Doc season 2 ended with a lot of wild developments. The entire hospital was in lockdown after a deadly virus broke out, with Amy (Molly Parker) among those infected. She pulled through, but sadly, her ill mentor, Joan (Felicity Huffman), passed away. Richard (Scott Wolf) proved his worth helping alongside TJ (Patrick Walker) and Sonya (Anya Banerjee) while Gina (Amirah Vann) helped with antibodies.
There was also Jake (Jon Ecker), dealing with an ex-girlfriend at the hospital as Michael (Omar Metwally) handled the crisis. They were aided by Dr. Ben Grant (Blair Underwood), a doctor who had met Amy at a conference years ago. The season ended with a stunning twist: The final scene had Ben watching a video made by Amy, revealing the pair had been lovers, which of course she doesn’t remember.
That’s a lot to unpack as season 3 promises more of the drama we love. Here are some key storylines season 3 has to tackle to continue Doc’s great success.
Amy & Ben’s past romance
Obviously, the biggest plot point season 3 has to address is the past Amy/Ben romance, specifically, how serious it was. Amy’s video message indicates they were truly close and perhaps even in love. That seems to be before Amy and Jake started hooking up, so that’s going to muddle things up a bit.
More importantly, Ben knows about this while Amy still has no memory of them ever meeting. Ben is basically going after a woman who doesn’t get why he knows her so well while hiding their past from her. Amy may feel an attraction to Ben while not knowing why, which can compromise her judgment in medical cases. There’s also Ben’s part in the ongoing love triangle with Jake and Michael, unaware of him and Amy. With Blair Underwood now a regular, Ben’s presence will be the biggest plotline going into season 3.
Richard’s redemption
Season 1 saw Richard as the clear villain of the show, gaslighting Amy into thinking she was responsible for a patient’s death that was really Richard’s fault. That cost Richard his job, but season 2 saw him using a lawsuit to get it back. Potentially, that could have led to more conflict. Instead, the season 2 finale saw Richard working hard to help patients afflicted with a virus and save Amy’s life.
Amy told Richard that she knew full well about getting a second chance, and Richard deserved the same. Season 3 can build on that as Richard will try to make amends with Amy and others. He’ll naturally have to overcome others' distrust and earn his respect back, yet seeing Richard on a journey of redemption can mirror Amy’s own struggles well.
Are we seeing Joan again?
On paper, it should be impossible for Joan to return. The top doctor and Amy’s mentor seemed to succumb to her illness and exhaustion in the season 2 finale, with her actual death happening off-screen. Still, signing on a star like Felicity Huffman only to write her off seems a waste of her great talents.
Thankfully, Doc relies on a lot of flashbacks, and that’s a perfect way for Joan to pop up again. We can see more of her and a pre-accident Amy interacting, not to mention Amy’s early days as a doctor working under Joan. Hopefully, it happens, as Huffman was wonderful in the role, and her return in any form can spark up season 3 nicely.
Gina’s marriage
The season 2 finale had Gina being tested as she considered adopting an orphaned child and questioning her decision not to have kids. She and her wife, Wendy, are doing well together, yet Gina clearly is feeling the pangs of wanting motherhood.
It would be a challenge to balance that with her busy life as a doctor and turns like her discovery that her system was immune to the virus. Season 3 should explore Gina’s balancing of her dual responsibilities and if motherhood is really the best path for her now.
Amy faces Danny’s loss
A driving mental issue with Amy is not remembering how her son Danny actually died. She knows it happened and felt the loss of not saying goodbye, yet she doesn’t have the emotional connection like Michael or Katie. Amy has dived into her work to avoid such feelings, and season 2 had her and Michael opening up more to each other. It’s finally time she faces the loss of Danny in her psyche.
Perhaps it can be a young patient who reminds her of Danny, leading to flashbacks showing their relationship. An intriguing turn would be Amy reflecting on how some of her memories of Danny were a bit rose-colored and he wasn’t a perfect kid. Either way, Amy's exploration of the trauma of Danny’s loss and how it changed her can continue to be an important subplot as she moves forward.
TJ and Sonya’s new roles
Season 3 should feature the pair seeing their own patients and each blossoming in different ways. Amy’s mentorship of both can be a good point, as she’s still making amends for how she treated them in her pre-crash days and giving Sonya good advice too.
Of course, the big thing about the pair is that they’re now dating. That’ll naturally make things tricky at the hospital (although obviously Amy has no room to chastise them for it), and the question is whether this will cause problems in a case. They’re in a very high-stress job where emotions run high and dating only adds to it. Yet seeing the pair adjust to a relationship and new responsibilities will boost the subplots of episodes.
Katie’s future path
A powerful season 2 episode had Katie risking her life to help a couple injured in a car crash. That had fans wondering whether she could follow in her parents' footsteps as a doctor. Charlotte Fountain-Jardim will only be recurring in season 3 as Katie has left for college, but will pop in for visits.
That also opens avenues as Katie adjusts to her classes and perhaps meets a new love interest. Season 3 shouldn’t just brush Katie off but showcase her journey to becoming a stronger person in her own right.
Michael vs Jake
The clashes between Michael and Jake are always pretty notable. Both love Amy in their own ways, and while they respect each other as doctors, she’ll always drive a wedge between them. Perhaps season 3 can find the pair finding common ground with Jake tempted by an ex at the hospital, while Michael is still struggling over his failing marriage.
Ben’s arrival would be an interesting twist, as Michael and Jake are unaware of his past with Amy. Should they find out, the two will suddenly have something in common: jealousy and suspicion of Ben’s intentions with Amy. Season 3 would be fun to see the two becoming friends rather than rivals for Amy’s affections.
Amy’s Memories
Once more, the core of the show should still be on Amy and trying to regain the memories of her life from 2016 to the car crash. Season 2 was good in Amy seeking therapy for it, and some memories she recovered were critical (like realizing the truth behind Joan’s illness). However, there’s still a lot Amy doesn’t recall (like Ben), and that provides more drama.
It’s likely we’ll once again see someone Amy doesn’t recall wronging hitting back at her, not unlike Hannah in season 2. There’s also the aspect that Amy is worried she doesn’t want to remember the terrible person she was, for fear she’ll become it again. Either way, Amy’s struggle to regain her past should be another reason this show stands apart from other medical dramas.
Doc is streaming on Hulu.
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