Autism gives Shaun the ability to focus entirely on one thing. He doesn’t let go of an idea once he gets it, no matter what anyone else thinks.
That can be a double-edged sword. When he’s focused on a medical problem, he keeps going until he finds an unorthodox solution that saves lives.
But on The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 13, Shaun hyperfocused on the idea that he and Lea would grow apart after the baby’s birth and that obsession wasn’t good for anyone.
Shaun overgeneralized, as he tends to do, after witnessing a young patient’s parents arguing about each other’s choices.his min
Who knows how much Victor and Shelley love each other? I know that you and Lea do a lot. And that’s all that matters, at least according to the Hallmark Channel.
Asher
Asher was right that Shaun and Lea aren’t carbon copies of VIctor and Shelley, but that didn’t stop Shaun from being anxious about what the future held. He spent most of the hour annoying Lea when she had more urgent things to focus on; he’s lucky he didn’t create a self-fulfilling prophecy with all that anxiety!
Ricky’s case was interesting in its own right, but it played second fiddle to Shaun’s fears about his relationship with Lea. Each new development in Ricky’s prognosis seemed to trigger an argument between Victor and Shelley, which then triggered anxiety for Shaun. Rinse and repeat all hour long.
The best way to deal with Shaun in these instances is to appeal to his understanding of science. His case study of one couple wasn’t enough to make any predictions about how parenting affected marriage.
Shaun: Did you love Elana?
Glassman: Did I love Elana? Of course I did.
Shaun: And did you love Debbie?
Glassman: Shaun, where is this going?
Shaun: You loved Elana and Debbie and that wasn’t enough. How will I know that love is enough for me and Lea?
That’s why Shaun quizzed Glassman about Glassman’s feelings for his exes. He was trying to open a conversation about what makes love enough or not enough to sustain a marriage.
Of course, Shaun’s methodology was flawed and only reinforced his fears.
Glassman has the always-gaping wound of losing a child with whom he didn’t have a great relationship. That haunts Glassman to this day — that’s why he was digging through rubble instead of going to work — and undoubtedly contributed to his relationship failures.
Shaun and Lea have their own stuff that will influence them for better or worse, but hopefully, they will never have to deal with that painful experience!
Shaun also failed to notice that as much as Victor and Shelley fought, they were there for each other when the chips were down. When Shaun and Asher recommended brain surgery, Victor made the decision that Shelley couldn’t, and she was grateful for it.
That was more important than all the arguments they had. Some couples argue a lot, only to come back together during moments of crisis. Shaun needs to understand that conflict doesn’t mean the relationship is over.
He should know that after all the arguments he and Lea have had over the years, but he could use a reminder.
On the other end of the hospital, two people who should call it quits went back to sniping at each other.
Morgan’s transformation into an empathetic, non-annoying human was nice while it lasted; she was back to being negative, whiny, and supercilious. The obnoxious banter between her and Park was back, too.
Morgan called Park into her office and then seemed annoyed he was there. We never found out what she wanted, only that she was behind on her work and aggravated that he noticed.
Park managed to convince her by the end of the hour not to think the worst of everybody, so there’s that. But this was an unnecessarily irritating story.
Couldn’t Morgan’s job woes have stayed off-screen for once so that we could devote that time to something less aggravating?
Lim’s story was heartbreaking, but I knew there’d be a miracle at the end. It’s not The Good Doctor’s style to have depressing stories where patients die moments before new organs become viable.
As soon as the girl’s mother refused intubation, I knew the miracle was coming right after the commercial.
Not that I’m complaining. While a tragic ending might have been powerful, I’d rather have the feel-good story.
I felt bad for Lim when she said that she felt like she was failing her patient. But Jordan missed the obvious answer.
The girl survived for ten years when Lim didn’t think she’d make it through the night the first time she saw her. She was tough and had beaten the odds once, so there was reason to believe she’d do it again.
Roses’ Mom: We can save the rest for later.
Roses: There is no later. Where is Dr. L?
It seemed like the patient gained hope from learning that Lim hadn’t given up on the lungs. Lim needed to know that. She also required that reminder that this girl was a fighter.
Jordan could have given all that to her, but she didn’t argue when Lim said she didn’t want to fail her patient. Maybe she didn’t know what to say. But it felt like someone should have pointed out how tough this patient was.
What did you think, Good Doctor fanatics? Were you satisfied with Lim’s last-minute miracle and how Shaun, Lea, and Glassman’s story ended? Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know!
The Good Doctor doesn’t return until February 27, but you can watch The Good Doctor online anytime.
The Good Doctor airs on ABC on Mondays at 10 PM EST / PST.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.