version and another afterward.

By the end of the season, she still leaves craving more, unsure if we have barely even scratched the surface of unpacking who and what this character is.

I eagerly await the return of her character onscreen. She’s undeniably gripping.

Best Episode – Doc Season 1 Episode 10: … Must Come Down

Yes, depending on who you ask, it may be a controversial opinion, but the season finale was the season’s strongest episode.

So much of what we built up all season came to a head during the finale, which made much of the payout worthwhile. It was particularly great when the truth about Richard came out, and the guy got his comeuppance.

The train derailment was a fascinating case, and it was some of Doc’s most substantial medical work on the series. Typically, it feels less about the medical care and more about the doctors themselves.

But the season finale was exciting and fast-paced. They managed to cram a lot into that final hour while setting us up for a huge return. We’re left with many questions and in dire need of answers, namely about Doc’s relationships.

The cliffhanger, while controversial, could be the perfect setup for a strong opener next season. The finale, teasing Amy’s darker side again, leaves the door open for her to explore more of her character, which goes beyond what we’ve seen.

Worst Episode – Doc Season 1 Episode 4: One Small Step

Well, “worst” seems harsh when Doc consistently puts forward some really great content.

But if I had to choose a weak installment from this season, it would be Doc Season 1 Episode 4.

The astronaut’s medical case wasn’t exactly gripping. Its only highlight was featuring TJ well.

We also had Katie and Amy working toward reconnecting, but a protective Michael lashed out at Amy in a genuinely offputting manner. His character was not at his best for the entire hour, including the peek into his cracked home life with Nora.

The only thing that made up for it was the emotionally raw moment at the museum where he relived the trauma of losing his son to help Amy, and they extended grace and forgiveness to one another—a bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming installment.

Most Frustrating Character – Sonya

Sometimes, we can’t help but wonder if we’re too hard on Sonya as a character. However, she also makes it difficult based on her involvement in some plots.

Sonya’s strongest episode was Doc Season 1 Episode 7, where we got to see another side to her as her past sexual assault came to light and prompted a dangerous reaction upon crossing paths with her rapist.

It was lovely to see more of Sonya, and Anya Banerjee gave her strongest performance of the season throughout that hour.

But then Sonya reverted right back to the one-dimensional character she was before. It remains frustrating that much of Sonya’s character revolves around her animosity and resentment toward Amy and nothing more.

Storyline That Sent Us on a Rollercoaster Ride – The Love Triangle

Whether you loved it, hated it, had an incredibly hot dog in this race, or didn’t, EVERYONE is talking about this love triangle. How could you not?

We haven’t seen a love triangle quite like this one on primetime television, as it’s giving soap opera at its absolute finest. Still, the investment level and complicated emotions make it an incredible ride, regardless.

Amy’s heart holds space for two different men, and both are head over heels in love with her, but so many factors are in place that ping-pong us back and forth.

Amy and Michael’s chemistry has simmered throughout the season, and it feels like their relationship was always finished—a semicolon, but not a period.

However, despite Amy not remembering that they were dating before the accident, she finds her way back to Jake anyway. The allure and chemistry between them were too strong, as well.

It results in an incredibly layered combination of dynamics and an impossible situation in which the emotions of all parties often clash with the reality of what’s happening.

More so than Amy’s TBI and attempt to reclaim her life in some capacity, the love triangle was the season’s biggest hook and sparked the most passion.

Character Who Needs More Exploration – Jake

I know it’s like whispering in the wind because, setting aside that Jake is, in fact, the least developed character despite so much screen time, he’s also the most genuinely good and likable character whom everyone adores.

Jake is a solid enough character. He’s a great doctor, and Jon-Michael Ecker is charismatic in this role.

But when you set aside Jake’s involvement with the love triangle, we don’t know much about him as an individual. Everything about Jake thus far is defined by his unwavering love and devotion to Amy.

His clearly defined love and devotion make him a solid romantic lead. However, he also suffers as an individual character outside of that when the season mostly has him playing a necessary but limited supporting role for Amy.

We don’t learn much about Jake during the season, and it’s easy to overlook that when there’s so much else happening. He’s a great doctor, a loving dad to a daughter we’ve only heard about and seems to be a man of faith. His ex-wife likely cheated on him.

He’s seemingly perfect, dangerously close to a Gary Stu, but the exciting thing about Doc’s 22 Episode Season 2 Order is that we’ll have so much time to build on this character next season. It’s honestly one of the things I’m most excited about!

Most Underrated Dynamic – Amy and Katie

Doc juggles many things, but one of the most compelling dynamics in this series is that of Amy and Katie. We don’t see the exploration of a mother and daughter trying to reconnect under circumstances like this.

What’s refreshing is that Doc doesn’t depict Katie as the obnoxious teen or lean into the tiresome tropes that often crop up with teenagers onscreen.

Amy and Katie’s well-established past defines their relationship and its current state. We also see how the pair is working on it, and Doc allows this to unfold organically without invalidating either of their feelings or positions.

Doc doesn’t seem too concerned about boxing any of its characters into hardline archetypes of good and bad or wrong and right (even if viewers manage to anyway), which liberates them and allows them to explore the characters as vulnerable humans.

That’s what makes Katie and Amy’s relationship so intriguing in the present. Amy doesn’t know how to navigate motherhood as well as she does practicing medicine. However, teen Katie keeps Amy grounded and honest, and watching these two figure things out between them is one of Doc’s strongest arcs.

