Linda Wallace is the ex-wife of Sam Radford on Hallmark's Good Witch. She made her first appearance at the end of the first season and made things quite hazy for Sam, Nick, and Cassie. But the tornado that is Linda Wallace left as quickly as she came. After spending a few days in the quiet town of Middleton, she realized her time with Nick and Sam had come to an end and she left for her next business venture.
After the second season, Linda popped up again in the series when Nick graduated high school but as always, it wasn't a smooth trip. As honest and caring as Linda can be, she couldn't help but wreak havoc on the lives around her.
She Tried Getting Lawyers Involved
In the episode "True Colors," Linda surprises Sam and Nick by wanting to change their custody agreement. After years of Sam having full custody of Nick, Linda realized that she wanted to be a part of his life and was ready to get lawyers involved. This was a hard storyline for fans to grapple with.
However, Sam reminded Linda that moving Nick from a stable home and a new town could disrupt his growth. But she didn't care. She thought Sam was being selfish instead of realizing she was blinded her own insecurities. After a few disagreements, Sam gave up and said he wouldn't get lawyers involved because that could ruin Nick's home life. But as fans know, Linda slowly understood she couldn't get in between Sam and Nick, and gave up the lawsuit.
Wanted To Whisk Nick Away To Hong Kong
In the episode "Homecoming," Linda told Sam that she had a business trip in Hong Kong coming up, but what Sam didn't realize is that she was planning on bringing Nick with her. Linda invited Nick along without running it by Sam, who is Nick's sole guardian. With Nick still being in school, Linda wasn't thinking about how she was affecting his education. Sweeping him away for a month wasn't a viable option, and yet she was set on it anyway.
Later in the episode, fans (and Sam) find out that Nick didn't want to go to Hong Kong; he just didn't want his mom to be lonely. But as Sam reminded Linda, it's not Nick's job to fill the void for her.
When She Told Cassie To Give Them Space
Linda wasn't prepared for Middleton when she arrived. Not only were Sam and Nick doing great, but Sam scaled back on work to focus on his son. Linda was shocked that he was able to work, raise Nick, and be a strong member of the community. She became even more threatened when she met Cassie. Cassie made quite an impression on Sam and Nick and was a beloved member of the community.
Seeing Sam and Nick thrive with Cassie drove Linda crazy. She eventually told Cassie to give the three of them space so they could grow as a family. Sam found this out the hard way when Cassie didn't go to Nick's basketball game because of Linda's plea.
When She Criticized Cassie & Grey House
In "Second Time Around," Linda is a guest at Grey House while trying to spend time with Nick. But once she found out that something was brewing between Cassie and Sam, she intervened and became cold to Cassie.
She told Cassie that "anyone" could bake and that she didn't want Cassie's recipes after she offered her them. Linda also told Cassie that Grey House's French toast was "dry" and requested fresh-pressed juice every morning. Her jealousy of Cassie grew when she made a comment about Cassie always having downtime when she came by the Bell, Book & Candle.
Told Sam That Cassie Is With Her Ex-Boyfriend
In the episode "Driven," Cassie's friend from college, John, was in town visiting. With Cassie's past as an art authenticator, John needed her help with an exhibition. While it looked like John and Cassie were more than friends, she never implied that she had feelings for him.
Linda realized Cassie and John's close connection and told Sam that Cassie was hitting it off with her ex-boyfriend. The realization that Cassie could be rekindling an old romance — a common theme in Hallmark shows — pained Sam. Later in the episode, Cassie assured Sam that John was just a friend and that there was no romance between them. It turns out that Linda lied to Sam after growing jealous that Sam was teaching Grace how to drive.
She Tried Moving Into Sam's House
Even though Linda was staying at Grey House, her control issues reached an all-time high when she insisted on moving into Sam's spare bedroom. Sam was totally against the idea of them all living with each other like old times because it never worked before. But Linda had the trump card when she convinced Sam it was for Nick's best interest.
After the three of them were living together, it's clear no one was happy. Linda changed the dynamic of Nick and Sam's relationship and tried controlling the household. While Nick loved his mother, he slowly remembered why the three of them didn't work in the first place.
Attempted To Switch Schools Without Sam's Consent
Linda's time in Middleton got worse when she tried switching Nick's school without Sam's consent. As much as Nick liked Middleton, she thought he'd have a better shot at college if he enrolled in a private school nearby. What Linda failed to notice is that Nick didn't want to leave Middleton — he only agreed with her because of her controlling nature.
Nick eventually told Sam that he doesn't want to fight with his mom, which is why he went along with her, but Sam assured him that his opinion mattered. She also wasn't allowed to do such a thing without Sam's consent since he had full custody of Nick.
She Chose Her Career Over Nick
Linda's hardworking nature is commendable and respectable, but it's obvious she'd rather work than raise Nick. She's rarely seen in the six seasons of Good Witch and even says that she "hardly" sees him when Nick graduates from high school. With Linda working in New York, she's even more devastated when Nick decides to go to college in California. She tells Sam she wished he derailed him from going so far, not realizing that Nick heard what she said.
Once again, Linda questioned Sam's parenting abilities even though Nick is a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. She can't handle the fact that Sam did something right.
She Cheated On Sam
Not much is said about Sam and Linda's past relationship besides the fact that they rarely got along. After dating briefly, they were surprised when she got pregnant with Nick. It wasn't long after that when their relationship became toxic. Sam found out Linda was having an affair with her Pilates instructor and filed for divorce shortly after. This was when the two butted heads on how to raise Nick. While Linda wanted to home-school Nick while also traveling for work, Sam knew a more stable lifestyle is what his son needed.
She's Manipulative
Linda's time on Good Witch is short, but she's one of the most manipulative characters on the show. It's a shame because she obviously loves Nick and wants to be in his life but doesn't know how to. She also blames Sam whenever Nick doesn't want to side with her.
Everyone on the show has manipulative tendencies but they often come from a good place. Linda's manipulation comes from a place of fear and jealousy, which is what makes her a low-key antagonist.