Note: This story contains spoilers from “Doc” Episode 4.
“Doc” flashed back to a pivotal tragedy in Dr. Amy Larsen’s elusive past, making room for a new beginning for her family.
Episode 4, titled “One Small Step,” followed as Amy (Molly Parker) — who works to learn more about her past after waking up from an accident having lost eight years of her memory — stumbled upon an old video clip that showed her icy treatment toward her then-husband Michael (Omar Metwally), filmed some time after the death of their son Danny. The video featured Amy sniping at Michael for an issue that came up during their daughter Katie’s birthday. After Michael called her out on her attitude, Amy lashed out saying nothing goes well in their lives unless she’s handling it herself. Gina (Amirah Vann) then stepped in, telling the couple to not argue during the birthday party.
Watching the footage left Amy wondering why her former self could have grown so ambivalent toward Michael, leading to a heartbreaking conversation between the former spouses revisiting the death of their son.
Throughout the episode, flashbacks revealed that on the day of a school trip Amy was originally supposed to go as a chaperone, but asked Michael to take her place as she had an important patient to look after at the hospital. Then it is revealed that as Danny played with his friends, he collapsed due to arrhythmias and died despite Michael’s efforts. While visiting the museum in the present-day, Michael tearfully revealed to Amy that she blamed him for Danny’s death for years — which ultimately led to their divorce.
“You really get to understand what happened between Amy and Michael… and really shows us [the beginning of] that second chance,” “Doc showrunner Barbie Kligman told TheWrap. “Amy’s devastated that all she did was blame Michael the first time, and now she is genuinely there for him and allows him to feel his grief.”
“We knew it was a moment to not only feel the tragedy with her, but get that glimpse into things Amy does not remember, see why their relationship is where it is today and then bring them back to a new starting place,” she added.
The mystery surrounding Danny’s death loomed over “Doc” since Episode 1. Since recovering from the accident that caused her memory loss, Amy had been struggling to put the pieces of her life back together. A typically self-sufficient doctor, Amy grew frustrated with both Michael and Gina after feeling like they were holding back on sharing information. This week’s episode helped bridge that gap, with Kligman saying it will lead to some much needed healing for Amy, Michael and Katie.
One person who did not hesitate to tell Amy the truth in Tuesday’s installment was Richard (Scott Wolf), who let her know that Danny’s death caused her to overcompensate when treating patients — often leading to unnecessary tests and arguments with other doctors on her team.
Kligman teased that beyond Amy’s journey of re-discovery, fans should keep an eye on both Richard and Sonya (Anya Banerjee), whose storylines will start gearing up to big reveals of their own in the coming episodes.
“There is a lot that we learn in Episode 7 that shines a light on both Richard and Sonya in ways that explains a lot of what we have seen so far,” she said. “There is more to Richard. He is not just a bad guy in the corner twirling his mustache… And same with Sonya.”
Four episodes in, “Doc” is already resonating with audiences. The Fox medical drama’s premiere episode picked up 16 million viewers across platforms in its first 11 days, making it the best debut for a new series on the network in five years. Kligman celebrated the viewership, telling TheWrap it felt like validation of all the hard work done by cast, crew and creative team to bring the 10-episode first season to life.
She also said that serving as showrunner for “Doc,” an American adaptation of the Italian series “Doc – Nelle tue mani,” holds a special place for her personally. The writer, who has also served as an EP in shows like “Private Practice” and “Code Black,” said she gravitates toward medical dramas in honor of her late father, who worked as a doctor most of his life.
“That line in Episode 2: ‘Medicine was an art, and then it was a science, and now it is just a business.’ My dad said that all the time.”
“Doc airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox and streams the next day on Hulu.
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