Reviewer Rating: 4.3/5.0
4.3
When you’ve been at your peak for so long, it’s not easy to get back to basics.
Amy begins her first day back in the West End in Doctors season 1, episode 3, and we’d be foolish to expect things to be smooth sailing.
However, despite some ups and downs, she is remembered as having a compassionate and conscientious attitude toward patients and health care, which may not have left the best impression on her.
The hospital politics in this series are enough to make a girl gnash her teeth, which is not advisable considering I’m currently battling a horrific toothache.
Treating patients is the easiest part of the job when the people around you don’t like you or have ulterior motives.
Molly Parker continues to brilliantly capture the vulnerability of amnesiac Amy, who takes this new phase of her life in stride and tries to adapt as best as possible.
She does this in the most human and relatable way possible, through dark humor and wisecracks.
Indeed, Amy is a woman after my own heart, and she is such a compelling leader because she is put in this strange position that not many people can handle with such grace.
She’s a smart woman, and although she doesn’t often comment on what people around her think of her, you can still see her filing things away and writing them down.
We can’t imagine being immersed in our previous lives while feeling like we’re the butt of a joke and no one knows why.
In many ways it would be nice if some of the people who were giving her the cold shoulder just voiced their problems to her so that even if she didn’t remember, she would know where she stood or express some corrections.
Amy succeeds in doing this with Richard, the last person who needs a woman expressing empathy.
Well, Richard is slimy and disgusting, but Scott Wolfe is great at making me hate this guy.
The reaction to Amy’s return was as expected, but it was infuriating that most of the staff could not show an ounce of professionalism or decorum.
Most people have to work with people they dislike or even outright hate, but they can get the job done without those “butt” feelings, constant complaints, and criticism.
Maybe it would have worked well enough when Amy was their superior and they could have had a bitch session, but at this point, constantly beating this dead horse about how horrible she is feels like it’s just for the sake of it Knock down.
Sonia, in particular, is hard to warm to because her problems with Amy go beyond Amy’s scathing statement that she doesn’t deserve to be a doctor.
Is there more to their relationship than just that moment? How long have you held onto a grudge, or worse yet, allowed it to affect your behavior in the workplace?
Of course, there’s the underlying stuff; there’s a sense that Sonia has feelings for Jack, and perhaps she’s resentful of the intimacy Jack and Amy shared before learning of their romantic relationship. The latter pushed her to the brink, causing her to become grumpy and an instigator.
That’s not to say Amy hasn’t had a lot to deal with in her past. Whenever we think back to her, it’s easy to understand how she alienated so many people around her.
One of the annoying things is people thinking basic kindness and respect are weaknesses or shouldn’t be reasonable expectations.
Amy treats the interns like snowflakes because they don’t react well to her blatant disrespect and tearing down. It’s annoying, but it’s typical outdated, tired thinking.
I’ve never understood why people expect young people to constantly see the consequences of the way the workforce treats their loved ones, that they are somehow “too sensitive” to cut through the crap and don’t want to be disrespected.
Also, Jack is right in that not everyone reacts to things the same way and even learns differently.
This has always been true, a reality, not a new revelation. It’s logical to recognize this and adjust within reason.
Hell, there’s nothing wrong with being a tough guy, so Amy investigates TJ’s case to find out what he missed in the flashbacks, and even reminds Jack that he shouldn’t leave work until he knows everyone is okay, which is Fair game.
However, the level of her constant nagging, especially in front of patients, is certainly there and you can understand why her behavior would be a problem not only for her subordinates, but also for her patients and hospital staff alike. That is also a problem.
No patient wants to hear how the young doctor who was treating them nearly killed their last patient. And engaging in a shaming ritual for a disgusting point that has been made is excessive and makes you less of a mentor and more of an asshole.
The contrast between Amy and TJ’s past and present is a highlight of this issue, as we see how TJ improves over time and how difficult it is for him to stop obeying Amy.
When others seem awful, cold, or mysterious to her, Jack remains a beacon in the storm for Amy and the audience.
But what I love about Jack is that he’s not without his flaws. He was as prejudiced against Amy as anyone else. She is the woman he loves, so he is her most loyal soldier and longtime Amy defender.
He wasn’t wrong in overturning Richard’s decision to pair up with Sonia on Amy’s first day back. It’s a disaster waiting to happen and really feels like a set-up to screw Amy over and maybe get her fired or benched once and for all.
Richard’s reasoning only makes sense if we ignore Sonia’s inability to control her hostility toward Amy.
Jack messes up, however, by pairing Amy with the youngest doctor on the crew, a trainee and someone who has always admired and thought Amy only played authoritative roles.
If anything, Jack should have shown her the ropes himself on day one, if only to minimize drama and get her used to it. But it’s also clear how difficult it is for Jack to be in the same room with her.
When TJ obeys Amy when he shouldn’t, the inevitable happens, causing their patient to become stranded and nearly die.
Amy makes up for this while investigating the workplace, hoping to find out what may be causing her patients’ illnesses.
She was able to hone her quick assessments and snap judgments and apply them correctly instead of assuming he was lying and still struggling with alcoholism.
I love a doctor who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and get to the bottom of things, and Amy going the extra mile is a lovely sight, not to mention reciprocated.
Meanwhile, Jack’s patient Dante once again reminds us how tragic love can be. Dante and Ruby are such a cute couple, and it’s so cute to hear them teasing Jack and Sonya so much.
The moment she died, my heart sank for this man because I knew he couldn’t survive without her.
The case causes Jack to reflect a lot, and we get a glimpse of how Jack managed to get over Amy’s wall a little with that holiday meal. You can feel the sexual tension of the moment and the dynamics of their flirtatious banter.
Sharing food is a form of love in itself; let’s be real!
This has to do with Amy learning that Jack is the person who knows her email password best.
He also knows what the code means, and it’s a nice moment that shows that Amy’s past gruff appearance was largely due to her pain at losing her son.
Even how aggressive she acted in front of TJ towards his heart patient, there was a deeper meaning, considering the cause of her son’s death.
There are so many little pieces that fit together for Amy, which is why it’s heartbreaking that even at her worst, many people never get to see or try to get over it.
Email development will be a great help to all Jack/Amy shippers. But the most exciting part is that now Amy can finally see something relevant in her email that tells her about Richard.
He’s afraid she’ll remember what she learned and blow him up.
With Richard plotting and plotting so blatantly, Amy isn’t the only one who can take him down. Michael also noticed Richard’s aggressiveness and behavior, but Jack saw right through him.
The two bicker constantly, and Jack doesn’t back down easily. Jack knew Richard had an agenda, and he was paying attention.
Jack and Richard’s power struggle is one of the most fascinating aspects of the series.
Over to you, Doc Fanatics.
What do you think Amy will find in her email? Was Jack’s decision to protect Amy from Sonia the right one? Turn off the sound below.
Watch Doctors Online
