The Good Doctor (ABC)

[Welling_is_pretty]

So I hadn't even heard of this (new) show until recently. Then I happened upon a preview and thought it looked interesting.

Made by the guy behind House and starring Freddie Highmore (from Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and more recently Bates Motel), it tells the story of Shaun Murphy, an autistic doctor trying to become a surgeon.

At first, it looked fairly cookie cutter. From the previews, anyway. But I decided to give the first episode a try. And was surprised by how much I really liked it. Freddie is great in the lead role and Richard Schiff (Toby from The West Wing) is a joy to watch.

The second episode was okay, not quite as good as the first but still good. I will definitely continue watching.

It's also been doing--or so I read--quite well in the ratings (even if it is getting a bit of a drubbing by critics).

[DJ Doena]

I really do like the show. But I also have to critizise them for again perpetuating the idea that autism makes you socially inept but also some kind of genius in some capacity. They did add that he was also a savant just to make it sound plausible.

[Welling_is_pretty]

So this past episode "Oliver" was pretty good. I liked the stuff with Shaun and Claire and how he doesn't answer questions (except sometimes he does?). The stuff with the neighbor was cute (especially him asking for his batteries back), and the pancake scenes were intense and powerful.

I didn't much care for the Melendez stuff (though I found him to be given a bit more of a heart in this one. Previously, he was too much of an arrogant jerk, IMO.). And the daughter blaming him was terribly cliche. Also that whole sidebar about the big time donor seemed fairly pointless.

Also, anyone else wonder what those other docs reactions are going to be when they open the chest and find the liver submerged in blue slushie?! I kinda wanted to see that (or have Claire say something or something).

Tonight is a new episode.

[Welling_is_pretty]

So, Pipes was an interesting episode. I was starting to think Shaun was infallible, so it was nice to see that he wasn't. though he was right about the medicine. I enjoyed his interactions outside the hospital as well.

Melendez came across as more of a nice guy in this episode (at least after his first stuff that was rather insulting to Shaun. And Claire.).

My heart broke for young!Shaun though, in those flashbacks with the girl. Just...kids can be so cruel.

But it was the preview for next week's (Mondays) episode that really has me hyped. Oh man! This will be an intense episode.

[Welling_is_pretty]

I went into "Point Three Percent" knowing--vaguely--what how it was going to end. But I found myself hoping, anyway, that it would still end differently.

Also, I'm sorry that Shaun didn't tell anyone but Glassman about the resemblence between Evan and his brother Steve. Evan was an interesting kid. I really like that young actor (don't know his name and too lazy to look it up right now) and am always happy when we get more.

The stuff with the other patient wasn't nearly as interesting. Though it was cool to see Glassman doing surgical stuff.

Also Claire's bit about Shaun asking her to lie for him was cute.

A depressing episode but a good one.

[Welling_is_pretty]

I have not yet seen the new episode but I did want to share this from Ausiello (the first half is speculation, the second spoiler so I've only used tags on that part)--
Question: I’m loving The Good Doctor. Given that it is a David Shore show, is there any chance any House characters might at some point pop in for a cameo? —Matt
Ausiello: I doubt we’ll see any characters from House, since Universal owns those, but I would not be surprised at all if an actor from the original show were to check in at some point. (Robert Sean Leonard would fit in nicely at San Jose St. Bonaventure, no?) [SPOILER]In the meantime, I hear one of the rookie hit’s full-time docs will be checking out in the near future, and his/her controversial onscreen exit — which may or may not stick — will set the stage for a big midseason storyline.[/SPOILER]


RSL would be amazing, to guest star. Would love to see that. Also, would love to see Jesse Spencer but doubt he'd have the time.

[Welling_is_pretty]

I haven't seen the newest episode yet but did see “22 steps”--

While it was interesting to see Shaun interact with another autistic person, I felt like we spent almost too much time focusing on Claire and the other doctor’s storylines, rather than Shaun. He felt like a side character in what should have been his own story. I am warming up to Melendez now that he’s not treating Shaun so badly. Good to see him start to accept Shaun. And I really didn’t like the guy doctor. Hearing some of his backstory made me more sympathetic to him (and kinda helps explain why he stole Shaun’s idea, though I’d still like to see him apologize for that). But only to a point.

I really want more interacting between Dr. Glassman and Shaun, though. And I miss the flashbacks with Steve, the little brother. I really liked those. It feels like, since we had the look-a-like boy on, that Steve’s ‘disappeared’. I hope not. I hope he’ll return, at least occasionally.

[Welling_is_pretty]

So I'm still an episode behind but I did watch "Apple".

This was a really good episode!

I love learning more about Shaun outside the hospital. Seeing his reaction to a big stress moment was interesting (though I would have liked to seen the aftermath of him fixing the woman at the scene). The stuff with Lea was also great, as was the great Apple hunt.

I enjoyed Melendez’s stuff as well. And when Shaun called Jared by his first name and admitted his mistake and praised Jared? Awwww.

Also, I thought Glassman handled Shaun’s situation all wrong. I also have to admit, I couldn’t figure out what that whole thing was at the end? I mean, obviously someone close to both of them died but I was just confused.

