Good Sam Review: I Thought I Lost You (Season 1 Episode 10)
Good Sam Season 1 Episode 10, “I Thought I Lost You,” is full of plot twists and emotional revelations as everyone takes a breath after the snowstorm.
This episode takes Lex in the best direction for her — making trauma and the ER her home base. Lex shines in that department.
She lights up getting to help people as soon as they come through Lakeshore’s doors, so she should follow that passion.
It also means that Good Sam can branch out into different departments that don’t necessarily have to do with its core family/business themes.
The introduction of Travis Van Winkle as Dr. Eric Kace helps that effort a lot.
It seems like the show wants to suggest his presence could shake up Griff and Lex’s professional and personal dynamics — at least a little bit.
Regardless, the addition of Dr. Eric is exciting as it posits this medical drama has big plans to expand its storytelling options across various departments gradually.
However, it would help Good Sam in the long run if it developed its core, existing characters — and their relationships — more before it ventures into those waters.
Namely, the rift between Joey and Isan doesn’t land as best it could if Good Sam had given Isan more depth before “I Thought I Lost You.”
Joey’s ambition and Tim’s betrayal are understandable fuels to Joey’s fire to double-cross Isan, but Isan’s justified reaction doesn’t have a significant payoff.
The show has only started to scratch the surface of who Isan is as an individual, and it’s only teased his friendship — or work friendship — with Joey, but it hasn’t gone much further.
Similarly, Good Sam‘s bombshell about Tim’s cheating comes out of left-field to us as it does to Joey.
That’s probably the point of the reveal. Still, its emotional impact is lacking because of the unbalanced focus on Joey and Tim’s relationship.
Of course, Sam as an individual and her relationships will receive more focus since she is the titular character, but Good Sam can find great strengths in its ensemble.
By leaning into everyone else more and the generational tensions a little less, Good Sam can make these plot twists have the payoff they deserve.
Plus, their fallout will be even more engaging because of the effective build-up and execution.
Essentially, Good Sam is chock-full of dynamic characters with attentive actors who continuously deliver great performances, and there’s a desire to see more from them.
Thankfully, “I Thought I Lost You” could be the episode that sends the show in that direction since it closes a figurative door for Sam, Griff, and Vivian.
Their hidden past ends up in the hands of Malcolm Kingsley by the end of the episode, but whatever he may decide won’t shake that trio as much as it would have had they not found a sense of closure.
Sophia Bush and Wendy Crewson tackle a different side of the mother/daughter dynamic in this episode, making Sam and Vivian’s reconciliation especially touching.
Sam and Griff’s relationship is fraught for most of Good Sam, but Sam and Vivian’s has been stable and supportive. They feel like two sides of the same coin.
“I Thought I Lost You” flips that on its head and lets Bush, Crewson, and Jason Isaacs tap into their characters’ emotions in surprising ways.
It’s moving to watch Sam crawl into her mother’s hospital bed after they apologize to each other, knowing everything they’ve both been through to get where they are.
Jason Isaacs remains impressive in his delivery of Griff’s plea to the love of his life, Vivian, to get out of bed.
It’s an emotionally revelatory scene for Griff that, of course, can only happen while Vivian is unconscious after her accident.
The juxtaposition of those vulnerable scenes proves this trio still has a long way to go, but they’ve also come a long way from Good Sam Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot.”
That journey isn’t for nothing, and it makes “I Thought I Lost You” feel like a definitive transitional episode of their family dynamic.
The snowstorm’s dramatics allow them to reckon with their professional and personal pasts in a way they desperately need. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean Griff will stop keeping up with his appointments with Asher.
Nevertheless, Sam, Griff, and Vivian are no longer as divided as they’ve been.
That united front is probably for the best when going up against TIna Kingsley, who is keen to remove Griff from Lakeshore.
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Good Sam airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on CBS.
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Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.