The Good Doctor writer Adam Scott Weissman explains why season 7, episode 5, “Who at Peace,” includes such a shocking death. The long-running medical drama’s seventh and final season has primarily been focused on Dr. Sean Murphy’s (Freddie Highmore) experiences with parenthood. It has also further explored Dr. Asher Wolke (Noah Galvin), examining the lingering pain he experiences from his family’s non-acceptance of him and how it has impacted his views on marriage and religion. However, things took a shocking turn when “Who at Peace” killed off one of The Good Doctor’s lead characters.
In an interview with The Wrap, Weissman broke down The Good Doctor season 7’s unexpected choice to have Dr. Wolke killed in a hate crime. Weissman explained that Dr. Wolke’s story came full circle, as his final lines saw him finally accept all components of his identity. He also acknowledged that the show was aware of the “bury your gays” trope, thus relying on input from showrunner Liz Friedman, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, to ensure sensitivity. Check out Weissman’s statement below:
We came into this [episode] with the thought that life doesn’t always have happy endings. Sometimes things happen suddenly and in a tragic way. Oftentimes [these issues] become real when it happens to someone you know, or someone we love on TV, so this horrible thing happens that also brings it home for our viewers.
Asher’s final line when he says, ‘I’m not just a Jew, I’m a gay one too.’ Those were two identities that prior to that he hadn’t been able to reconcile. He felt like he had to choose, which is what he is sort of going through in this episode. Him being able to come to that conclusion that I can be both of these two things was super important to us.
It’s a sad note, but it’s also a high note in that it’s a heroic moment for him where he embraces all sides of his identity, and does it to protect someone else and to protect the sacred space.
What Dr. Asher Wolke’s Death Means for The Good Doctor
Dr. Wolke’s death in The Good Doctor will have an impact on the remainder of season 7. The surgical resident first made his debut in season 4 as a recurring character. However, Dr. Wolke quickly became a staple of the show and was upgraded to leading character status by season 5. He has quite a painful backstory, as his family did not accept him leaving to study medicine, becoming an atheist, and coming out as a gay man. Their non-acceptance led to him swearing off anything remotely connected to his Jewish identity.
However, The Good Doctor also added hope and positivity to his story, including following his reconciliation with his family and the progress in his relationship with nurse Jerome Martel (Giacomo Baessato). Asher became one of the show’s sole main LGBTQ+ characters, and his story gave important representation to individuals who have struggled to find acceptance in religious communities. His absence would have been felt no matter what, but the final episode made his death even more painful by revealing he had finally found peace and was moments away from getting engaged to Jerome.
The trailer for Good Doctor season 7, episode 6 confirms that it will include Asher’s funeral and explore how the other characters cope with his passing. However, the show must prove that the death was necessary to avoid accusations of following a harmful trope. It does have the opportunity to share an important message about the reality of hate crimes impacting the Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities. Still, The Good Doctor only has five episodes left to address the situation and must carefully balance closing out the entire series while justifying this heartbreaking plot twist.
