Blood feud
Sam’s life is complicated after she takes over her father Griff’s job in new medical drama series Good Sam.
Season 1 Mondays (from 27 June) M-Net (*101) 20:30
Apart from exploring fascinating medical cases at the fictional Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital in Detroit, USA, brand-new drama series Good Sam delves into the characters’ internal conflicts. At the centre of the story is gifted cardiothoracic surgeon Sam Griffith’s (Sophia Bush, Veronica in dramedy series Love, Victor) dysfunctional relationship with her surgeon dad Robert “Griff” (Jason Isaacs, Michael Caffee in mob drama series Brotherhood), who also happens to be her boss at Lakeshore.
Griff pushes people away with his overbearing tendencies, especially his daughter. “Sam detests working with Griff to the point that she considers accepting a job offer at another city [to get away from him],” explains Sophia, whose character’s plans are put on hold after Griff is shot by a distressed patient at the hospital’s reception, and he falls into a coma.
When Griff wakes up six months later, he learns that a new Chief Medical Officer has been appointed – and it’s Sam, much to his disappointment. Consequently, Griff tries to destroy Sam’s career, which changes their fatherdaughter dynamic. “What’s special is that this show is rooted in hope. While there is a family rivalry and plot twists, the doctors are devoted to saving their patients’ lives, which creates exciting storylines,” adds Sophia.
HEART OF THE MATTER
Griff returns to Lakeshore as a supervising surgeon under Sam’s watch, and he undermines her authority. He talks over Sam and constantly competes with her because he wants his job back. In one of the episodes, Griff tells Sam that “Chiefs come and go, but the Robert Griffith technique will outlive us both and inspire generations to come”.
As Jason explains, his character’s jealousy stems from fear and insecurity. “While Griff is one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons, he is threatened by the much younger and vivacious Sam and he doesn’t want to be outshone by his own daughter,” adds the actor.
However, Sam prefers to lead with empathy and under her guidance, the hospital becomes a healthier working environment. “There’s a certain Draconian authoritarian air to Griff. He’s hard on himself and his colleagues because as a heart surgeon, there’s little room for failure as they have people’s lives in their hands. So Griff is a tough boss. The question that is often asked is: Does he need to be as tough a father and can’t he separate between being a father and a mentor?” adds Jason, who played vicious dad Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter fantasy film franchise (2002-2011).
CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
During Griff and Sam’s constant battle, her friend and equally brilliant surgeon Lex Trulie (Skye P Marshall, Cara in superhero series Black Lightning) is forced to pick sides. As the series develops, Sam will discover that Griff is having an affair with Lex, which is the straw that breaks their strained fatherdaughter bond. “Sam struggles with the outright betrayal,” adds Sophia.
A NEW TURN
Due to lack of viewership, Good
Sam was cancelled after season 1. Sophia explains that working on the medical show as the lead and executive producer was a dream come true though. “I always wanted to go to med school and become a heart surgeon, but as many actors, I had a taste of performing at a theatre and changed my mind,” says the actress. “When I got the role, I was excited to tell my parents that I was going to be a doctor and they were just as pleased.”
Sophia is famous for her role as Brooke in teen drama series One Tree Hill from 2003 to 2012 and while she read several scripts for other shows between the years, it’s Good Sam that caught her eye. “I enjoy working with people behind the scenes and working with the writers was an excellent way to celebrate 20 years in my career.”