The Good Doctor’s Season 3 finale shook the series (literally) with an earthquake that caused significant damage to the San Jose area. While many characters’ lives were placed in danger, it was Dr. Neil Melendez who met an untimely death. A central player since Season 1, Dr. Melendez was a surgeon who worked alongside Dr. Shaun Murphy at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.
After being struck by earthquake rubble, Melendez sustained internal organ damage, which led to his death. That, of course, meant the character’s actor, Nicholas Gonzalez, also exited the ABC medical drama. Fortunately, unlike some departures in other dramas, this was a mutual decision made by the actor and producers. In a 2020 interview with TVLine, Gonzalez said he felt he was “leaving The Good Doctor at a really great place.”
Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on September 9, 2024: The Good Doctor has officially come to an end, but its fans still love the series and its cast. However, not every main character survived throughout the entire series. Nicholas Gonzalez’s Dr. Neil Melendez was killed off in the show’s third season — but that wasn’t the last that viewers saw of him. This article has been updated to include more information about Dr. Melendez’s death and to adhere to CBR’s current formatting guidelines.
Who Was Dr. Melendez On The Good Doctor?
A Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr. Melendez Was Introduced In The Good Doctor’s First Episode
Dr. Neil Melendez was introduced in Season 1, Episode 1, “Burnt Food” as an attending cardiothoracic surgeon who initially had a low opinion of Shaun. Melendez had worries about Shaun’s abilities as a surgeon since he had autism, but he eventually grew to respect Shaun when they worked together more. Melendez saw the potential in Shaun and became his biggest advocate whenever patients or parents of patients would show disapproval of Shaun.
During his time on the show, Melendez had a few romantic relationships. His first was with Beau Garrett’s Jessica Preston, a member of the hospital board and the founder’s granddaughter. However, the two had opposing views on having children: Melendez wanted kids, but Jessica didn’t. The differences in opinion led to a breakup, which Melendez was heartbroken over. He then moved on to fellow doctor Dr. Audrey Lim, played by Christina Chang, which led to some pretty unprofessional encounters — including kissing in the emergency room. When she became Chief of Surgery, however, their relationship was challenged by human resources, making their eventual breakup predictable. Dr. Melendez’s last love interest before his death was Antonia Thomas’s Claire Browne, a surgical resident whom he was mentoring.
In the Season 3 finale of The Good Doctor, an earthquake shook the city of San Jose. At first, Melendez seemed unharmed and brushed off the event. But then he passed out and woke up in an ambulance, where Claire and Lim learned that he had major internal injuries that were threatening his life. Melendez was able to say his goodbyes to his fellow doctors and professed his love for Claire before he died in the hospital.
Why Did Dr. Melendez Leave The Good Doctor?
Melendez Died As A Result of Internal Injuries After An Earthquake
The Good Doctor creator David Shore elaborated on why he decided to move forward with Dr. Melendez’s death, claiming it was nothing personal. “We wanted to lose a character that we would feel something about, and feel pain about,” Shore told Deadline, “and certainly, he’s a character that so many of them have been in touch with.” And Dr. Melendez’s death was certainly impactful. His was one of the biggest deaths in the entire series, which ran for another four seasons after Gonzalez’s departure.
In previous seasons, Dr. Melendez had developed deep relationships with many of the other main characters of the series. In fact, he had just broken up with Dr. Lim and only recently began developing feelings for Dr. Claire Browne when his untimely demise came. In a heartbreaking but touching scene, Melendez and Browne confess their love for each other in some of his final moments. Because the doctor was so connected to various characters in The Good Doctor, the creators knew his death would be deeply felt. “I think that would have been largely true for any of our characters,” Shore said, “but it’s particularly true for him.”
