As two popular medical dramas, House and The Good Doctor have a few crossover elements, especially when it comes to actors who’ve played characters on each show. Both House and The Good Doctor have a set of ensemble characters that balance off one another and play to the overall tone of the series. House is more often than not carried by a slight sense of nihilism and drama, whereas The Good Doctor contains the drama expected of a medical series, but is much more hopeful and lighthearted. Another area where the two series differ is in their lead characters.
Taking responsibility for the series’ heavier tone, House is led by the cynical Dr. Gregory House. He often made things difficult for his colleagues, yet audiences still found a way to love him. By contrast, The Good Doctor’s protagonist is Dr. Shaun Murphy, one of the smartest characters in The Good Doctor. Though he can be blunt at times, he’s able to connect with his colleagues and more easily create friendships compared to Dr. House. Despite the series’ differences, many actors who appeared in House made their way to The Good Doctor, in both minor and major roles.
Peter Jacobson
Dr. Chris Taub (House) / Sal Zacharia (The Good Doctor)
Peter Jacobson joined the House ensemble during season four, portraying Dr. Chris Taub. At work, Chris is persistent when he believes he is right and this is especially true in his relationship with Dr. Gregory House. House is a cynical character that’s hard to break through, but Chris readily challenges him. This persistent behavior is also seen in his character in The Good Doctor, Sal Zacharia. Jacobson convincingly portrays Sal’s desperation for a high-risk operation. Despite the caution exhibited by the doctors, Sal’s personal life is complicated and he doesn’t feel he has much to lose.
Gonzalo Menendez
Stuart (House) / Armando Benitez (The Good Doctor)
Gonzalo Menendez plays similar characters in House and The Good Doctor, both of which play a small, yet crucial role in the life of medical patients. In House, Menendez is Stuart, a man who discovers his neighbor, Frankie, is in terrible condition and needs medical help, later giving key information to the doctors about Frankie. Menendez’s character in The Good Doctor has a closer connection to a patient, Santiago, in need of a kidney transplant. Menendez’s character, Armando, is Santiago’s brother and is a perfect match, so he donates his kidney and becomes closer to his brother in the process.
Julie Warner
Margo Dalton (House) / Pam Dilallo (The Good Doctor)
In each series, Julie Warner’s characters provide two differing issues for each of the series’ leads. For Dr. House, Margo Dalton is his patient who provides false information to the staff, making her diagnosis all the more difficult. The issue for Shaun in The Good Doctor falls on a personal level as Pam Dilallo is the mother of his girlfriend, and eventual wife, Lea. When introduced, Pam has a complicated relationship with Lea and has difficulty accepting her daughter’s relationship. Though Warner only appeared in two episodes of The Good Doctor, her minor role helped in shaping Lea’s backstory.
David Marciano
Murphy (House) / Joe (The Good Doctor)
David Marciano played Murphy in House, a board member of the condo where Dr. House has moved in. The episode follows House as he grows skeptical of Murphy’s veteran status, believing he is lying as an excuse for his behavior towards others. However, House’s tune changes, and he eventually helps relieve Murphy’s pain.
He still plays an important part as many of his traits mirror those House has become known for.
Marciano also played Joe in The Good Doctor, who is a patient who becomes paralyzed after a risky surgery. Though Marciano’s role in House is minor, he still plays an important part as many of his traits mirror those House has become known for. In addition to Murphy’s pain resembling the pain from House’s leg injury, the two are also similarly difficult and ill-tempered, and it’s their similarities that make House and Murphy’s interactions entertaining to witness.
Beau Garrett
Valerie (House) / Jessica Preston (The Good Doctor)
Beau Garrett in The Good Doctor plays Jessica Preston, the Vice President of Risk Management and St. Bonaventure Hospital’s attorney. Though she received the job title due to her grandfather being the hospital’s founder, she puts her familial ties to the side to prove her worth. Garrett’s character in House greatly contrasts her role as Jessica, instead playing a medical patient, Valerie, diagnosed with psychopathy. Garrett is easily able to slip into a sly persona needed for the tough patient. Throughout her episode, Valerie is calculating and often challenges the medical staff, particularly Dr. Hadley.
Azura Skye
Irene (House) / Shelly Pavlovic (The Good Doctor)
Irene in House is a patient who suffers from seizures and horrifying hallucinations but is eventually healed of her symptoms. Azura Skye came to The Good Doctor via another route, this time playing the mother of a sick patient. Shelly and Victor Pavlovic are the parents of Ricky, but due to his illness, the two are constantly arguing over the best way to go about raising him.
She does inadvertently help Shaun work through concerns about his relationship with Lea.
Shelly is a minor character, but she does inadvertently help Shaun work through concerns about his relationship with Lea. Shaun realizes a paralleling dynamic in the issues in Shelly and Victor’s relationship and worries a similar matter will tear him and Lea apart. After seeing the disagreements between the Pavlovics, Shaun makes sure he and Lea are on the same page about raising their expecting child.
