The series, starring Jason O'Mara as a doctor who gets sucked into a world of crime after intervening in a drive-by shooting, will not return.

Complications averaged a 0.52 share and 1.9 million viewers during its run, which made it a borderline show. In wake of the success of Mr. Robot (which has already been renewed for a second season) and other upcoming series, it's possible the network decided to cut its losses and move on.

Last year's summer renewal, Satisfaction, returns on Friday, Oct. 16 and the new sci-fi series Colony will begin airing in January.

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Both gangs may want him dead, the police threaten to arrest him, his boss would probably like to fire him and even Gretchen’s sister is looking to mess him up. Needless to say, the odds are stacked against John in this season finale, but there ends up being even greater threats we never saw coming. 

John’s father, Gary gave him some smart advice; don’t put your weapon down until the shooting has stopped, and the shooting was far from over. 

The most ironic part of this dramatic episode was when Gretchen’s sister, Ingrid threatened John in this Complications quote…

Ingrid: Seriously doctor, I’ll mess you up. She’s the responsible sister. I don’t give a shit.

_{🔗 permalink: Seriously doctor, I’ll mess you up. She’s the responsible sister. I don’t give a shit.}

Scary to consider Gretchen the reasonable sibling given that we've seen exactly of what she is capable. 

But John and Gretchen had even bigger problems. In a twist I never saw coming, Detective Holden turned out to be a dirty cop and not just any dirty cop; he was the cop who started the gang war. 

Little did we know that Holden was the equivalent to the dark side of John. As John himself pointed out…

John: I know how it feels to have something you did spin out of control, but don’t make it worse.

_{🔗 permalink: I know how it feels to have something you did spin out of control but don’t make it worse.}

Unfortunately, where John was doing everything possible to save lives, Holden was simply out to save his own skin, and he was willing to kill Darius, John, Gretchen and a little boy in order to make that happen.

I was so disappointed when Holden shot and killed Darius. Darius has been one of my favorite characters since the beginning of Complications Season 1. He was intelligent, usually reasonable and street smart. A difficult combination to find, and if the show continues with a season 2, he will surely be missed.

Holden’s partner, also a dirty cop, came a little out of left field. Why hadn’t we seen or heard of him before this season finale? As much as I was happy that Sam and Ollie got away from him, it did feel as though this particular plot point came out of no where. 

Once we found out that Holden was dirty, John killing him was inevitable. What happened afterwards was the only question. I agreed that going to the Atlanta Police was a bad idea as there was no way of knowing how far the corruption had spread. However, John could have gone to the FBI. Could John and Gretchen have been able to walk away without jail time and their careers still intact? There’s no way we’ll ever know. 

I liked John’s analogy of how this entire scenario was much like a bullet wound where the bullet is left in the body. Even though leaving it alone feels wrong, scar tissue forms and the body heals. Sam and John will heal. John and Gretchen go back to their lives…until John gets a mysterious phone call. 

I can’t say I was thrilled with that ending. USA has yet to announce whether they will pick up Complications for season 2, and I suppose the sleazy cancer clinics is a plot point that was left dangling. Do you hope to see it picked up next summer?

If you want to view more of John’s and Gretchen’s adventures, you can watch Complications online here at TV Fanatic. 

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John wants Gretchen to go to the police with him but she points out that she has no information about the gang to give them. Bringing her into it will only get her arrested or killed. Ingrid, Gretchen’s sister, threatens John if he gets Gretchen into trouble. 

John meets with Detective Holden and his partner and says he’ll only talk to the District Attorney because he wants immunity. He tells Holden that Antoine is safe and he’s in a medical facility. Later, Gretchen is taking care of Antoine at the medical facility while it’s closed. She sees Detective Holden outside. He takes a gun out of an evidence bag and puts on a silencer. She calls John, for help and tries to hide Antoine.

John calls Darius and the two rush to the rescue while Holden, pretending to be an insurance rep, searches the facility while Gretchen attempts to steer him away from Antoine. When John and Darius get to Gretchen and Antoine, Holden finds them and shoots and kills Darius. As Holden tries to shoot Antoine, John grabs the gun from his medical bag and shoots and kills Holden.

John wants to call the police but Gretchen convinces him that doing so will only ruin them all. They go to the rival gang to tell them that Holden killed his little brother and stole his stash which is what started the gang war. 

Holden’s partner goes to John’s fathers house with two officers to find John and Samantha. The cop tries to enter the house without a warrant. Sam and Ollie run out the back with the cop giving chase. They take refuge in a truck and the driver sends the cop on a wild goose chase. 

John and Gretchen get Antoine out and leave the bodies of Holden and Darius, leaving the scene to look like just another gang shooting. 

