Our lives are going to be a little bit empty after we bid farewell to The Good Doctor with its seventh and final season. When the announcement came that the seventh season would serve as the final iteration of the long-running show, the question that fans had on their mind was whether the decision was from ABC or the show’s executive team to end while the applause was still loud. Now we have some answers as the show’s creator, David Shore, explained why the drama series is ending.
On The Good Doctor’s panel at Saturday’s Television Critics Tour, where Collider’s Carly Lane was in attendance, Shore stated that it was a bit of both. “Years ago when I was doing another show, someone asked, ‘do you know how the show is going to end.’ [He said] Yes, I know exactly how this show will end. One day I will get a call from the network,” he revealed.
Since 2017, Dr Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) and his colleagues have been entertaining us with a gripping medical drama, and we have come a long way with Shaun, who is now embarking on a journey to be a good father. Shore admitted his fondness for the character, “There is something about that moment I would want to share with people. I love that character. You want to throw him into any situation and see what he has to say about the rest of us. We always talk about that. When you live with the character as we’ve had, it does make you a better person. I hope so.”
‘The Good Doctor’ Ends on “Its Own Terms”
The Good Doctor follows a young autistic surgeon, Dr Murphy from the small city of Casper, Wyoming, who moves to California to work at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. In the course of the series, we learn about his troubled past back at home as well as marvel at his genius and grit across the episodes. Shaun was relatable for many reasons and the show did a good job of keeping up with his highs and lows, as well as the people around him.
Though he admits, “We’ve been lucky enough to plan the ending we want to do. This has been a weird year. Only doing 10 episodes is unfortunate. [They originally planned for 10]. But being able to go out on your own terms is a blessing.” Added Executive producer Liz Friedman teasing a great ending with cameos, “We get to plan a great finale and do something the fans will love.”
The Good Doctor Season 7 premieres on February 20. You can check out the trailer for the final season below and stay tuned to Collider for updates.
