Doc Season 2 welcomes Felicity Huffman in pivotal new role, here's everything to know

Felicity Huffman is officially back on board to star in Doc Season 2, and her new role is going to shake things up in a grand way. She will play Dr. Joan Ridley, the new head of internal medicine at Westside Hospital. Joan is strong, perceptive, and unafraid to step on toes. It is obvious that things are not going to be the same in the hospital the moment she arrives.

The fact that Huffman is added also indicates that Doc Season 2 will be more intense and character-oriented. The trailer has an inkling of drama already: power politics, backroom feuds, and even a terrifying hostage sequence in the hospital have everyone on high alert!

Those who are fond of Molly Parker’s character, Amy Larsen, can also look forward to fireworks. Joan Ridley, in fact, was her professor and mentor of Amy a long time ago, but now the pair is reunited, in a completely different setting. Their dynamic interaction is set to create tension: a season, maybe full of conflicts, surprises, and high-stakes drama, is on its way!

Who is Dr. Joan Ridley in Doc Season 2

Imagine Joan Ridley as the scalpel of leadership: accurate, hard, and not very sensitive. In an interview with Deadline, Felicity Huffman refers to her character as an “outlier” and an “iconoclast” who has had a history and an apparent strategy. She is back at Westside to not only ensure that things are running smoothly, but also to make it the best.

Joan is not some new boss either; she has a history with Amy Larsen. Amy was mentored by Joan a few years ago, and now she returns as her boss. This establishes natural drama: Amy is still attempting to reconstruct her profession following eight years of what she remembers as a blank slate, whereas Joan is perceptively, and in some cases, critically, assessing her development.

In the trailer, Joan is portrayed as a no-nonsense type. She insists on absolute independence and threatens the employees that within two months, there will be formal reviews, stating, “Some of you will not survive it.” It is a very chilling line that exponentially raises the stakes on another level! Having both old ties and new power, Joan is positioned to be an interesting and multifaceted character within the narrative.

What Huffman is expected to bring to Doc Season 2

Casting Felicity Huffman in Doc Season 2 is a very logical casting decision. Season 2, having more episodes, suits Joan well, who can begin as the stern boss and gradually reveal her history, motives, and loyalties. Felicity Huffman has reported that she was thrilled to have the opportunity to play such a complicated character for an entire season.

One can anticipate more complexity in the relationships between mentors and trainees, as well as the combination of policy, personal decisions, and the massive pressure of hospital leadership. To the fans, the secrets of Joan and the ways they relate to the delicate recovery of Amy will not be merely a twist.

All season, they will be a part of the main story. The network has also already put the timeline in place: new episodes will drop in the fall, and the storyline of Joan will be kicked off earlier in the season and setting the tone for the future.

Release date and other details

Doc Season 2 premiered on Sunday, September 14, 2025. It was then moved back into its regular timeslot, where it was set to air weekly on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM (Eastern/Central) on Fox, starting September 23.

Doc Season 2 is significantly larger than Doc Season 1, with a total of 22 episodes. The show will continue to occupy its Tuesday night slot after that first Sunday preview.

Once the episodes have aired on Fox, they are available on Hulu the following day. Doc Season 1 is available on Netflix (at least in some regions) to people who need to refresh their memories.

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