Sophia Bush’s new drama Good Sam premiered a few weeks ago, but sadly, the ratings are not looking so good. Putting it up against Chicago PD was probably not the best of ideas, seeing as it would attract many of the same viewers. But all is not lost. The show is going on a little hiatus for the Winter Games, so now is the time to get new viewers on board.
It’s a fun show. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve been on the edge of my seat. Everything you could hope for in a medical drama. I may have only started watching Good Sam for Sophia Bush, but I also only started watching Chicago PD for her, and I’m still all-in on that show. Sophia shines in Good Sam, but there are many other things to love about the show too. So, let’s run down all the reasons you should check out this medical drama and make sure it’s renewed for another season. You don’t want it to be another canceled show that you said you were interested in, then never got around to watching and then it’s gone.
Sophia Bush
I can’t have a list of reasons to watch Good Sam without Sophia Bush at the top. She’s phenomenal in this show. I love the details that have been built into her character. She’s a workaholic. She uses the piano to help manage her stress. She’s a data nerd and really cares about patient care while also being an incredible doctor. I love how she talks to the patients and how she comes to medicine differently. She’s a surgeon, but she won’t cut just to cut. She has the patient’s health as a top priority, and sometimes that’s done differently. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Dr. Sam Griffith, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her.
Jason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs has an incredible filmography. He may be best known for playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series. You get some vibes of Lucius in his Good Sam character, Dr. Rob ‘Griff’ Griffith. But he’s not quite as evil. He may actually have a heart on this show. He also played Captain Hook in the live-action 2003 film Peter Pan. He was also on Star Trek: Discovery and in the popular movies Armegaddon and Black Hawk Down. That’s quite an impressive resume. Don’t expect to like Griff right off the bat, though, but you can appreciate his acting skills. I hate Lucius Malfoy, but he played an integral part in the film, and the fact that he made us hate him so much, that’s saying something.
Complex Father-Daughter Relationship
There is so much tension between Sophia and Jason. It makes the daughter against father storyline a lot of fun. If you aren’t a super fan of Sophia’s, you may actually take Griff’s side because you may think it wasn’t right that he lost his job. After all, he was shot. And you may now believe because he’s alive, he should rightfully get it back. That is a debate to be had. However, this relationship is so much deeper than them going after the same job. Griff is Sam’s father but was also her boss, and now she’s his boss. Somewhere along the line, it appears that Griff wanted to be more boss than father to her. This means they have a lot of issues to sort out. Luckily, there is a therapist on hand to help with that. But more on him later.
A Ship to Get Behind
We all love a good ship, and Good Sam has given us a good one. Sam’s love interest is Malcolm A. Kingsley (Edwin Hodge), the son of the chair of the hospital board. While Sam is new in her role as Chief of Surgery, he just became Director of Finance of the hospital. A job he got on his own, not from his father, just like how Sam earned her role. They already have a lot in common, to begin with. And Malcolm has taken Sam’s side in the war while his father is backing Griff. This fact has just made their relationship even more fun! Plus, they are super cute together—the perfect power couple.
Sendhil Ramamurthy
Whether you know Sendhil Ramamurthy from Heroes, Beauty and The Beast, Covert Affairs or even most recently, The Flash, you are probably a fan. He’s captivating when he comes on screen, and him playing the therapist here is perfect. He has this soothing, calming voice that suits this character, Asher Pyne. And all of the doctors need his help. They are all stressed out between what comes with being a doctor and personal stuff. He’s also married to Sam’s mom. Everything is really intertwined at this hospital.
The Residents
If you loved the residents on Grey’s Anatomy and The Resident, get ready to meet your new faves: Skye P. Marshall as Dr. Lex Trulie (Sam’s best friend), Michael Stahl-David as Dr. Caleb Tucker (Sam’s ex), Davi Santos as Dr. Joey Costa and Omar Maskati as Dr. Isan M. Shah. With each episode and as we get to know them better, I’m falling in love with them even more. They all have personal struggles that make it challenging to become the doctors they want to be and to be there for each other on this journey.
Good Sam Hits its Stride in Episode 5
There’s a reason why networks should give their new shows time to find an audience. Sometimes it takes time for a show to hit its stride, especially when it has a lot of characters. The writers have to take the time to sketch out each character. Now that we know these characters better, Good Sam is finding its stride, but it takes to episode five. Not that you won’t enjoy the first for episodes, because you will, but now I feel it’s ready to take off.
Streaming is also a good way for a show to find new audiences. The CW shows have found new audiences on Netflix and brought them into the shows’ second seasons, just like with Riverdale and All American. You can watch Good Sam on Paramount+. And there’s no better time than now to get caught up.
A One Tree Hill Reunion is Coming
And in case you haven’t heard, there is a One Tree Hill reunion coming on Good Sam. Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton will be guests starting on the show. There are no details as to what episode this will be, but it’s another reason to get caught up on Good Sam to be ready for when it happens. We may get to hear their voices every week, but it’s going to be incredible to see them together again on our screens.
Tell all your friends and family in person and online that they have to check out Good Sam. This is a handy little article to show them just why they should watch it. We can help make this show a success.
Watch the first five episodes of Good Sam on Paramount+, and when it returns, on CBS on Wednesdays at 10 pm or on Paramount+.
