Dr. Kim Wedgewood (Republic of Doyle)

Villainous conspirator Kim Wedgewood

Dr. Kim Wedgewood (Erin Karpluk) is a villainess from "Blood Work," episode 4.02 of Republic of Doyle (airdate January 13, 2013). She is a doctor at a small town outreach center, which she ran with Vince Lonegan.

However, Dr. Wedgewood turned heel at some point by colluding with local drug dealer Taylor Gossad in a scheme to flood the town with Oxycontin. Regarding Wedgewood's role, she signed the prescriptions that allowed the distribution of the drug, and to cover their tracks, Taylor planted the supply in Vince's office to frame him as a dealer. Vince ended up arrested and convicted, though the episode's events saw him escape while handcuffed to Des Courtney, as he went on a quest to clear his name.

Jake and Malachy Doyle were on the case following Des' abduction, and during their encounter with Dr. Wedgewood, they asked about Vince's whereabouts, with the villainess referring to Vince as a great mentor who "broke their hearts" with his actions. After mentioning Billy Cantrell--while claiming that she didn't know him that well--and stating that he was a witness to the prosecution, Jake and Malachy went to Billy's location believing that he was in danger, only for Billy to reveal that he was helping Vince and he had a videotape that would prove his innocence. As it turned out, the tape showed Taylor planting the drugs, while Dr. Wedgewood was in the area watching, leading to Billy confronting the villainess with the evidence. In response, the evil Dr. Wedgewood killed Billy with a fatal overdose, and after her connection to Billy was uncovered, she claimed to Malachy and Rose Miller that Vince's presence caused Billy to relapse.

The revelation of Dr. Wedgewood's heel persona began with Tinny Doyle (who joined the RNC in the season opener) delivering the prescription notes to Malachy and Rose; revealing that Dr. Wedgewood signed them--a contrast to her claim that she was against the use of oxy. After being threatened at knifepoint by Taylor, Dr. Wedgewood claimed to Malachy and Rose that she was forced into signing the prescriptions, but after the video officially revealed her willing role as well as her role in Billy's murder, the villainess was confronted while an angry Vince lashed out at her. The callous doctor stated that the drugs were going to end up on the street anyway, adding that she was controlling it and didn't force her victims to take them, and after Vince was talked down, Dr. Wedgewood was arrested for her collusion with Taylor, as well as Billy's murder.

Trivia

• Erin Karpluk also played villainess Leda Castillo in the 2003 CSI video game, and later appeared as the evil Alison Whitford in 2019's All My Husband's Wives, as well as the murderous Clara Keller on Two Sentence Horror Stories.