Bridget gives John his envelope back. Antoine healed, Antoine goes back home. John explains to Sam that sometimes, if a bullet hasn’t hit a vital organ, they live it in the body because removing it will cause even more damage. Eventually the body covers it with scar tissue. Nothing is ever the same but the damage heals. Life may not go back to normal but it does go on. 

Back at the hospital, John gets a phone call from a mystery man who runs a string of cancer clinics like the one John blew up. He insists that John leave the hospital now to meet with him. 

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John’s flashbacks to Becky at the lake house were heartbreaking. Listening to that little girl ask why she got cancer, if things really happen for a reason and whether she only made her parents sad, literally brought tears to my eyes.

No parent or child should ever have to go through such horror and helplessness.

It’s that sense of helplessness that has been driving John. He needs to feel as though he can do something, have control over something. The problem is that just when he thinks he’s succeeded, the rug gets pulled out from under him yet again. 

To my great relief, John actually told Samantha the entire truth, and in a surprise move, he also told his father. Sam tried to take control in her own way by looking for help from Kyle, but that ship had sailed. Kyle’s generosity ran out the moment he realized that Sam wasn’t going to sleep with him again.

He also proved to be a complete idiot when he jumped that fence in the dark and snuck up to John’s father’s house, especially since he knew they were hiding out there because the family feared they would be the target of gang violence. 

I wondered if part of the reason that Sam decided to tell John the truth about her affair with Kyle was because she finally realized that Kyle isn’t her friend. Kyle could choose to tell John himself, and it’s better if it comes from her. 

John’s visit with EZ could be summed up in this one Complications quote…

John: I lost my daughter. I watched her die, and I could do nothing. And I would give everything I have to trade places with you, to have a child who could be saved. So figure it out!

_{🔗 permalink: I lost my daughter. I watched her die and I could do nothing and I would give everything I…}

As John came home, he really believed he’d ended the violence and that their lives could go back to normal. Instead, he got blindsided twice. First by Sam telling him about her affair with Kyle and then by Darius’ phone call. John is now his enemy, and the target on his back may have just grown larger. 

Gretchen’s sister, Ingrid, was back, and it was good to see her. She and Gretchen have some great chemistry, and it was wonderful to see Ingrid be able to handle a crazed, detoxing Jed, yet not take any of those pills herself. That’s a huge step, but the battle against addiction never ends, and I was proud of Ingrid for telling her sister to flush those pills so that she wouldn’t be tempted to look for them later. 

John and Gretchen’s troubles are far from over. Darius now considers him an enemy. He can’t even look at his wife. And does anyone think that Bridget won’t listen to that recording and hand it over to the police? 

Check back next week for our review of Complications Season 1 Episode 10, the season finale, and if you can’t wait until then, you can watch Complications online here at TV Fanatic. 

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First there was Gretchen and, of course, no one can doubt what a bad ass Gretchen is at this point. The woman does not back down, but it’s her ability to think on her feet and get things done that is truly impressive.

Take Jed falling over, half dead from an overdose while staying at her place. Gretchen didn’t miss a beat as she got him to the hospital, albeit the parking lot, for some off the books help, and as she told John in this Complications quote, it wasn’t easy…

Gretchen: Do you have any idea how much he weighs? I had to pay some kids on the street to stuff him in the car.

_{🔗 permalink: Do you have any idea how much he weighs? I had to pay some kids on the street to stuff him in…}

That’s Gretchen, she’s never met an obstacle she couldn’t tackle head on. John couldn’t be more lucky than to have her on his side, especially when he makes stupid, reckless decisions like heading into the heart of gang territory in his Mercedes while wearing his white doctor’s coat. He couldn’t have called more attention to himself if he’d tried. 

Heck, John’s even lucky that no one else broke into his car and stole his medical bag before Gretchen got there. I know better than to leave my purse on the seat in plain sight in a good neighborhood. Does John normally leave his doctor's bag sitting on the seat when he parks his car?  As smart as John is, there are moments I want to shake him and ask, “How stupid are you?”

But the truth is that he probably is suffering from PTSD or something close to it, and he’s not always thinking clearly. He’s acting out, and as his therapist pointed out, in those moments it actually feels good, but I’m guessing it’s much like any addiction; the more he uses it for the high, the less of a high he’ll get and the more he’ll need to get there. That kind of behavior is going to get him killed. 

With every step John tells himself that he’s helping, and that he’s saving people. The confusing part for him is that he literally is saving lives, but at what cost to himself and to his family?

Samantha may be his saving grace.

Sam took matters into her own hands when she met with Detective Holden, and I was fearful he’d be able to turn her. It’s hard to keep the faith when you know your spouse is keeping things from you or out and out lying but Sam held firm. She didn’t let Holden push her around and was quick to point out his hypocrisy. If her family so desperately needs his protection, why did he pull their protective detail? Either things aren’t that bad, or he’s willing to risk her family’s safety to get what he wants. 

