The Good Doctor continued October 9th, with Episode 3: Oliver.
Different-Again
I don’t feel like we’ve gotten settled into the dynamics of the show yet—it feels as if the series is still trying to find its structure. But then again, this is a show about an autistic savant, so maybe we shouldn’t expect the structure to behave like the typical medical procedural.
More Scut Work
Shaun and Dr. Claire Browne are assigned the job of going after a harvested liver for a patient named Chuck. In a series of frustrating and crazy setbacks, Shaun and Claire race against the clock to get the liver (now named Oliver) back to the hospital in time. Things got a tad bit unbelievable at this point, when the life saving duo perform an operation on the liver on the side of the freaking freeway—wait a minute, is this actually possible? Okay, I’m a writer, so I’m willing to suspend my disbelief and trust the writers, if they say it’s possible, then it is. But what I really liked about Shaun and Claire’s adventure is that Claire spends the time learning how to communicate with Shaun, and discovers that Shaun doesn’t like questions.
Back at the Hospital
Morals once again clash as the surgical team makes a difficult decision. Dr. Melendez and Dr. Kalu have discovered that Chuck, the transplant patient, has had alcohol, and this is bad. What to do? Look over it, and risk trouble for the hospital if it’s ever found out, therefore risking the lives of hundreds of other future patients? Or send him home to die? What’s more important? The one patient now, or the many in the future?
And then there’s a third story line with Dr. Andrews and a wealthy patient which didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the episode and felt a bit disconnected. But again, I’m reminded that we’re dealing with a show that is all about disconnects, so in a strange way, it works.
Light on the Flashbacks
The flashbacks were minimal and focused on what happened to Shaun after his brother died, and the beginnings of his desire to be a doctor.
A Bittersweet Ending
Shaun and Claire make it back to the hospital in time, only to be told that the patient will not be allowed to receive the transplant. Claire is heartbroken, but Shaun seems oblivious. He knows that somewhere that liver, Oliver, is going to save a life.
The Good Doctor continues to provoke questions about life, about what is right and what is wrong, and where that line blurs, and about how we communicate with others—and even though the structure might not be solid yet, the audience is hooked. We like Dr. Shaun Murphy, and rest of the team at St. Bonaventure Hospital.
The Good Doctor Episode 4 airs October 16, on ABC, 10/9 C.