| “ | I thrive in chaos. | ” |
— Sam in "Together We Stand..."
| ||
Dr. Sam Radford M.D.[1] is a main character in the Hallmark Channel original series, Good Witch.
Sam is the father of Nick Radford and the husband of Cassie Nightingale. He is a successful general practitioner and surgeon from New York, who moved to Middleton seeking a fresh start for him and his son. Sam then opened his own medical practice in town and began bonding with his neighbors, Cassie Nightingale and her family.
Biography
Sam Radford was born to Vincent and Jennifer Radford in New York. Upon graduating from high school, Sam attended Johns Hopkins University. He graduated from medical school in three[2] or 11[3] years, finishing his M.D. at the top of his class. He went on to become a talented surgeon where he earned his Ph.D.[Citation needed] He was hired at a hospital in New York where he was well-known for his surgical abilities.
He later married Linda Wallace after a few years of dating. The couple had one child together, a son, whom they named Nick. It became apparent early on that their marriage wasn't working. It was only when Sam learned of Linda's affair with her Pilates instructor that he filed for a divorce. It wasn't long before they engaged in a harsh custody battle over their now-adolescent son, Nick. Linda wanted to travel the world and home school Nick, while Sam believed Nick should have more stability and stay in New York with him. Linda ultimately decided to forfeit her parental rights and allowed Sam to have full custody. Sam was able to raise Nick on his own without any intervention from Linda.
At some point, Sam became a board member of the hospital and published a textbook for medicine. When he noticed that Nick was failing in school and beginning to fall in with the wrong group of people, Sam grew concerned for his son's future. At the beginning of Sophomore year, Nick was caught breaking into someone's beach house and vandalizing it. Sam abruptly decided to uproot them and move to Middleton where he planned to open his clinic. He later attains privileges at Hillcrest Hospital, ultimately becoming Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery.
Throughout Series
Sam adjusts to his new life as an empty-nester with Nick away at college. He also celebrates his first wedding anniversary with Cassie, their love growing stronger every day. He begins to reconnect with his career as a surgeon and sports medicine doctor at Hillcrest Hospital. He struggles to make his colleagues see things from his perspective, as he values patient care and empathy. This makes him realize just how large of an impact Cassie has on his life. He is frequently visited by Abigial, who struggling with breaking the Merriwick-Davenport Curse. Cassie decides to stay out of the drama for the most part, but Sam wants to help however he can and helps them piece together clues.
In the meantime, Sam discovers Adams's complex medical condition that has caused him to grow a tumor in his arm. The tumor has begun to affect his strength and ability to use his hand. The men have become close friends over the years, which makes Sam want to help him that much more. He worries about operating on a friend, but Cassie reminds him that his professional life and personal one can coincide, so he does the procedure. It goes smoothly, however, the next few days prove difficult as Sam struggles to get Adam to comply with physical therapy. He becomes a support person to Stephanie throughout the ordeal. Sam also befriends Donovan as they navigate the curse. Sam's fascination with solving or fixing thing propels him to help whenever he can.
He supports Cassie in her endeavors to find herself outside of being a mother, which includes teaching at a local college. He goes back to work where he argues with co-workers who have different views on the professional and medical world. He disagrees with one doctor's approach to using technology to complete a complicated surgery. He helps the doctor reconnect with the traditional methods of surgery after being forced to intervene when the technology fails. Sam also learns new aspects of the medical community, including opening himself up to emotional support animals and attempting meditation. While meditation fails, Sam does begin to putt which helps him calm his stressed nature. He also points Abigail and Donovan in the right direction of clues that could help them with their curse. He proves himself to be a seasoned man with knowledge of vast types of information.
Personality
Sam was introduced as a brilliant surgeon from New York who strives under pressure. He was close-minded and didn't believe in Cassie's form of medicine, and was extremely defensive of his type of medicine, and believed it to be the right one. This caused him to butt-heads with Cassie, who tried to convince him that herbal medicine is still medicine. As he opened up to Cassie, he was seen to be an intelligent, kind, big-hearted man who enjoys what he does.
Physical Appearance
Sam is an attractive middle-aged man with an athletic build, lean figure, thick black hair, and hazel eyes.
Appearances
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Season 1 (8/8) |
Season 2 (10/10) |
Season 3 (10/10) |
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Season 4 (10/10) |
Season 5 (10/10) |
Season 6 (10/10) |
Romantic Relationships
Cassie Nightingale
- Main article: Cassie and Sam
Cassie and Sam first met when he moved into the house next door to the Nightingale's. Sam had moved to Middleton from New York with his son, Nick. Cassie welcomed the neighbors with open arms. However, they clashed due to their differing views on medicine. Sam viewed Cassie as his professional competition since the town of Middleton went to her for medical advice instead of consulting a "real" doctor. He also dismissed her homeopathic methods while she tried to convince him to be more open-minded. Their bickering turned to friendship as a real connection began to grow between the pair. They evolved into a romantic relationship but kept things a secret from their children, as to avoid confusion or explanations. They eventually told everyone about their relationship but moved slowly, as they had both been hurt in the past. Sam by his ex-wife who cheated on him, and Cassie with the devastating loss of her first husband Jake. As the years passed, things became more serious between the pair and they became engaged. A year later, they were married under The Forever Tree in an intimate ceremony with their closest friends and family. The love they share for one another is pure, sweet, and deep. They support one another in their separate endeavors but always make time for one another. Their relationship wasn't always easy, as their differing opinions and views caused them to argue. However, whether through Cassie's magical ways or the power of love, they always managed to make things work in the end. They have been happily married for over three years, and are currently traveling the world together.
Linda Wallace
Notes and Trivia
- Sam was initially an emergency trauma surgeon for emergency rooms before he moved to Middleton.
- He owns the only known clinic in Middleton, with his only competition being Cassie, who believes in herbal remedies.
- He owns three properties, his house, Radford Family Practice, and a lake house
- Sam is a talented guitarist, which Cassie learned about in "Say it with Candy".
- According to his yearbook seen in Season 5, he graduated high school in 1986. He was a mathlete, jazz band player, and accomplished in baseball and basketball.
Gallery
References
- ↑ M.D. is present on his family practice sign
- ↑ Starting Over...Again
- ↑ Running Scared