Doc could be setting up a tragic death before its epic two-part season 2 finale puts everyone in the hospital in danger!
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for Doc season 2
Doc has been on a great ride in season 2 as Amy (Molly Parker) is still navigating her lost memories, being a doctor, and her complex love triangle between ex-husband Michael (Omar Metwally), who Amy doesn’t remember ever divorcing, and her on/off lover, Jake (Jon Ecker).
Amy has been helped by her former mentor, Joan (Felicity Huffman), who was appointed chief of Westside Medical. However, Joan was forced to face up to her own health issues with a cancer diagnosis. Joan decided to step down, and Michael became the new Chief of Internal Medicine, with Amy and Sonya (Anya Banerjee) serving as co-chief residents.
That seemed the end of Joan’s journey on the show, but the synopsis for the penultimate episode of season 2 hints there may be some danger coming!
We're officially worried Joan is going to die before Doc season 2 ends
The synopsis for the April 6 episode, “The Big Chair,” teases that Joan finds herself a patient at Westside, which seems serious.
“On Michael's first day as Chief of Internal Medicine, Joan arrives at the hospital as a patient in dire straits. Amy, determined to save her, clashes repeatedly with Richard over Joan’s treatment plan."
Huffman talked to TV Insider about Joan’s condition and how the woman pushed herself to the limit, taking steroids and other medications to keep her condition quiet. That’s taken a toll, so it may well be that Joan only worsened her cancer diagnosis and caused other complications. Huffman also hinted that there may be a plotline involving Joan and her estranged son.
“I have an opportunity now to spend whatever time I have left with my family. And I didn’t spend time with my son when he was growing up because I was career-driven, and now I have this extra bit of grace that I can spend with my family before I think this disease sort of gets the better of her.”
Amy still has wonderful memories of her time with Joan as a mentor, and that will push her to save her friend by any means necessary. Joan is a connection to the past Amy lost, and she’ll want to keep hold onto that, which may mean clashing with Michael on how to treat her.
It does sound like Joan will be around for the big two-hour season 2 finale, as Huffman said: "A virus breaks out in the hospital, and you’ll have to wait and see how Joan fits into that and we’ll see what happens.” It would be a tragic irony for Joan to survive one health scare only to succumb to this virus.
It would be a big move for Doc to kill off a major character before the finale, but it’s the sort of drama fans have come to love about the show.
Doc airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.