I was so proud of Sam when she went straight to the hospital and didn’t leave until she could look John in the eye, tell him what she knew and demand the truth. I’m just praying that in Complications Season 1 Episode 9 he actually tells her. 

Don’t miss a minute of USA’s summer roller coaster ride. You can watch Complications online now here at TV Fanatic. 

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Back in the present, John tells Samantha everything. Detective Holden gives delivers a subpeona a to John, late at night to his home with lots of police lights. It’s to compel him to give testimony in the case against Oscar Rodriguez. Samantha calls it harassment but John decides to get it over with and testify. Samantha is with him in court. 

John plans to move Antwon back to his guardians and Samantha and John plan to leave town to keep their family safe but the DA gets travel restrictions against John to keep him in town until the trial. 

John asks his father if he, Sam, and Ollie can stay at his place to keep them safe. Samantha visits Kyle at work and asks for help but he's angry she's staying with John and refuses. 

Gretchen’s sister, Ingrid, gets kicked out of rehab for having a friend stay over. She heads to Gretchen’s but Jed is still their detoxing. He freaks out, seeing ants running all over his body while he’s alone with Ingrid. Over the phone, Gretchen tells Ingrid where the bottle volume is hidden to give Jed but implores her not to take any herself. 

Bridget comes down on Gretchen about paperwork when she’s trying to get drugs for Antwon.

While in his car, some gang members push his car into traffic, causing an accident. He ends up in the hospital where Bridget sees his previous bruises. John calls Sam and tells her there’s something he has to do and that no matter what happens, she needs to know that he loves her. John makes a recording and gives it to Bridget to give to the police if anything should happen to him. 

John’s father sees someone sneak over his fence and tells Sam and Ollie to get into the den while he grabs his shotgun. He almost shoots Kyle, who is drunk and came to apologize to Sam because she wouldn’t answer his phone calls. Sam makes it clear that they are finished. 

John decides to head to the prison to speak with EZ. Gretchen insists on going with him. He tells EZ to stop the war with the rival gang or else he will tell the police everything. When EZ threatens to kill him, John says his testimony will be delivered to the police whether he is dead or alive. EZ agrees but says that stopping a gang war is complicated. 

Gretchen gets home to find that Ingrid is taking care of Jed but she’s clean. She ask Gretchen to flush the pills so that she can’t find them later. 

John gets back thinking everything is going to be okay, Sam tells him about her affair with Kyle that took place after Becky died. John can’t stand to look at her and tells her to go away. Then John gets a phone call from Darius who now considers John his enemy for going to EZ behind his back. 

The post Complications Season 1 Episode 9 Recap: Deterioriation appeared first on TV Fanatic.

When Gretchen first met Wes, I thought he seemed like the type of guy who never worried about crossing lines. I didn’t realize how right I was until John started looking around that lab.

Wes was such an evil, sleazy, little weasel. First he told Gretchen that the drugs they were stealing were going to help people. Was Gretchen really buying that? Maybe she simply needed to believe that in order to keep taking those envelopes. 

Despite Gretchen’s memorable Complications quote…

Gretchen: Doctor’s have plans and nurses do what works and that just worked.

_{🔗 permalink: Doctor’s have plans and nurses do what works and that just worked.}

Breaking into that van was reckless, but John’s plan wasn’t much better. When those drugs went missing, wouldn’t someone check the paperwork and wonder why an ER doc was ordering cases of chemo meds? With his entire life under the microscope, it seemed like a stupid risk to take. 

As John made his lists of risks, obstacles, and possibilities, I was a little surprised that turning Wes in to the gang didn't make the list but, at his heart John in a good man. This all started because he wanted to help a squirrel, and then a little boy…and now he's stealing drugs, sneaking gang members out of the hospital, falsifying records and lying to everyone. 

Personally I think Wes deserved one thing…a phone call to Darius. Yes, that would have been a death sentence, but Wes had no problem handing those down to others who were desperately fighting cancer in order to make some extra cash.  Perhaps I shouldn’t speak for others, but I can’t imagine that anyone who has watched a loved one fight that battle and lose would shed one tear over Wes’ demise. 

Unfortunately, the guy survived to live another day. It wouldn’t surprise me if he returned to cause more trouble for John.

Speaking of John, he was able to side step the inquisition from Bridget by providing his blood for a tox screen and copping to a case of PTSD. John certainly could use some therapy, the problem is…how honest can he be when he’s hiding so much?

I audibly groaned when Sam called Kyle. I was almost relieved when he was such an ass to her over the phone. But now Kyle has watered the seeds of doubt that were already in Sam’s mind. Is there any chance John will come clean with his wife? John has crossed so many lines, is there anyone left who can help him?

