There’s even more trouble in paradise in Good Sam, and the political drama just isn’t stopping. If we thought the realm of hospital politics in this show was at its peak, this episode definitely made us think again. The latest episode really made fans question everything, and reminded us why we keep coming back for more.
Sam (Sophia Bush) is always this show’s shining star, but this episode added even more depth to this character. Seeing her struggle between her past manifested in Caleb (Michael Stahl-David) and Malcolm (Edwin Hodge) was all too real. Her decision to drop out of the running for Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery was jaw-dropping. Yet, it was clearly an opportunity for her to re-assess and re-examine her priorities. Only a fool would count her out of the race completely.
When this show does humor, it does it incredibly well. Taking the very serious matter that Caleb can’t say I love you and turning it into a routine was absolutely hilarious. The show needs so much more of this dynamic. Nurse Donna (Marium Carvell), Isan (Omar Maskati) and Joey (Davi Santos) are the group of friends you want, even if they’re picking on you in jest. You know they’d just want the best for you.
From this episode, it’s clear Sam isn’t the only one with high-powered, politically-minded parents. Victoria Rowell returned as Malcolm’s mother Tina, and it’s clear she’s more than a match for Vivian (Wendy Crewson), her ex-husband Byron (Evan Parke), or…well really anyone at this point. She’s going nowhere fast, and she’s the latest to mix in with the already chaotic cast of characters scheming for power within Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital.
This episode had not one but two medical mysteries for the team to solve. The first was an otherwise healthy teenager with the cardiac profile of a senior citizen. The second was an adrenaline junkie with unexplained pains. I respect the fact that everyone has different takes…I personally have never been sold on this model of turning doctors into detectives to solve fantastical medical mysteries. It could just be me though.
The third medical mystery, that actually left us hanging, was what’s going on with Griff (Jason Isaacs). I had wondered if the show was ever going to address the complications that he could be facing after being in a coma for several months…it looks like that moment is here. Griff’s return to the OR for a routine procedure went off without a hitch except for the fact he dropped that scalpel.
This situation actually gave Trulie (Skye P. Marshall) and Sam the chance to reconcile their friendship in a really heart-touching way. This season has been a journey for these two, and whoever you agree or disagree with, the pain they’re navigating having their friendship strained is clear enough. The fact that they both care so deeply for Griff is evident, and honestly, he’d better appreciate how fortunate he is to have these two phenomenal women in his corner.
We’re now over the halfway point of what is hopefully Good Sam’s first season. This show has given us some amazing characters to cheer for (and against). It’s clearly not over yet, and who knows what outsider is going to shake up the already chaotic world of this hospital. The more stories left to tell the better. The second half of this season is in good shape, and I for one am totally along for the ride.
Good Sam airs Wednesdays 10/9c on CBS.