The Good Doctor Episode 9 aired November 27, on ABC.
I really loved this episode. I know I say that every week, but this one was packed with so much. The drama was heavy, but at the same time the humor was kicked up a notch or two. It made for a very satisfying episode.
The Big Story
As a part of St. Bonaventure Hospital’s international humanitarian program, a young boy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo arrives in need of heart surgery. But Dr. Melendez flat out tells them the surgery can’t be done, the boy’s heart anomalies are far too severe. This is the first time I’ve seen Dr. Melendez appear anything less than confident. He was afraid for this boy, genuinely afraid, and to see him struggling with this fear was touching.
Dr. Melendez tells the boy’s mother that her son has a heart he cannot fix, but she refuses to accept this. She tells Melendez they wouldn’t have come all that way if he couldn’t help.
After Melendez and Shaun do some virtual surgery, they decide to go ahead with the boy’s surgery, and after a few scary moments, it’s a success.
The story line ends with a very sweet scene, Dr. Melendez and Dr. Kalu watching tv with the boy and his mother.
Flirting
On a lighter note, Shaun is taking flirting lessons from Claire. This is where the humor came in. He learns that Lea was possibly flirting with him. Claire tells him about what she calls the flirting trifecta: the giggle, the squirm, and the hair sweep. Later, Shaun informs Claire that she has been flirting with Dr. Melendez. Uh oh. Either that or she has ringworm. Gotta love the way Shaun thinks.
When Shaun tells Dr. Glassman about the flirting lessons, Glassman asks Shaun if he’s lonely. Shaun turns it back around and asks Dr. Glassman if he is lonely. When Dr. Glassman says yes, Shaun tells him he should learn the trifecta. Too funny.
Other Stories
Dr. Andrews is getting more screen time, and we learn that there may be trouble at home. His wife is feeling neglected because of all the time the dedicated Andrews spends on the job.
Also, his patient this week is a podcast host who faces losing her voice box. When her specimen is lost, Claire and Carly search the hospital to no avail. At the last minute, right as the surgery is about to start, Claire finds the specimen—the woman does not have cancer and her voice box is saved. She sues the hospital anyway, for losing the specimen and putting her through hell.
The episode ends with Lea and Shaun. Shaun tells her that she looks absurd in the sweater she has on (there’s more of that honesty she likes), and she offers him an apple. He follows her inside her apartment. I think Shaun may be gonna find love, whether he wants it or not.
Season Finale
The season finale is next week (and I’m totally not ready for that, by the way), and it has me thinking about how far these characters have come. All of them, not just Shaun. The other surgeons have grown, too. We have back stories for them now, and they have all become more gentle and vulnerable. We love them, and I’m left wondering, who is The Good Doctor? Is it Shaun? Dr. Melendez? Dr. Claire Browne? Kalu? Glassman? Andrews? The truth is, it could be any of them, and it’s all of them, because each and every week they show us how good they truly are. And that’s what keeps us coming back.
My favorite line from Episode 9:
It’s beating just fine on its own. ~ Dr. Neil Melendez
The Good Doctor returns with what looks to be a shocking winter finale December 4th, 10/9 C, on ABC. Are you ready?
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