Does St. Denis Medical’s Ron Love Joyce? How The Show Laid The Groundwork For Their Relationship

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On St. Denis Medical, a potential romance is brewing between Dr. Ron Leonard and the hospital’s executive director, Dr. Joyce Henderson, who have been friends for over two decades. Despite their long history, Ron (David Alan Grier) and Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey) are quite different – Ron is a cynical realist, while Joyce is optimistic and idealistic.

Throughout the first two seasons of St. Denis Medical, Ron and Joyce have demonstrated a strong friendship, offering each other support even when they disagree, particularly about things happening at the hospital. However, in season 2, episode 7, titled “A Waste of Time and Marble,” Ron appeared to be developing romantic feelings for Joyce.

Ron Cares A Great Deal About Joyce

Credit: Ron Batzdorff/NBC

During the first season of St. Denis Medical, Ron showed how much he cared for Joyce. While playfully teasing her during the hospital’s annual fundraiser in episode 17, “Bruce-IC and the Mus-IC,” he ultimately helped her secure a $10 million donation by publicly praising her dedication. Ron clearly admired Joyce and her commitment, and she, in turn, expressed that she couldn’t do her job without dedicated doctors like him.

In the season one finale of St. Denis Medical, titled “This Place is Our Everything,” Joyce shared her dream of opening a birthing center with a $10 million donation after Ron tended to her sprained ankle. The catch was, she’d already pledged the money to fulfill requests from others at the hospital. Ron encouraged her to follow her own vision and create the birthing center, believing it would be best for the hospital, rather than trying to please everyone else.

In the first season, Ron only complimented Joyce at work, but his feelings grew more personal in season two. When Joyce’s ex-boyfriend, Sanderson, came to the hospital hoping to reconcile, Ron surprisingly offered him advice on how to win her back – suggesting a date to show her a good time. Sanderson pleaded with Ron to help, and Ron ultimately agreed, motivated by Joyce’s happiness.

Ron made a reservation for Sanderson at Enzo’s, Joyce’s favorite restaurant, after Sanderson mentioned wanting to take her somewhere with seafood. Ron was frustrated because he knew Joyce had a shellfish allergy. Sanderson even reminded Ron that he knew Joyce well. Later, Ron also chose flowers for Sanderson to give to Joyce, as Sanderson had asked if the hospital gift shop sold Venus flytraps.

Ron was extremely annoyed with Sanderson and told him he hoped Joyce would permanently end their relationship, believing she deserved someone more committed. Despite this, Sanderson proposed to Joyce at the end of the episode, and she hesitantly said yes, leaving Ron bewildered.

Ron & Joyce’s Friendship Could Blossom Into Romance

Credit: NBC via MovieStillsDB

Ron and Joyce have always been friends since they started working at St. Denis Medical, but his behavior in the recent episode suggested something more. He was unusually protective of her and seemed to know her preferences better than even her boyfriend, hinting at deeper feelings – likely more than just friendship. Ron isn’t typically very attentive, so his concern for Joyce’s feelings was particularly noticeable.

Grier, speaking with Today after the season finale of St. Denis Medical, shared the origin of the strong bond between his character, Ron, and Joyce. He explained that it’s rooted in a childhood connection, recalling a similar experience from his own life. Grier described having a classmate he sat next to from third grade through high school simply because her last name, Goodman, came before his, Grier, alphabetically.

Grier explained that he and Dr. Ron had known each other in various ways since childhood – as a ‘cool nerd,’ a ‘hippie,’ and an ‘unconventional hip-hop fan.’ He said that Dr. Ron’s long-standing relationship with Joyce – over 20 years – allows him to see her as others do now, but with a much deeper understanding.

Grier even wondered if Ron and Joyce might have been involved romantically in the past, suggesting, “They could have gotten together back in ’87 – we just don’t know for sure.”

I’ve been watching Ron and Joyce for a while now, and it’s clear they have a really special bond – it’s more than just friendship, you can feel it. He just knows what she likes, and he’s always looking out for her, which makes me think he might have deeper feelings for her, maybe even romantic ones, though I don’t think he fully realizes it yet. It feels like the show is hinting that something more could happen between them, and honestly, I’m really excited to see where it goes!

Joyce deserves someone better than Sanderson, and Ron has shown he truly understands and cares for her. It’s clear Ron has strong feelings for Joyce – at the very least, a deep friendship, and maybe even something more. They have great chemistry and would be incredibly entertaining together. A relationship between Ron and Joyce would also be a huge benefit to St. Denis Medical.

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2025-12-17 21:59