Abhiroop Das
Developed by Barbie Kligman, Fox’s ‘Doc’ steps into the intricate world of doctors, nurses, and paramedics, reminding us that they are professionals second, and humans first. While Amy’s life is turned upside down due to a tragic crash that wipes out several years of her memory, the medical procedural series also dives deep into the lives of several other characters. One of them, Dr. Richard Miller, serves as the Chief of Medicine in the first season. While he starts out as a supportive figure at the start, a series of flashbacks reveals the ever-widening rift between him and Amy, which reached its climax with a serious case of medical negligence that Miller tried to sweep under the rug. However, with his ruse out, he is promptly fired from the hospital, which in turn initiates his second arc that is much more complicated than before. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Richard Miller is All Set to Don the White Coat Once Again
It appears that Richard Miller’s journey with Westside Hospital isn’t coming to a conclusion anytime soon, as the final moments of season 2 episode 15 confirm his comeback as a doctor, starting next week. Given his antagonistic role in season 1, the idea of him returning as a doctor can sound confusing at first, but Miller’s arc is the direct end result of all the wrong turns Amy has made this season. Through his brief cameo appearance in episode 13, Miller gets a first-hand look at just how dire things are at Westside, and that gives him all the impetus he needs to plan a comeback. With enough dirt on Hamda, Amy, and potentially even Brian, Miller has all the tools he needs to threaten the hospital’s very foundations. Thus, in order to avoid a head-on collision, the board reluctantly approves his return as an attending physician.
While Miller’s prospective return might sound some alarms about the integrity of Westside as an institution, his attempts at redemption speak to a potentially different trajectory. While conversing with Michael in private, Miller reveals that none of the reputed hospitals are willing to accept him as a doctor, as word about his lies has made it far and wide. Still, while he was ready to accept the settlement deal and move on with life, a job provides a much better opportunity to him, as far as rebuilding his life and image goes. He explains that all of his actions, while sinister on the surface, are his desperate attempts at securing his children’s future. Though the truth behind these words can’t be ascertained just yet, it does evoke a sympathetic image about where his character arc is headed.
Scott Wolf Brings a Rich Perspective to the Gray Character of Richard Miller
With Miller returning as a doctor at Westside, actor Scott Wolf is all set to steal the spotlight with his magnetic performance. Numerous sources have confirmed that the actor is reprising his role for a multi-episode guest appearance, and while that doesn’t confirm or deny whether he will become a permanent member of the cast, it does suggest that we will see a lot more of Wolf. In the previous season, we see just how well he can switch between the charming, kind version of his character and the one that would do anything, no matter how malicious, to secure his grip over the hospital’s reins. With season 2, Wolf’s cameo appearance alone is a stellar reminder of his acting range, and as such, the upcoming episodes can freely push and pull his character into a host of possible directions.
Wolf, perhaps best known for essaying Bailey Salinger in the TV show ‘Party of Five,’ has expressed his fascination with ‘Doc’ on numerous occasions, especially emphasizing how his presence pulls the narrative into a brand new direction. Speaking to Parade about Miller’s motivations, he explained, “This is a very good human being who has found himself in an awful situation where mistakes have been made. It’s the reaction to those things that have not been as good as they could be.” These words, while spoken in reference to the character’s journey in season 1, may very well foreshadow how the final stretch of season 2 might unfold, with Richard potentially redeeming himself or digging an even deeper hole than before. As of writing, the actor has not spoken about the many creative opportunities his reprisal of the role presents, but given the grand nature of his entry, it is likely that there are several more twists and turns to come.
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