Abhiroop Das
Season 2 of Fox’s ‘Doc’ brings Amy Larsen one step closer to catching up with the past eight years of her life, which have been erased from her mind following a devastating accident. The previous episodes of this medical drama see her relationship with Jake Heller reach both new highs and new lows. The same, however, cannot be said about her dynamic with Michael, as the two realize the importance of maintaining their distance. With Joan Ridley taking on the mantle of the Chief of Medicine, the hospital pecking order is shaken up once again, with the rivalry between the master and her former protege becoming more prominent by the day. However, Joan is not without her share of secrets, and as they pile on, the position of everyone at work continues to dwindle. This episode, titled ‘Something to Prove,’ takes these uncertain circumstances head-on, while also challenging Amy with a new wave of memories carrying a glimpse into her twisted past. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Joan’s Worsening Health Condition Doesn’t Dent Her Work as Chief of Medicine
The episode begins with Seth Harper, a college student, preparing to hook up with his classmate, but trouble strikes halfway in, as he realizes he has lost the ability to see. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Amy tries to cheer up Gina’s day in the hopes of rekindling their friendship to its former strength. While that seems to work, she also catches sight of Gina checking out a donation campaign for the railroad suicide victim who was her patient in the first season finale. Elsewhere, Joan gets her platelet count checked, and the doctor gives her the bad news she had already anticipated. At its current rate of progression, she only has a few years before her illness turns into full-blown Leukemia, making this the right time to peruse her options. We learn that she has a son, Ethan, who has ceased all communications, making Joan a one-person army in her slow descent into poor health.
The news about Joan organizing a hospital-wide inspection spreads like wildfire, with everyone contemplating whether they are going to survive the rounds. In the midst of these discussions, we are introduced to the hospital’s newest intern, Hannah Clark, who immediately familiarizes herself with Amy and her unique context. On the other end of the hospital, Joan reprimands Jake about his carelessness regarding the protagonist’s treatment, making her stunts in the previous episode the first and only warning. While Jake is cautious of this development, he nonetheless redirects his attention to supervising Hannah and tries to act normally in front of his ex-partner. Sonya deals with a complex case of her own, involving a patient named Matt, who has a tumor. Nathan, his partner, has the decision-making power, and Sonya explains the choice between a risk-free radiation therapy, which buys Matt a few unpleasant years, and a risky surgery, which can help with a complete recovery.
A College Teen Gone Blind Gives Amy a New Challenge
We return to Seth’s case, with Jake, Amy, and Hannah taking the lead. With his mother present, Seth lies about the circumstances that led up to his blindness and instead explains that he has been taking heavy doses of adderall for studying. The doctors’ initial diagnosis hinges on this detail, but Jake believes there is more to dig into. Meanwhile, Nathan decides to make the difficult choice and suggests the surgery for Matt. However, when Sonya goes for the consent form, she notices that Matt’s proxy is not his current partner, but his ex-husband of 16 years, Grant. This creates a problem, as the authority over the course of treatment now falls on his shoulders, unearthing past dynamics once again. From there, the scene jumps back to 2021, when Amy was still the Chief of Medicine, with her memory intact. We learn that Hannah Clark’s father, Brian Clark, was a doctor in the hospital, and the two women had previously met.
While Amy and Hannah have a brief interaction in 2021, the protagonist’s relationship with Dr. Brian is far more tense. She reveals CCTV footage of him briefly exiting the operating theatre while the procedures were still underway, and when Brian tries to make his case, she cuts him off. When she gives him the option of paid time off in light of his erratic behavior, Brian responds with even more aggression, widening the gap between the two. In the present, Hannah reveals the truth to Amy, adding that her father quit the hospital and later killed himself for reasons yet unknown to us. The internal troubles of the hospital continue as Gina, unable to handle her sense of guilt, returns to the train tracks in mourning. A phone call with Amy reveals her secret, further alarming the protagonist about her best friend’s mental state. Elsewhere, the question of proxies between Nathan and Grant continues to gain traction, and Joan calls up Michael for his brief assistance.
The Question of Two Competing Proxies Stumps Michael
Upon being familiarized with the case, Grant, Matt’s ex-husband, decides to go with the safer radiation therapy, and this decision directly puts him at odds with Nathan. This disagreement soon converts into a series of accusations, and we learn that Grant cheated on his husband in the lead-up to their divorce. At last, Michael steps in and suggests talking to both of them individually to figure out who has Matt’s best interests in mind. Grant reveals that his marriage with Matt was defined by a sense of thrill, but in order to keep up with his partner, he had lied for well over a decade, and it is that ultimate disillusionment that led to the cracks in their marriage. Nathan, on the other hand, opens up about his love for all of Matt’s shades and promises to take care of his partner even in sickness. While Michael decides to go with Nathan’s word, that is, the surgery, this exchange also reminds him that his medical proxy is still Amy, furthering questions of lingering love.
Following a body scan for Seth, Hannah notices blood clots in his fingers, leading Amy to suggest that the same clots in his eye are the reason for blindness. However, given his genetic cardiovascular issues resulting in narrow vessels, the idea of a blood clot making its way to odd places is only supported by the use of a blood thinner. This leads Amy and Michael to the heart of the problem, and they realize that he was abusing viagra. Upon being questioned about it, Seth relents and explains that his porn addiction has resulted in erectile dysfunction, with knock-off viagra only making things worse. While the doctors figure out a way to treat the condition, the possibility of him regaining full vision remains in the dark. Ultimately, however, the procedures are a success, and Seth recovers partial vision, bringing him en route to an honest conversation with his mother.
Elsewhere, Matt’s surgery turns out to be a success, following Joan’s praise of Sonya for her acute judgment, hinting at her potential growth in the hospital. Elsewhere, Jake and Amy’s relationship continues its wonky run, and he makes clear that the kiss does not mean that they are back, and some space is needed for the good of both of them. Amy, on the other hand, has more on her plate, with the largest thing being her recurring flashes. Unlike last time, however, they seem to focus on random images of Christmas articles, ranging from Christmas trees to snow globes, and settle on a knitted jumper sweater. When Amy asks Michael about these details, he fails to add anything significant. By the end of the episode, however, the full vision becomes clear, with Amy having a chance encounter with Brian Clark on Christmas night. We know that this is sometime after he quit the hospital, which makes his presence in the narrative all the more ominous.
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