Check back next Thursday for our review of Complications Season 1 Episode 8 and if you can’t wait until then, you can watch Complications online here at TV Fanatic. 

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Jed overdoses at Gretchen’s place. She hauls him to the back parking lot of the hospital and John helps save him. Gretchen points out that things have gotten out of control.

Samantha decides to meet with Detective Holden without telling John. Holden tells her he thinks that John either has a drug habit or is involved with the gang. He tells her they need his protection. Sam wonders why he pulled the police protection from their home if they need protection. Angry she leaves. 

Realizing that Darius is now going to retaliate and it’s going to be a blood bath, John heads to the rival gangs territory and gives word to a pastor about the ambush but before he can leave the neighborhood, the gang members attack him. Knowing what John was up to, Gretchen follows, grabs the gun from John’s car and manages to save his life. 

Back at the hospital, Samantha has been waiting. She tells John that she spoke with Detective Holden and that she needs John to tell her the truth. He asks her to sit down and she’ll tell her everything. 

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If only the poor guy could get some sleep. After being up all night dealing with the aftermath of a gang war and doing impromptu surgery on Darius in the PT room, you’d think he’d ignore his phone and the door or, at least tell Detective Holden he’d catch him later.

But this is John, and the man apparently can’t say no. 

John’s trip down crime scene lane was filled with blood soaked car seats and mug shots of gang members. Honestly, does anyone remember faces when bullets are flying by? 

John continuously attempts to wiggle out of this horrible situation but the more he tries, the deeper he sinks. He's sunk so deep now that I don’t see how he gets out of this without serious consequences. The police believe he’s working for EZ’s gang and want him to be an informant.

The gang would surely kill him and his family if they thought for a second that he’d flip on them, and now Bridget believes John has a drug problem.

I had no doubt Bridget would flip on John, and apparently neither did he. I’m guessing it’s only a matter of time before that tale John spun about having a drug problem gets back to Sam, most likely through Kyle who will be gleeful to share the bad news and more than ready to comfort Sam. 

But John wasn’t the only one with problems. Gretchen’s little project wasn’t going so well either. I give her huge props for tracking down Elio, as most people would have given up long before she did. Once she found him with the sleazy neighbor (and just the guy’s hand on Elio’s shoulder was enough to give me shivers), I kept wondering how she was going to get him out. A swift kick actually seemed like a light touch when talking about Gretchen.

If there’s one thing Gretchen doesn’t know how to do, it’s back down. She didn’t do it when faced with a bunch of gang members at gun point in order to help Elio, and she didn’t flinch when faced with being grilled by Darius. As a matter of fact, she was quick to put him in his place in this Complications quote…

Gretchen: If you don’t want to trust me, fine. Get gangrene and die.

Darius: That’s alright. She’s my kind of people.

_{🔗 permalink: If you don’t want to trust me, fine. Get gangrene and die.}

Unfortunately, the weakest link for both John and Gretchen has got to be Jed. There’s no way he’s not going to start talking in jail, especially once he crashes from his latest high. How Gretchen will keep him quiet is beyond my imagination, which is why I can’t wait to check back in next Thursday for Complications Season 1 Episode 7.

If you can’t wait until then, you can watch Complications online here at TV Fanatic.

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Present day, Gretchen visits Jed in jail. He’s being held for patient record fraud and having drugs in his desk. He’s being threatened with 10-years in prison or less if he turns in his associate. He needs a good attorney and he wants Gretchen to help pay for it in order to keep her out of it. When John can’t get the money, she gets them a meeting with Wes. 

Wes told Jed that he Gretchen wasn’t coming back and he bails Jed out of jail. Then Wes shows up at the hospital and blackmails John. Jed told him that John needed to falsify records for Antoine and Wes threatens to tell the police. John agrees to help him steal drugs. 

John tries to get Bridget to keep her mouth shut about the police calling about his suspected drug use. He has her run a tox screen and claims he has PTSD. When the results come back negative, Bridget orders him into counseling for his PTSD.

The police guarding the house tell Samantha that someone downtown decided to pull the police detail off of their home. When Samantha thinks she sees gang members drive by her house, she calls Kyle to find out why the detail was taken off her house. Kyle is still angry with her and tells her to talk to Detective Holden, that he knows things about John and that John won’t want her to call.

John and Gretchen steal cases of chemo drugs and deliver them to a lab where they meet Wes. While inside, John realizes that the lab is diluting the chemo drugs to make more money and that patients are dying. Infuriated, he sets the lab on fire and pulls a gun on Wes, threatening to kill him. 

When they don’t get the money and Wes has run off, Gretchen convinces Jed to jump bail and leave the state.

Back home, Samantha tells John about the gang members driving by and that she wants to call Detective Holden. John offers to do it for her. 

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