Nicholas Gonzalez Returned in Season 4 Of The Good Doctor
Dr. Melendez Makes A Surprise Return In Season 4, But Only As A Hallucination
Melendez’s death also rocked the audience. Fans were upset that one of the show’s beloved characters was suddenly killed off, especially before he and Claire Browne could begin a real relationship. Even Gonzalez thought Melendez had unfinished work, telling Entertainment Weekly, “Part of me is sad to see a character I respected a lot go, someone I felt that still had a lot more to say, but there wasn’t always that opportunity.” The character did, however, return briefly in Season 4 to give Claire some closure. While she was struggling with the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melendez appeared before her as hallucinations in the first two episodes of the fourth season. He was there when she needed him the most at that moment, but disappeared once she accepted that she couldn’t stay stuck in the past forever.
While no one likes to see a character die, crises like this are what make series like The Good Doctor so compelling. Melendez’s influence on San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital will always be felt. For a long time, many believed that Gonzalez could return as Melendez in some form, given that he returned briefly in Season 4 as a vision to Claire. But everyone’s favorite surgeon never came back before the series finale, unfortunately. Still, his memory lived on and remained a profound figure in the lives of those who knew him.
Does Dr. Neil Melendez Return In The Series Finale?
The Good Doctor’s Series Finale Is Missing One Of Its Key Characters
The series finale of The Good Doctor premiered on ABC on May 21, 2024. After seven seasons, The Good Doctor finally came to an end in 2024. The procedural drama series came to a bittersweet conclusion, as Dr. Aaron Glassman, the president of St. Bonaventure Hospital and Shaun Murphy’s personal mentor, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The finale follows Shaun as he deals with Glassman’s diagnosis, eventually coming to peace with the fact that he will eventually lose the man who was most like a father to him. The finale eventually flashes forward ten years, showing where each of the doctors of St. Bonaventure ends up, including Shaun, who has become a respected and well-accomplished doctor despite facing many challenges in doing so. It is a worthwhile finale for viewers who have stuck with the show for seven years, bringing each of its character’s arcs to a satisfying conclusion. Even with a sad goodbye to Dr. Glassman, the other characters all seem to have happy endings.
Unfortunately for fans of Dr. Neil Melendez, the beloved character does not make an appearance in the finale. Dr. Melendez could have returned in a flashback or even once more as a hallucination, but does not. The episode chooses instead to focus on the cast members who remained with the series until the very end. While this decision may have disappointed fans who had hoped to see some of their old favorites return, it is perhaps best that The Good Doctor chooses to leave Dr. Melendez’s story as it was.
Nicholas Gonzalez’s Filmography Outside The Good Doctor
Nicholas Gonzalez Has Had A Varied Career Over The Years
Nicholas Gonzalez was already a pretty well-known actor on television before his stint on The Good Doctor. He had both recurring and main roles on various shows: Resurrection Blvd., The O.C., Mental, Melrose Place, Off the Map, Sleepy Hollow, and more. Just before The Good Doctor began in 2017, he also had recurring roles on Pretty Little Liars as Detective Marco Furey and How to Get Away With Murder as Dominic. In most of these series, he portrayed a detective or police officer, so it was nice to see him put on a different uniform on The Good Doctor.
Nicholas Gonzalaz’s Selected Filmography
Resurrection Blvd. (2000-2002)
The O.C. (2004-2005)
Mental (2009)
Melrose Place (2009-2010)
Off the Map (2011)
Sleepy Hollow (2013-2014)
Jane the Virgin (2015-2016)
The Flash (2015-2016)
Bordertown (2016)
Pretty Little Liars (2016-2017)
How to Get Away With Murder (2017)
Being Mary Jane (2017-2019)
The Good Doctor (2017-2020)
La Brea (2021-2024
After leaving The Good Doctor in 2020, Gonzalez landed a main role on the NBC science fiction drama La Brea, where he played a United States Air Force pilot and an old friend of the Harris family. The series ended in 2024 after three seasons, which hopefully means Gonzalez will grace the screen again. Now that The Good Doctor has ended, fans will be scrambling to watch everything with their beloved doctors. If Gonzalez is looking for a new role as a surgeon, there’s always Grey’s Anatomy to resort to.
