Maggie was going through a whirlwind of emotions on the Sullivan’s Crossing Season 1 finale (Ep 10 titled ‘Sins of the Father), but that could simply sum up the whole season for the poor girl.
While the trial ended favorably for her, things didn’t exactly pan out the way she’d hoped once she got back to Sullivan’s Crossing with a renewed optimism that was quickly shattered for a few reasons.
But first—the lawsuit by Mrs. Markiff, which had Maggie feeling a world of guilt, especially when her lawyer went into full takedown mode by shifting the narrative and placing the blame back on the mother.
The truth is that this was a terrible situation all around and there was no telling whether Maggie’s additional steps would’ve saved Kevin’s life, particularly since he was a football player who suffered many concussions prior to the accident, and even reported suffering a headache hours before it happened.
Maggie did what she thought was right that day, but in the process, she also acknowledged her faults that likely happen in the medical industry all too often: she stopped viewing her patients as people.
The realization came to her mostly while helping Jackson in Sullivan’s Crossing, but seeing Mrs. Markiff get so emotional when confronted with her own guilt, Maggie knew that the only outcome for the case (and the only one she could live with) was for her to take the blame. However, by showing Mrs. Markiff how genuinely sorry and heartbroken she was by it all, the plaintiff asked to dismiss the case, acknowledging that Maggie is a good doctor even if mistakes happen along the way.
No one would come out of the case a winner as nothing could bring Kevin back, but both parties walked away with the capacity to understand what the other was going through.
It’s evident that Maggie is too sweet and kind for the cutthroat medical world in Boston, especially dealing with all the politics. When Walter told her to grow thicker skin, it was an immediate red flag that this isn’t the world she belongs in, though I’m glad there are doctors out there like her who don’t just look out for themselves.
Sullivan’s Crossing — “Sins of the Father” — Image Number: SUL110_0349r — Pictured (L-R): Morgan Kohan as Maggie Sullivan — Photo: Fremantle — © 2023 Fremantle. All Rights Reserved.
Lots will be unraveled with Walter in the second season as Bob finally got hold of Maggie briefly to inform him that he was offered immunity in exchange for bringing down bigger fish in the industry, namely Walter. And Walter was immediately there to scare Bob away before he could tell Maggie too much. It seems as though Sully’s gut reaction about Walter has always been on point!
Andrew also apologized for his actions in Sullivan’s Crossing, explaining that he was working through it all in therapy and promising to wait for Maggie for as long as it would take, even though I assumed that there was no chance for these two to get back together. I thought (read: hoped) this was the last we saw of him, that is until the positive pregnancy test came back. While I wish it was Cal’s, Maggie and Cal never did more than kiss, so the baby is definitely Andrew’s, which, paired with Cal’s silent exit without even saying goodbye (though he didn’t know she was coming back so why would he reach out? And, in his defense, he did try to call amid the trial), convinced Maggie that she needs to move back to Boston and take the job offered to her by Walter’s buddy (likely one of the big fish Bob is out there trying to bring down).
The pregnancy definitely came out of left field, which has been my biggest gripe with the series. There were no smooth transitions from one scene to the next during this episode—it was so jarring and all over the place: one moment Maggie is weeping over Cal’s departure and the next scene she’s sitting on a toilet with a positive pregnancy test despite having absolutely no symptoms or indication that this could be the next step in the plot.
Since Maggie has a lot of abandonment issues due to her fraught relationship with Sully, she immediately jumped to conclusions when she found out Cal checked out without saying a word. Of course, had she just called him, the whole thing could’ve been figured out, but she instead figured that the feelings she had for him weren’t worth pursuing.
On top of that, Lola, who was cleaning out Cal’s place, and kept the letter he left addressed to Maggie, which likely would’ve shed the necessary light on everything. My money is on Lola also reading it and getting jealous because Cal likely disclosed his feelings in it but told her he needed to handle this official goodbye before taking the next step).
It’s a bummer because the feelings Maggie was feeling for Cal, he was also feeling for her. And they were so strong, he finally arrived at the moment where he felt comfortable letting go of Lynne and saying goodbye to her. He was ready to move on with someone that makes him happy, knowing that it’s what she wanted for him.
It was gut-wrenching seeing him honor her wishes and spread her ashes in the most beautiful place he found, juxtaposed with the scenes of her death, one she was ready for because it was on her own terms. Cal truly is one of the good guys and deserves the world!
Sullivan’s Crossing — “Sins of the Father” — Image Number: SUL110_0050 — Pictured (L-R): Chad Michael Murray as Cal Jones — Photo: Fremantle — © 2023 Fremantle. All Rights Reserved.
After missing Cal and taking a pregnancy test, Maggie decided that the best thing to do was leave everything in Sullivan’s Crossing behind (because while it may be simpler here, it also forces her to confront so many things she’s repressing) and return to Boston, but not before once again rehashing the past with Sully. Communication isn’t their strong suit, so I wish they’d just calmly sit down and talk things through for once. So much goes unsaid when they bring things up in passing when emotions are running high. But essentially, Maggie once again placed all the blame on Sully for not coming after her decades ago, while he had every chance to run after her and stop her but stood in place just taking it.
On the heels of yet another rift with Maggie, the stress became too much for Sully and he suffered a heart attack in his home, with no one around. During the medical emergency, he was recalling the events of that fated day—and now we know why he’s always been so secretive about it to Maggie. My suspicions were finally confirmed that Sully was the person who was behind the wheel of the car that hit Lola. He was driving recklessly trying to chase down Maggie’s taxi when Lola came onto the road, and despite doing his best to swerve the car, he hit her anyway, which also explains why he took Lola and her mother in and has been treating her like a second daughter since.
It’s yet another ugly moment from the past that Sully’s been carrying with him all this time, likely knowing that if the truth ever got out, it would do more damage than good. He’s a flawed man who has made many mistakes, many of which are coming to haunt him.
And while I feel for Lola and what happened to her, she makes it so hard to like her when she’s being shady and trying to sabotage Maggie and Cal’s romance despite the two of them making amends.
Sullivan’s Crossing Season 2 is “coming soon,” according to the message displayed at the end of the episode, which is a good thing because we were left with so many cliffhangers.
Will someone find Sully in time to save his life? Will Maggie turn the car around? Will his medical incident cause her to give him another chance? Will Maggie keep the baby or opt for an abortion? Or will she suffer a miscarriage? Will she tell Andrew? Will the pregnancy news force her to push aside her feelings for Cal? Will she actually take the job in Boston or meet with Bob to find out what he was trying so desperately to tell her?
I was hoping Cal and Maggie would finally get their moment in the season finale, but it seems the series is going to keep us holding out for a little longer, which means I’m just that much grateful that a season 2 is coming!
What did you think of the finale—and the season overall?