The Good Doctor officially ended with the final episode airing in May 2024, with an incredible run over seven seasons. The Good Doctor first aired on ABC in 2017. The show was adapted from a South Korean series which used the same name and followed a similar storyline about a doctor with autism who possesses an incredible aptitude and insight into medical matters. For an American audience, the series was relocated to the US, and adapted by popular TV writer, David Shore.
While the original show in South Korea ran for a total of 20 episodes, the American version saw great success early on, leading to the show being renewed again and again. After seven seasons and 126 episodes, it’s worth looking back and determining where each season ranked in terms of quality. From humble beginnings as Dr. Shaun Murphy attempted to settle into life at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital, to the emotional finale which saw the pieces of his life finally falling into place.
7. Season 6
Shaun Becomes A Resident And Lea Gives Birth To Steve
Beginning with the least well-received season of the pack, by the time the show had reached its sixth season, it suffered the same as many other shows which see a huge ratings drop off over time. The Good Doctor season 6 saw Shaun’s life undergo some pretty significant changes. Between his new role as a resident at the hospital, and Lea becoming pregnant once again, there is a fair amount of drama and conflict to dig into within the season. However, season 6 also has most of the original cast missing from the show.
Shaun’s best friend, Claire Brown, is missing. Neil died at the end of season 3 and is thus missing here, and the show just feels like it loses some of the spark that made it so compelling to start with. Of course, actors come and go, and TV shows have to find clever ways to work around this and explore new narratives with new characters, but the relationships formed by Shaun are central to the story, and season 6 leaning so much into needing to establish new relationships ended up feeling tired and repetitive.
6. Season 4
Not The Good Doctor’s Best Season But Great For Shaun And Lea’s Relationship
The Good Doctor season 4 is a big step up in terms of quality and storytelling from season 6. While Shaun and Lea have flirted with the idea of a relationship for much of the show, they finally commit to one another and begin to explore a relationship. At the same time, the pandemic sweeps over the world, and forces them apart. Outside of Shaun’s love life, work has never been more stressful and complicated, as the hospital suffers from a cyberattack. However, while the drama is high, the stakes do not feel like they accurately reflect it.
With some other medical dramas, either the procedural stories need to be independently compelling week to week, or major plot moments should change the dynamics by the time a show gets to its fourth season. The Good Doctor does manage to effectively do this to some degree, but the series is definitely beginning to lose some of the luster that made it stand out over the first three seasons. Fortunately, the cast and crew are fantastic and dynamic to such a degree that it makes up for struggling and stalling story ideas.
5. Season 5
Shaun And Lea Finally Get Married In The Good Doctor
While The Good Doctor season 5 did see some characters take a step back from roles on the show, with Claire appearing in a reduced capacity and others leaving, there was a positive shift to focusing on some of the remaining characters, like Lim, Reznick and Park. Shaun and Lea get engaged, and the season is generally more fun and upbeat than some of the others. Season 5 ends with Shaun and Lea getting married, which is hugely satisfying after so many seasons building toward their relationship.
This season also features prominent moments for Dr. Glassman, who is Shaun’s advocate and mentor at the hospital. Part way through the season, Glassman is visited by his ex-wife, and this creates even more conflict that keeps him occupied and unable to aid Shaun as he deals with his own struggles. It can feel repetitive in places, with some of the older dynamics simply being recycled here rather than progressing, with even Shaun and Lea having a brief conflict and breakup, before resolving their issues once again.
4. Season 7
The Good Doctor Ended With A Satisfying Finale
The final season of The Good Doctor was a mixed bag in terms of content, but it did have some incredibly bright spots that earned it a ranking above the previous three seasons. Much of the season explores dangerous complications for major characters from the show, such as Dr. Glassman and Claire Browne. And while it is great to have Claire back for a guest role, the situation makes it hard to celebrate the moment as it appears she is being brought in more for a shock factor than a proper reunion. However, the final episode is largely a triumph.
Getting the ending right can be a monumental struggle for most TV shows as they try to strike a balance between saying goodbye to characters, giving them a satisfying ending, and being authentic to everything that came before. The Good Doctor masterfully utilizes a time jump to provide a satisfying resolution, in a way that doesn’t need to explicitly confirm all the details, and still delivers a measured ending to the story. While it does have its low moments, the final season has more highs than lows by far, and thus feels like the best season of the show in recent years.
3. Season 3
Tragic Plots And Wild Storylines Make This A Standout Season Of The Good Doctor
However, The Good Doctor was peaking in popularity during the first three seasons, with each new chapter exploring the character of Shaun Murphy and his colleagues. In season 3, Shaun is still facing an uphill climb in trying to prove his value as a doctor, and his capacity to carry out his duties unhindered. Shaun still suffers from stress in high pressure moments, and he sometimes shuts down, but it feels like a genuine and authentic representation of a character who is desperate to prove himself, but struggles with many day to day tasks.
In addition, season 3 sees Shaun start to date, trying to pursue a life outside his medical career, and ultimately become more well-rounded as an individual. The series is also intense, with major characters like Melendez suffering from internal bleeding and dying, and Shaun’s own father passing away. The show was still striding forward with new and engaging stories, and it felt like a peak period for the story with most of the major characters who would appear before or after all present. Ultimately, this lands the third season a spot in third place, just behind The Good Doctor season 2.
2. Season 2
The Good Doctor Pushes Its Core Concept In The Right Directions
While second place goes to season 2, the strength of both seasons 2 and 3 are fairly equal. They both create a profound sense of stress and anxiety for Shaun in his daily life, they both see him developing his relationships with his colleagues, and they both see him trying to acclimatize and adjust to life outside his comfort zone. Shaun was initially given the job at the hospital thanks to the help of his mentor, Dr. Glassman, but when Glassman receives a cancer diagnosis with essentially a time limit left on his life, it’s a huge change for Shaun.
Being autistic, Shaun does not deal with change at the best of times, and with his job still feeling new, and his relationship with Glassman being the only steady and stable thing in his life, the diagnosis leads to complications for Shaun. He experiences extreme stress, suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, and is largely affected in all aspects of his work. This tension is further heightened as other senior members of staff are wary of Shaun, and looking for reasons to let him go, rather than supporting Glassman’s “experiment” with Shaun working as a surgeon.
1. Season 1
The Good Doctor’s Debut Episodes Are Still The Best
Finally, the number one season of the show is still the first season. The Good Doctor season 1 does a tremendous job introducing Shaun and his condition to the world. While he does have relatively severe autism, he is also extremely proficient at determining what illness’ could effect someone, and extremely creative in how he manages to resolve issues. Shaun is a doctor, and he is gifted, though he lacks some basic social skills that others appear to master with minimal intervention or support. Freddie Highmore, the actor who plays Shaun, is also exceptional in the role, creating a captivating performance.
The Good Doctor season 1 features Shaun working alongside the other new hires, and doing rounds with superiors. Despite people’s assumptions, Shaun proves he is easily the most intelligent in terms of book smart, but his ability to visualize and understand the inner workings of a human being is much more difficult for Shaun to prove to others. When given the opportunity to show what he can do, Shaun excels, and proves he deserves the titular leading role in The Good Doctor.
