The Good Doctor is an American medical drama television series, a remake of the 2013 South Korean series of the same name, which aired on ABC from September 25, 2017, to May 21, 2024, lasting seven seasons and 126 episodes. The series stars Freddie Highmore as Shaun Murphy, a young surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome at the fictional San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Christina Chang, Richard Schiff, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, Paige Spara, Noah Galvin and Bria Samoné Henderson also star in the show. Nicholas Gonzalez, Antonia Thomas, Chuku Modu, Beau Garrett, Hill Harper, Tamlyn Tomita, Jasika Nicole, Osvaldo Benavides and Brandon Larracuente used to also star or had recurring roles in the show, but their characters were written out of the storyline as the series progressed. Modu reprised his role in the sixth season and became a series regular once again in the seventh season.
Actor Daniel Dae Kim noticed the original series and bought the rights for his production company. He began adapting the series and, in 2015, eventually shopped it to CBS Television Studios. CBS decided against creating a pilot, but, because Kim felt so strongly about the series, he bought back the rights from CBS. Eventually, Sony Pictures Television and Kim worked out a deal and brought on David Shore, creator of the Fox medical drama House, to develop the series. The series received a put pilot commitment at ABC and The Good Doctor was ordered to series in May 2017. On October 3, 2017, ABC picked up the series for a full season of 18 episodes. The series is primarily filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. David Shore and Liz Friedman serve as co-showrunners and Daniel Dae Kim is an executive producer for the show. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature, in association with production companies Shore Z Productions, 3AD, and Entermedia.
The series debuted on September 25, 2017. The Good Doctor has received generally mixed reviews from critics, who have praised Highmore's performance but criticized the series' storylines and its portrayal of autistic people. In April 2023, the series was renewed for a seventh season and premiered on February 20, 2024. It was later announced to be the final season.
Premise The series follows Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome from the small city of Casper, Wyoming, where he had a troubled past. He relocates to San Jose, California, to work at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.
Cast and characters Overview Actor Character Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Freddie Highmore Dr. Shaun Murphy colspan="7" Nicholas Gonzalez Dr. Neil Melendez colspan="3" colspan="3" Antonia Thomas Dr. Claire Browne colspan="4" colspan="1" Chuku Modu Dr. Jared Kalu colspan="2" colspan="3" Beau Garrett Jessica Preston colspan="2" colspan="3" Irene Keng Dr. Elle McLean colspan="6" Hill Harper Dr. Marcus Andrews colspan="6" Richard Schiff Dr. Aaron Glassman colspan="7" Tamlyn Tomita Allegra Aoki colspan="2" colspan="4" Will Yun Lee Dr. Alex Park colspan="6" Fiona Gubelmann Dr. Morgan Reznick colspan="6" Christina Chang Dr. Audrey Lim colspan="6" Paige Spara Lea Dilallo-Murphy colspan="6" Jasika Nicole Dr. Carly Lever colspan="2" colspan="4" Bria Samone Henderson Dr. Jordan Allen colspan="3" colspan="3" Noah Galvin Dr. Asher Wolke colspan="3" colspan="3" Osvaldo Benavides Dr. Mateo Rendón Osma colspan="3" colspan="2" Brandon Larracuente Dr. Daniel "Danny" Perez colspan="5" Kayla Cromer Charlotte 'Charlie' Lukaitis colspan="6" colspan="1" Wavyy Jonez Dominick 'Dom' Hubank colspan="6" colspan="1"
Main
Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, an autistic and troubled surgeon with savant syndrome. His skills include near-photographic recall and the ability to note minute details and changes. His hiring created a divided opinion among the board. At the end of season 5, he marries Lea Dilallo. In season 6, he becomes a surgical attending after having completed his residency. At the end of season 6, Lea gives birth to their son Steven Aaron Murphy. In a flashforward in the series finale, Shaun becomes the Chief of Surgery and runs the Dr. Aaron Glassman Foundation for Neurodiversity in Medicine with Claire. Shaun and Lea also have a daughter together (named Maddie after Dr. Glassman's deceased daughter). He is portrayed in flashbacks to his teen years by Graham Verchere (season 1, guest seasons 2, 3, 5) and his child years by Kashton Brostl (guest season 7). Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez (seasons 1–3; special guest season 4), an attending cardiothoracic surgeon who was in charge of the surgical residents. In the season 3 finale, he succumbs to fatal injuries suffered during an earthquake. He returns as visions to Dr. Claire Browne in season 4. Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne (seasons 1–4; guest seasons 5 and 7), a surgical resident who forms a close friendship with Shaun. Claire is known for her empathy and emotional maturity, and is usually very patient and understanding when communicating with Shaun. At the end of season 4, she decides to remain in Guatemala in order to continue helping the less fortunate obtain necessary medical care. In season 5, she returns to celebrate Shaun's wedding and to seek her friends' help with treating one of her patients. Claire also reveals that she has been offered the position of Chief of Surgery at the Guatemala hospital which she later takes. Claire later returns in season 7 for treatment for breast cancer and reunites with Jared. In the series finale, Claire loses her left arm to an infection and, in flashforwards, marries Jared, has a daughter with him, and runs the Dr. Aaron Glassman Foundation for Neurodiversity in Medicine with Shaun. Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu (seasons 1–2and 7; recurring season 6), a surgical resident from a wealthy family. He moves to Denver at the start of season 2 after conflicting with Dr. Andrews, who fired him for assaulting an employee who tried to take advantage of Claire, leading Jared to get his job back by suing the hospital for racism, at the cost of losing Andrews and Melendez's respect of him. In season six, Jared returns as a concierge doctor seeking Shaun's help with his client. With Shaun's encouragement, Jared returns to St. Bonaventure as a first-year resident on Shaun's team. In a flashforward in the series finale, Jared marries Claire and starts a family with her. Beau Garrett as Jessica Preston (season 1; guest season 4), the hospital in-house attorney and Vice President of Risk Management. She is the granddaughter of the hospital founder, a friend of Glassman, and Melendez's ex-fiancée. Irene Keng as Dr. Elle McLean (season 1), a surgical resident. Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews (seasons 1–6), an attending surgeon specializing in plastic surgery. In season one he is the Chief of Surgery who is eyeing Dr. Glassman's job as hospital president. In season 2, he becomes president after Glassman resigns. After being fired as hospital president for firing Dr. Jackson Han, the new chief, to rehire Shaun, he accepts an offer to return as attending surgeon from Dr. Lim. In the season 3 premiere, he grows into this role as Shaun reminds him what an important "Good Samaritan" he is. His niece Dr. Olivia Jackson is one of the surgical residents in season 4. In season 5, he replaces Dr. Lim as Chief of Surgery and he is reinstated as hospital president after the Ethicure acquisition is called off. It is also revealed in the same season that he is dyslexic. At the end of season 6, he resigns his position when the board calls for a meeting to discuss his questionable decisions while entering a relationship with nurse Villanueva. In season 7, he is mentioned to be touring the world. Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman, former President of San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital and now attending neurosurgeon, who has been a mentor and good friend of Shaun since he was 14. In season 2, he steps down as hospital president when he is diagnosed with cancer and Shaun tries to help improve his health. In season 3, he is reinstated after Andrews is fired and marries barista Debbie, but they divorce in season 4 following a series of arguments. In season 6, Shaun finds out that Glassman suffered a ministroke that leaves him unable to perform further surgeries, but Glassman feels betrayed and hurt when he tries to intervene and is absent when Lea gives birth to Steven, but still sends a gift for the baby. In season 7, he and Lim become the co-interim presidents of the hospital following Andrews' departure, while making amends with Shaun. His cancer also returns in the penultimate episode, and he eventually dies of it in the series finale. Tamlyn Tomita as Allegra Aoki (seasons 1–2; guest, season 3), Chairwoman of the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital Board and Vice President of the foundation that controls the hospital's funding. Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick (seasons 2–7; recurring, season 1), a competitive surgical resident who has a subtle rivalry with Claire as they have opposite personalities and work ethics. In season 4, she switches from surgery to internal medicine due to the damage she inflicted on her hands at the end of season 3. In season 6, Morgan works on becoming a mother, eventually adopting an orphaned baby named Eden in the series finale. In "Unconditional", she and Park get married. Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park (seasons 2–7; recurring, season 1), a surgical resident and a former police officer from Phoenix, Arizona who decided to become a doctor. In season 4, he starts a relationship with Morgan before breaking up with her in season 6 after she turns down at the last minute a job offer at New York. He also becomes a surgical attending along with Shaun. In "Unconditional", he and Morgan get married. Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim (seasons 2–7; recurring, season 1), an attending trauma surgeon in charge of the ER and surgical residents and later the Chief of Surgery. In season 4, she develops post-traumatic stress disorder from her experiences with treating the COVID-19 pandemic. In the season 5 finale, Lim is stabbed and severely wounded and, although Andrews, Glassman, Shaun, Jordan, Jerome and Lea manage to save her life, Lim is left paralyzed from the waist down, likely as a result of Shaun's risky surgery to save her liver. After another surgery, Lim regains the ability to walk, albeit with the aid of a cane. In season 7, following the departure of Andrews, she and Glassman become the co-interim presidents of the hospital. Lim also no longer needs her cane, having fully recovered her ability to walk. In the series finale, Lim leaves the hospital to help out with medical treatment in Ukraine. Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo-Murphy (seasons 2–7; recurring, season 1), Shaun's love interest until she left to pursue her dream. Later after she returned, they decide to be platonic close friends and roommates, but they finally became a couple in the season 3 finale. In season 4, she and Shaun were expecting a baby girl together before she has a miscarriage due to a medical problem. In the season 4 finale, Lea gets engaged to Shaun. In the season 5 finale, they get married. In season 6, she and Shaun are expecting a baby boy and she gives birth to Steven in the finale. In a flashforward in the series finale, Shaun and Lea have a daughter together as well. Lea worked as an automotive engineer in the first two seasons before becoming Glassman's assistant in season 3. In season 4, she has become the head of the hospital's IT department. Jasika Nicole as Dr. Carly Lever (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), the hospital's head and board certified pathologist introduced in season 1 who becomes Shaun's co-worker in season 2 and girlfriend in season 3. However, Carly breaks up with Shaun near the end of season 3 after realizing that he is in love with Lea.