Doc’s Unorthodox Love Triangle: Making a Case For Who Should Prevail

Did FOX strike gold with its new medical drama, Doc?

If you’ve followed our coverage over the years, you know how much love we’ve had for medical dramas, especially FOX’s late, great The Resident.

Yours truly has covered many of them over the years. But it’s no secret that The Resident was my little precocious child, who made me beam with joy over its journey. Nothing else could compare.

After it signed off, it was hard to envision FOX delivering another medical drama that could capture one’s heart in quite the same way, but when FOX dangled Molly Park, Scott Wolf, and Amirah Vann in front of our faces in Doc, who was I to turn away?

If you caught up with our Doc Series Premiere review, you’d know that the new series is a character-centric primetime soap set in the halls of a Minneapolis hospital, and the series leans into the soapiness HARD.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. The medicine is a serviceable backdrop for the real reason viewers may tune in: Amnesiac Amy’s messy professional and personal life.

When it comes to that? We are firmly seated, especially regarding the most daytime soap-inspired love triangle to hit nighttime television.

But who is the worthwhile suitor for Amy? Let’s break down Amy’s options because our girl’s choices are delicious!

Jake Heller is the Most Endearing Character to Emerge from the Premiere

Point for Gryffindor! Jake is definitely a Gryffindor, right?

The case for Jake is that of all the characters surrounding Amy during the premiere. He emerges as the most endearing and compelling.

Jake is an Amy Apologist who sees the vision regarding her brilliance and genuinely seems to love her, scars and all.

He likely has only known Amy since her behavior changed after a tragedy, so he doesn’t have preconceptions about how she used to be, nor expects her to return to the days when she was a warm, fuzzy person.

Jake is a genuinely palatable guy and a decent advocate within the frame of their work throughout the premiere. He’s aware of how others perceive Amy, but he knows the other side of her and champions her whenever he can.

The premiere dropped a lot on viewers, almost as much as it did on Amy, and there was space for her to process some of it, but Jake was in such an interesting position.

It was hard not to fixate on him a bit and sympathize.

Doc has a stacked cast, and these characters are intriguing. Outside of Amy,  Jake was the standout and seemingly the most transparent and “knowable” of the bunch.

Michael Hamda Genuinely Cares About His Ex

From the moment we learned that Michael wasn’t just Amy’s boss but her ex-husband, it was enough to pique anyone’s interest.

The flashbacks show how beautiful their life was together, and it’s enough to make you wonder and even mourn how they got to this point of estrangement.

However, Michael said something crucial when he admitted to Amy that their divorce aside, he was and has always been her friend.

Given some of the hospital politics and whatever secret life situation he may have at home with the mysterious pregnant woman and their teenage daughter, when Michael says that, it’s easy to believe him.

His love for Amy hasn’t disappeared, and even when he attempts to be professional at work and admonish her about her bedside manner, you can sense that it comes from a place of real care.

Jake is head over heels for Amy these days, but Michael still deeply loves her. The two share a bond in this way that the series hasn’t even begun to explore fully yet, which is intriguing.

Female-Centered May-December Romances are All the Rage (And Still Groundbreaking)

Whether it’s book-to-screen adaptions, feature films, or some of our favorite series, exploring romance via older women finding love, sex, and connection with younger men has been an exciting new development.

We’ve normalized the reverse, but for reasons that totally aren’t related to sexism (nope, no-siree), it’s often still taboo and makes people feel uncomfortable when they see a woman over 40 as a complex, desirable, sexy woman, and the object of desire, especially by an attractive younger man.

Doc teases this with ease with Amy and Jake’s secret relationship. Not only do we see that they have a spicy connection, but there’s genuine love behind it, too.

Doc doesn’t let the viewer write it off because they had the two exchange “I love yous” in such a casual, charming manner that made you smile, then broke your heart when everything unfolds.

Jake’s love for Amy is palpable.

His pain as he grapples with her not remembering him and having no one to turn to regarding their secret relationship is, too.

Jake has the lion’s share of work carrying this side of the love triangle mostly on his own, as Amy doesn’t remember their connection but still probably feels something in their little moments.

We don’t know much about their romance yet, but there’s enough to recognize Jake as a worthwhile contender of Amy’s heart and support the case that somehow, in some way, they can and maybe should find their way back to each other.

Amy and Michael’s Chemistry is Electric and Multi-Layered

Perhaps it’s because we see Amy and Michael in various phases of their relationship throughout multiple timelines within the premiere. Nevertheless, their chemistry feels natural and crackles in every scene they share.

Within one episode, their chemistry feels lived in and strikes many notes because it’s apparent that they’re interconnected in many ways.

It feels like there are many layers to peel back in this particular love story as we come to understand how tragedy and how they both opted to grieve tore their marriage and family apart.

Michael and Amy have an unmistakable and rich history, and Doc is up for exploring it. The more time we spend with these characters and come to understand their connection, the more likely that their side of the love triangle is one viewers may root for in the end.

McRizz vs. Sexy Silverfox: The Best Pick Is…

Listen, when it comes to shipping, I’ll fully admit to being a fairweather shipper unafraid of jumping ships if the storyline and chemistry are right.

I’m also open to changing my mind as the season progresses. Amy has some fine (and I mean fine) options, and she can’t go wrong.

But if one must make a choice right now, it’s Michael.

The chemistry between Molly Parker and Omar Metwally is too good to pass up.

One wouldn’t think it was difficult for them to pull off the different stages of their relationship when they were deeply in love during flashbacks, tense pre-amnesia, and now, in this fascinating state of longing, compassion, and uncertainty.

Amy and Michael have such a layered and tragic love story that it makes you root for them to find their way back to one another.

The loss of a child and their grief are what pulled them apart. Their devastating life event makes you sympathize with both parties. It scratches the right itch that something hopeful could derive from that darkness.

Amy and Michael have the potential to be a beautiful second chance at love romance onscreen, combining the two prongs: former true lovers reconnecting and a middle-aged love story.

We don’t get those love stories taking center stage too often, either. And frankly, this girl is a sucker for them!

Jake seems perfectly lovely, sweet, and charismatic, but the allure of Amy and Michael’s rich, complex, messy history and the possibility of them reconnecting romantically again despite everything (and everyone) is the stuff of romance novels or really great soap operas.

I’m all in with those two, but only time will tell if I’m willing to stick to that ‘ship fully.

In the meantime, let’s hear your thoughts, Doc Fanatics! How do you feel about this love triangle?

Are you Team Michael or Team Jacke? Choose your suitor!

Watch Doc Online