It’s the moment most of the Doc fandom has been waiting for since the premiere!
How is everyone doing after the final moments of Doc Season 1 Episode 6, and what do you think is next for Amy and Jake?
The series delivered a solid hour, with an endearing case, some background on Katie and Amy’s relationship, and the Amy/Jake reunion.
Gina and Amy’s Friendship Finally Takes the Spotlight in Doc
It was also a substantial hour for Gina, who hasn’t had much screen time or development since the series began.
She’s had a tough time navigating the role of Amy’s best friend and doctor, and it hasn’t always had the desired effects. Gina struggled with when to serve as Amy’s doctor, trying to job her memories or prevent her from feeling overwhelmed, and when to lay out the truth for Amy as the most trusted person in her life.
It caused some issues, and understandably, Amy was in her feelings about Gina withholding something as huge as Michael expecting another child.
Even with Michael requesting discretion, this is the type of information you’d still anticipate your best friend to share, so you don’t feel blindsided at all.
Amy processed that news by avoiding Gina, who was trying to reach out to her and chat. Their little tiff was more amusing than anything else. Amy couldn’t even put her heart into being angry at her friend.
Besides, they had more important matters to address when Amy put two and two together about Jake and had to ask if Gina knew the truth about that, too.
Their bickering was cute. Honestly, there isn’t nearly enough of this friendship between the pair this season. We need more of it, and the season could benefit from more Amirah Vann.
Doc is Better When It Remembers to Develop Its Secondary Characters
I feel like we’re getting a great deal of Amy, Jake, and Michael, and of course, Sonya and Richard play their roles, but Doc sidelines Gina and TJ often.
Fortunately, we got more of both during this installment, with them taking on a challenging patient who seemed to be a hypochondriac.
It was nice to see Gina in that capacity, leveling with Ned in a way that he could understand by relating to him so he was receptive to what she had to say.
As both a neurologist and psychologist, Gina has one of the most fascinating specialties in the series, and the hour benefitted from utilizing that expertise more effectively.
I loved the compassion she showed Ned when he could’ve easily been a joke to everyone who crossed paths with him.
Doc’s Characters are Interesting But Many Still Remain Underdeveloped
It was also lovely to learn more about her background as she shared how she went from married to a man, deluding herself that her dream of a spouse and white picket fence had to look a certain way before she learned to be true to herself.
Doc has a genuinely strong cast, and the drama is juicy as we watch them orbit around one another in the workplace, but it has to work harder at rounding many of them up and improving the character development.
Outside of Amy and Michael, we don’t know much about how the others tick, and the information and background we get is a slow trickle from one installment to the next.
Even characters like Jake, whom I adore, feel unknowable outside of how they relate to Amy.
Chloe’s Medical Case was Solid, Straightforward, and a Reprieve
Chloe’s case was fascinating, which one expects of anyone who battles CIP. We tend to underestimate the importance of pain and why it’s necessary.
Pain hurts, of course, but it’s essential to survival. And it’s a beautiful sentiment or reminder for a series where characters like Amy, Michael, and their family have endured so much tragedy, pain, and hurt.
The case was great because Amy could relate to the father’s worries and concerns, but she didn’t let her experiences overshadow what this father was feeling nor jeopardize her place on the case.
For once, the case felt exclusively about the patient and her family. Jake could also relate to this father worrying about his daughter because he knows what that’s like as a father.
But the hour doesn’t dig much further into that, which was a surprising choice. Chloe’s dad had to learn how to let his daughter go and grow, trusting that she knew how to care for herself as best as she could.
Interestingly, Richard wasn’t a total jerk during the hour when he showed up, but he still didn’t want to listen to Amy initially, and they could’ve caught her appendicitis sooner if he had been more receptive.
But we haven’t gotten any closer to exposing him, and I’m getting antsy about it. At least Amy seems more aware than ever how much Richard can’t stand her and that he has it out for her.
Doc Digs Deeper into Katie and Amy’s Relationship and Is Better For It
This hour thrived in showing us how things fell apart between Amy and Katie, juxtaposed with how they get a second chance now.
I cannot be happier about this. Frankly, I couldn’t care less about Amy’s love triangle or which man she chooses in the end.
Amy and Katie’s relationship is my favorite component of this series and the most special right now, and it pleases me that they’re getting a second chance.
Amy dropped the ball when it came to tuning into Katie after Danny died, and there was a visible strain when Katie tried to stay with her the first time. Doc does well showcasing this broken trust already.
Interestingly, Amy didn’t come across as cold as when she lived in the house with Katie and Michael. She made some effort, but it wasn’t enough, and work came first.
Katie and Amy’s Second Chance is Satisfying
Amy was painfully out of touch, and by that point, she didn’t seem to have the tools to make things work with her daughter, which was sad to witness.
