'The Good Doctor' Season 2 News: Will Shaun Return to Practice After His Surgical Mishap?
After his major surgical mishap at the end of season 1, Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) is expected to go through a lot of changes when "The Good Doctor" returns for season 2.
In the first season finale, Shaun accidentally hit a patient's aortic wall in the middle of a surgery because he was thinking about the toy scalpel that his late brother Steve gave him, which he thought he lost. The incident almost caused the patient's life.
But even if the patient survived, Shaun opted to admit his mistake to San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital's chief of surgery Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper). This will put his and his mentor Dr. Aaron Glassman's (Richard Schiff) licenses in danger.
In an interview with TVLine, showrunner David Shore talked about the Shaun and Glassman's fate in "The Good Doctor" season 2.
According to Shore, they have always planned for the ending since the pilot of the show. "It's important to me that Shaun not just be a superhero with autism, but be a real person with strengths and weaknesses," Shore stated.
The showrunner also mentioned that he wanted Shaun to showcase his excellent skills as a doctor with autism, but also show that he is capable of making both major and minor mistakes.
The finale also reiterated Glassman's promise in the premiere episode that he will give up his job as the president of the hospital if Shaun will not live up to the expectations. "You know, if you show a gun in Act 1, it has to be fired in Act 4. That [promise], to me, was the equivalent of a gun, and I wanted to see Shaun make a mistake," he also said.
Shore also mentioned that fans could expect to see Shaun working back at the hospital when the series returns for its sophomore season. "I think the focus [of Season 2] is going to be that there's a new hierarchy — a new sheriff in town," he also stated.
On the other hand, executive producer Daniel Day Kim also teased that there are a lot of things to look forward to in the second season during his interview with E! News before the show's panel at the PaleyFest.
"David [Shore] has some really wonderful things in store," Kim stated. "Some really nice character turns. Freddie [Highmore]'s journey—Shaun's journey—is going to have a couple of twists and turns that I find incredibly compelling," he added.
Shore also said in the same interview that he wants to continue exploring the same things and issues where Shaun will be thrown in different situations where he will be challenged. "Because I think the show superficially is about Dr. Murphy learning how to navigate the world, but I think on a deeper level, the show is much more of what Dr. Murphy has to teach us," he also stated.
Fans should also expect to see the series talk about Glassman's cancer in the second season of the medical drama.
"The Good Doctor" is expected to return to ABC later this year.