Most Misunderstood – Michael

I have to be honest; I don’t particularly understand the level of animosity waged against Michael, and I probably never will.

Michael isn’t so much Amy’s foil but instead serves as the other side of the coin. They’re so inextricably linked as characters, particularly through mutual grief, that it’s challenging to consider one’s stance without considering the other. Well, at least for me.

Michael’s role plays off Amy’s beautifully in telling this rich story of how grief utterly shatters people. More overtly, we focus on Amy’s grief and how the loss of her son results in eight years of her shutting down emotionally before making a turn ahead of and post-accident.

However, in the same vein, Michael’s grief also defines the character and his relationship with Amy. On the surface, we see a man still in love with his ex-wife and resentful of his new, pregnant one.

However, when we learn that Daniel died in his arms, Amy spends an extraordinary amount of time blaming him for not saving his son.

He distracted himself and never fully processed his own grief because of the guilt and necessity of taking care of Katie when Amy checked out. We have another engrossing exploration of what grief does to a character, and the situation is far more layered than just his role in a messy love triangle.

Michael is about as broken, flawed, and complex as Amy herself. Sadly, he isn’t often recognized that way, which is unfortunate and why he’s one of Doc’s most misunderstood characters.

Criminally Underused – Gina

In hindsight, we didn’t get much development or a real peek into Gina (or her and Amy’s friendship) until the season finale. It was riveting — Gina’s breakdown with Michael still gives me chills.

Like Jake, Gina has spent the season, more often than not, in a supportive role to Amy, except she didn’t have the same amount of screen time.

Amirah Vann is phenomenal, and it’s always great when she’s onscreen, especially as we learn more about the character or explore that dynamic with Amy further.

Gina also has a fascinating position as both a psychiatrist and a neurologist. Hence, the number of medical cases they can explore in her field makes her Doc’s own secret weapon on that front.

Her value to both the hospital and in many characters’ lives as a friend, confidant, and therapist should make her one of Doc’s most formidable powerhouse characters come next season now that they’ve laid the groundwork for it here. Hopefully, they’ll continue to build.

Best Storytelling Vehicle – Flashbacks

Not every series can pull off flashbacks, or they can often feel overdone or unnecessary to the plot.

However, Doc’s flashbacks are instrumental to the character building for Amy and many other characters, touching upon all these dynamics without relying on heavy exposition or detracting too much from other plot points.

While it’s endearing to see the burgeoning of Jake and Amy’s love story in soft moments or how a prickly Amy spurned Sonya, Richard, and others, what’s most compelling about the flashbacks is how they explore grief.

We see the devastating moments of when and how Danny died.

But we also witness those raw moments in the aftermath and how the Larsen-Hamda family fell apart because of that.

The flashbacks are an excellent way for viewers to reconcile who Amy was before this tragedy, immediately after, and now, and how it’s shaped her life and relationships.

Doc’s flashbacks are so illuminating because they do wonders at further expanding upon the characters, mostly Amy. Hopefully, they’ll continue next season as well.

Honorable Mention: The Needledrops

Seriously, Doc’s music advisor and the entire musical team are laudable. The series uses the perfect songs and music to capture the emotions of every moment.

There’s a reason why fans were searching every crevice of the internet for the unreleased Birdy song swelling during Doc Season 1 Episode 4’s devastating Michael/Amy museum scene.

And the expert use of a coveted needle drop punctuated the season’s cliffhanger wonderfully.

Between you and me, this series has added so many underrated or previously unknown songs to my playlist, which harkens back to the days of another medical drama spawning a musical revolution in pop culture.

Most Shocking Moment – Miller Blaming Amy for His Error

Miller was never a one-dimensional antagonist for the series, which made him more interesting to watch. Plus, Scott Wolf is always amazing.

As we learned more about their previous friendship and his home life, it provided enough context to maybe understand how Miller landed in this terrible position.

Just as we turned a corner in coming to understand Miller, he orchestrated a last-ditch effort to cover his behind by weaponizing Amy’s TBI and blaming everything on her.

It was so jaw-droppingly despicable it left many of us reeling until the series returned.

Miller sank to an unthinkable low with that maneuver, and what little goodwill and faith he earned over time completely vanished after that move.

Overall Grade: B+

There’s a reason Doc has taken Fox and broadcast television by storm. It has strong characters and great storytelling, and it keeps you wanting to watch it again and again.

By focusing on character-centric storytelling, Doc resonates with its audience in a way many series fail to do these days, and as we watch characters we love (or maybe even hate) experience the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of life has made Doc the exact type of comfort television that we needed.

Amy is one of the most remarkable and captivating characters onscreen, and the most alluring aspect of the series is following her journey as a woman who gets a second chance at life.

The first season only gave us a taste of what this series can be moving forward and, in kind, left us clamoring for me. From the friendships and mentorships to the romantic drama and angst and even the exciting medical cases, Doc is easily one of the year’s best watches.

It’s no surprise that its debut season was so strong. This delightful series has truly warmed the cockles of our hearts, and we cannot wait for its return.

The first season had a few bumps here and there, but it’s otherwise a strong series. But there are our thoughts on the matter.

What Would You Grade Doc Season 1?

Sound off below with all your thoughts on the highs and lows of the series. Will you be returning for more?

What are you most looking forward to when the series returns? Let’s hear it all below in the comments. I’ll see you there!

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