It was painful to see Katie feel so alone in this sterile-looking apartment. Katie wanted to spend quality time with her mother, and Amy couldn’t manage that.
And when Katie reacted poorly to it and reached out to Michael, Amy lashed out at him for coming in to “save the day” and attacked his job.
You could sense that her serving as a doctor while failing as a parent was a soft spot for Amy, making it easy for her to deflect and project onto Michael. She didn’t seem to have respect for him not practicing.
Given that Amy likely blamed herself for opting to go to work instead of the museum for Danny’s field trip, it’s expected that she’d have such a visceral reaction and cling to her job more than anything else.
However, it was easy to understand why Katie no longer wanted the shared custody arrangement and preferred to stay with her father.
But it also makes sense why she wants her second chance with Amy now.
Katie’s Absence Forces Michael to Examine His Struggling Marriage and Unwanted Pregnancy
It’s easy to find Michael’s strong reactions to all of this annoying, but he’s been protective of Katie for so long because she confided in him, and he knows how much Amy hurt her.
I think it’s important to note that even when Katie was as upset as ever, Michael never bashed or spoke negatively about Amy. He wanted to handle the situation as peacefully, gracefully, and amicably as possible, which I respect.
Katie’s decision to move in with Amy is difficult for him. In this instance, he likely knows that Katie is jumping at the second chance to forge a stronger relationship with her mother, and he trusts that it’ll be fine.
His real issue isn’t Amy and this fear that she’ll hurt Katie. The problem is that with Katie gone, he’ll have to face his life, marriage, and grief, and he’s not willing to do that.
Michael and Nora Are Not in a Great Place (Not That We Care)
Michael has been able to hide from his grief and unresolved feelings about Amy because he’s been raising Katie and ensuring she’s been okay all of this time.
He could put so much off as long as Katie was under his roof, and he could distract himself with her. However, with Katie gone, he has to face Nora, a woman who is more like a filler wife and a child he doesn’t want.
I’m still not a fan of Nora, and what’s interesting is that Katie must know how Nora can be, too. She didn’t hesitate to point out that Nora left the baby book out on purpose, knowing that Amy was coming to the house to look around.
How Katie pointed this out makes me think that Nora does things like this and that Amy is a constant sore subject. It also implies there’s trouble in paradise with these two.
Without Katie, it’s clear that Michael’s marriage to Nora is a sham, and the facade of their happy life falls apart.
The Cracks in Michael and Nora’s “Perfect” Life Are Showing
He couldn’t contain himself when accusing Nora of pushing Katie away so they could have room for the baby. His request that they stop talking about the kid for a second was harsh but unsurprising.
Michael isn’t ready nor wants to bring another child into this world, especially another boy with a woman whom he doesn’t seem to love the same way he did Amy.
Nora lashed out, too, pointing out how she wanted them to move instead of living in a “mausoleum” that is a shrine to Michael’s old life with Amy and Danny.
She’s not wrong for pointing that out. Even Amy admitted that little had changed since she was last there, and, of course, Danny’s room remains untouched.
I want to sympathize with Nora, but she’s a one-dimensional character who leaves me questioning why she bothered to marry a man who hasn’t mourned the loss of his son or first marriage.
Is Doc Allowing Amy and Jake to Sail Again?
Michael’s marriage to Nora is falling apart just as Amy is going back to moving on with Jake.
They worked together remarkably well, and I maintain that I enjoy their professional relationship more than the romantic one, but it’s still exciting that the secret came out.
I laughed when she zoomed in on that energy drink and took off to process it all before showing up at his apartment later. The natural comfort level she’s had with Jake has been consistent all of this time, even if she’s trying to adjust to everything else.
It finally hit her that he knew her password and favorite coffee, had mini confessions, and had been shooting her puppy-dog eyes all this time.
Amy took a big step by going over to his house and confronting him about it. It was such a cute moment for them, and you could see how relieved Jake was that the truth was out in the open.
Can Amy and Jake Reclaim What They Had? Should They?
He left the ball in her court, but now that she’s taken the initiative, he’s all-in and seems more than content to pursue their relationship further. But what does that look like for them now?
Richard still has it out for Amy. Katie just moved in, and boards are right around the corner.
It’s doubtful that even a fun night with Jake will jog her memories, and I wonder if it’ll be easy for Jake to fall back in line with the woman he loves or more difficult if she doesn’t remember her feelings for him or what they meant to each other the first time.
In some ways, we see Jake falling in love with a different person, but will it be the same for Amy?
Amy stepped through that door, and the two can have their special time together, but with a few installments remaining, there’s no way it’s that simple and easy, right?
Over to you, Doc Fanatics.
Are you relieved that Amy finally knows the truth about Jake? What do you think will happen to them next?
Are Michael and Nora headed for divorce?
Can Doc sustain its premise?
Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below!
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