The stuff with Claire…I dunno about that. I enjoyed learning more of her backstory and the idea of her talking back to the surgeon and getting punished for it was interesting as well, but I didn’t get a sense of it being ‘because that surgeon was a woman’. I also felt that Dr. Lim (?) kinda jabbed back hard when Claire did a sweet thing of apologizing in the OR. Not cool, IMO.

I found the stuff with ‘boyfriend’ intriguing as well. Very nice.

Great ep of a great show that continues to impress.

[Welling_is_pretty]

Still not caught up but I did see “Intangibles”.

This was another good episode. I loved Shaun trying to learn to flirt and his spotting of ‘symptoms’ in Claire (with Melendez). Also, Shaun and Lea’s relationship is kinda cute.

The stuff with Gabriel was sometimes hard to watch but I had a feeling that we would get a happy ending (but not sure, as this show can sometimes give us the downer enders).

The whole thing with Claire’s patient was interesting to watch as well.

I did like Shaun trying to assert himself with Glassman and show that he doesn’t want/need a helper. I do think he needs a friend, though, someone his own age (or closer) that can help him with social cues. I know he has Claire and that’s great but he needs someone he can see more than just outside the hospital once in a while. This is when Steve would have come in really handy. *cries*

[Welling_is_pretty]

I finally saw the mid-season finale. I had been spoiled on what happened so I put off watching it for a while. It was...okay. A bit heavy-handed (especially Claire's storyline, though very timely there) and difficult to watch (at least for me).

The show returns tomorrow night with a 2 part episode.

[Welling_is_pretty]

While some of these episodes were very fun (watching Shaun drive, his first kiss, etc.), most of it felt fairly pointless. Knew that Shaun was not going to leave and go to Hershey. Knew that Jared was going to get his job back. The story there was just…not that interesting, IMO. As for the twins, that was gut-wrenching. As soon as the one twin changed her mind I had a suspicion that it was going to end badly.

The storyline with Melendez and his girlfriend is boring (I think, anyway). And I didn’t feel like Glassman and Shaun sufficiently talked things through. Sorry to see Lea go though. She was a fun influence on Shaun.

[Welling_is_pretty]

Wow, that was a twisty episode! From the medical stuff (very “House”—which was halfway expected with the showrunner), to the personal, we had a lot of surprises. Claire’s fight against her harasser was great to see (I mean, her taking the fight to him). Jared and Shaun with Melendez. I don’t much care about Melendez’s personal life but watching it affect his work was intense.

The stuff with the abused woman? I really did not see that coming. I kinda figured they’d pull a fake out with the Muslim girl, though. Which they sorta did.

But who else’s heart broke for poor Shaun? He just wants someone to be his friend and Glassman shuts him down? I mean, I get it, Glassman thinks he can’t be a friend, only a father figure/mentor. But can’t he curb his ‘advice giving’? Shaun’s line about Glassman thinking he (Shaun) could change but not Glassman. Wow, that really was a punch in the gut and I was so pleased to see it. Even if I was almost crying when Shaun teared up. Jeez, anyone else just wanna give the poor guy a hug? Especially when he was sniffing the air freshener at the end.

So yeah, great episode.

[Welling_is_pretty]

So I finally had a chance to watch "She", the last episode of the show to air. (The Olympics have been playing havoc with my watching schedule!)

I was very impressed by this episode. I enjoyed almost all of it--except the new female doctor and her competitive nature. It feels so cliche (and like David Shore is recycling his character from House, too).

The story about the doc, his wife and them trying to have kids was something I could have done without as well but the main stories with both cases were very well done.

And I can't tell if Kenny (Shaun's new neighbor) is lonely or just creepy? The fact that he keeps breaking in to Shaun's place is weird, though.

The ending between Shaun and Glassman about broke my heart, however. Here was Glassman trying to reach out and Shaun shutting him down. But then again, I can't blame him. After how Glassman hurt him and all.

New episode tomorrow night (Feb. 26th) then we're on break until March 12th.

[Welling_is_pretty]

Saw the last episode. Thought it was pretty good. Jared and Claire's breakup came out of nowhere, for me. Wasn't expecting that. The new girl is annoying and I wish Shaun would stop listening to her.

The new guy--a former cop turned doc? Interesting twist--seemed rather one note.

I really, really want Shaun and Glassman to make up, though. Them being distant is just heartwrenching.

In good news, though, http://tvline.com/2018/03/07/the-goo...-season-2-abc/
the show was given early renewal for Season 2! So more Shaun and the gang on the way next year. I'm not surprised as the show has done very well, both in the ratings and critically. But still nice to see.

[Welling_is_pretty]

This past episode was pretty good. It was nice of the new guy to point out that Kenny is using Shaun (and how blatent could he could at the end there?!) but sad to see that Shaun is willing to take it in order to just have a friend.

The stuff with Jared was sad too. The girl proving that yeah, he'll never regain their respect.

The couple and their problems was a fairly interesting case. As was the wheelchair guy and his wife.

All around good episode. I just wish that Shaun and Glassman would fix things between them.

Oh, and the stuff with Claire and her Mom? I was disappointed at first but then it turned heartbreaking when the Mom just used her for money. Yikes.