“Unveiling the Secrets: What The Good Doctor Reveals About the Realities of Medicine and Humanity”
Paige Spara Was Originally Only Hired For Two Episodes
Outside of the St. Bonaventure Hospital and in a series of flashbacks, fans were able to see where Dr. Murphy grew up. Some of those storylines had to do with the doctor’s growing relationship with his neighbor, Lea Dilallo, played by Paige Spara.
Originally, Spara was only signed on to appear in two episodes. Spara was eventually promoted to a full-time cast member for the second season of the show. She gave viewers a bit of “fun” away from the hospital drama.
It’s Based On A 20-Episode South Korean Series
The concept of The Good Doctor might seem original, but it’s actually based on a South Korean series that aired back in 2013. The series, also Good Doctor, might have only been 20 episodes long, but it received great reviews and even wound up winning a whole lot of awards.
Some of the honors include a Korea Drama Award for Best Writer, a KBS Drama Award for Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama, and even a Baeksang Arts Award for Best Drama.
Viewers Like The Series More Than Critics
When the first episode of The Good Doctor aired on ABC in 2017, it was way more popular among viewers than actual critics. Not only did over 11 million people tune in to watch the pilot, but the first season’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reached a solid 88%.
That percentage is much higher than the TV critics’ score of 61%. And, on Metacritic, they gave the series a staggeringly low 53 out of 100.
Three Of The Main Cast Members Are From London, England
The Good Doctor might have the main character Dr. Shaun Murphy’s hometown in Casper, Wyoming, and his hospital in San Jose, California. Still, neither the actor who plays him nor two other main characters are from the states.
Freddie Highmore, Antonia Thomas, and Chuku Modu are all from London, England. While Modu’s character utilizes the actor’s actual accent, fans might have never known Highmore and Thomas were born and raised outside America.
Freddie Highmore Had A Three Day Break Between Gigs
Before working on The Good Doctor, Freddie Highmore portrayed a young Norman Bates in the popular series Bates Motel. The series is actually one of the reasons Highmore originally didn’t take the role of Dr. Murphy.
The time between filming the final Bates episode and the first day of The Good Doctor was only three days! Talk about an actor with a quick turnaround and who can switch up personalities with the snap of a finger!
People On The Spectrum Appear On The Show
It’s no secret that Freddie Highmore, the lead actor who plays Dr. Shaun Murphy on The Good Doctor, isn’t on the spectrum himself. The fact is actually one of the biggest critiques about the show, the lack of representation for people on the spectrum within the media and popular television shows.
That being said, The Good Doctor does have a few actors in its cast who are actually on the spectrum.
Initially, The Series Had A Lot To Improve On
Upon its 2017 release, The Good Doctor wound up securing 11.22 million total viewers for its premiere episode. That was the most ABC had seen for a pilot in 21 years! Even so, not everyone enjoyed the concept, first-ever episode, or even the first season.
The website Rotten Tomatoes says, “The Good Doctor‘s heavy-handed bedside manner undermines a solid lead performance, but under all the emotionally manipulative gimmickry, there’s still plenty of room to improve.”
The Series Is Following The Lead Of Other Medical Dramas
One thing a lot of medical dramas have in common is the departure of main cast members. As it turns out, The Good Doctor is no different. The first main character to leave was Chuku Modu’s character Dr. Jared Kalu and the second was Beau Garrett’s Jessica Preston, the hospital lawyer.
It was recently announced in 2021 that Antonia Thomas was going to be leaving the series after four seasons as Dr. Claire Browne.
Dr. Glassman And Debbi Are Real-Life Husband And Wife
The character of Dr. Glassman might be known for mentoring Dr. Shaun Murphy. Still, there was something else that piqued fans’ interest about the former hospital president — his relationship with Debbie Wexler, the hospital barista.
