“The Good Doctor” opened this week's Episode 3 of Season 4, on November 16, with a statement from the leading man, Freddie Highmore, speaking in his natural British accent. The star explained that, in the episode “Newbies,” the world “we hope to return to soon” is depicted. The words from the production convey that “The Good Doctor,” like a contingent of other TV Shows, is moving past its portrayal of pandemic times, and presenting the more typical day at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.

As timing would have it, though, the virus wasn't finished with “The Good Doctor,” so to speak.

Both USA Today and Deadline had November 17 stories hot off the presses, within hours, relating to Richard Schiff’s hospitalization with the virus that the star was confirmed to have on Election Day, November 11.

The actor, who won an Emmy Award for his role as Toby Ziegler on “West Wing,” is “improving every day” undergoing treatments with Remdesiver and oxygen. Debilitating fatigue was the primary symptom for the star. Schiff’s real-life and on-screen wife, Sheila Kelley, actually had a case with much more severe symptoms in late summer. Although he is 65 and considered to be in a vulnerable age group, Richard Schiff is expected to make a full recovery, and production on “The Good Doctor” will continue.

As life moves on in the medical drama, six first-year resident applicants are introduced to viewers. Some are free to be completely themselves, while others don't know quite what to say. In this one, “The Good Doctor” learns that unabridged honesty has consequences.

It's training time for ‘The Good Doctor’

Dr. Audrey Lim (Christina Chang) is a true pro at what she does.

She lets all her seasoned residents know that, with the new candidates, they will be responsible for training. “If you don't train them well, people will die,” she assures. She also plants seeds for one particular candidate as bait, waiting to see who bites, and nearly everyone does. “The Good Doctor” has his own opinions.

Will Hooper (Sam Robert Mulk) is the white bred, privileged, pretty boy of the group, spotted at 4000 miles away by the senior residents.

Dr. Lim keeps dropping his name as “first in his class” and “the one at the top of the list,” pushing her residents to put them through. Dr. Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann) orders him to sit down within seconds of their introduction. Dr. Park (Will Yun Lee) has his own devices for really getting to know the substance of a person. Dr. Murphy remains himself, and lets all the young resident hopefuls offer help for the relationship dilemma he encounters in this saga of “The Good Doctor.”

Jordan Allen (Bria Henderson) comes into the mix with more than attitude. She already has designed a medical tracking device and licensed it in order to pay off her student loans. Well, half of them, anyway. She also has the chutzpah to challenge Dr.

Andrews (Hill Harper) and a patient (Sophia Buclor) who wants her misshapen breasts made normal. Dr. Murphy challenges the supervisor’s admiration, but Andrew stands firm for this newbie,

Broadway star, Noah Galvin joins “The Good Doctor” as perhaps the most interesting candidate in the group of hopefuls. His character, Asher Wolke, abandoned his beliefs as a Hasidic Jew and joined medical school, and started dating men in the same year. His ideological, personal, and professional exchanges could be some of the most interesting of the season.

“The Good Doctor” describes that Olivia Jackson’s (Summer Brown) “answers sound like questions.” Still, she has keen observations and saves her comments for when it matters most.

John Lundberg (Michael Liu) has a short but meaningful stay as a candidate. He proves Dr. Park and Dr. Murphy wrong about a diagnosis, spotting a blockage in the Artery of Percheron in the brain, saving Monica’s (the breast patient) life. John isn't such a fan of the openness or the off-duty happenings at the hospital. He refuses to answer a question from “The Good Doctor.”

Enrique Guerin (Brian Marc) quickly gets the nickname “board shorts” because us the assumption that he was wearing a swimsuit by “The Good Doctor.” He defends that casual attire helps him win over patients and work more comfortably, never mind the dress code. Dr. Murphy does praise that he is “sensitive, like a woman,” and values his counsel.

No matter the eagerness of the new learners, Dr. Murphy digs a hole for himself on a simple lunch date. Life as a teacher is tough.

A lunch date for ‘The Good Doctor’ is a dud

It's Lea’s (Paige Spara) idea to invite the group of starting new candidates over to join her and Shaun during their lunch. She encourages “The Good Doctor” to be cordial, and of course, she knows that his candor will be the main course. It's not surprising that he praises her breasts as being “excellent,” getting a wide-eyed reaction from the crew of potential residents. What doesn't sit so well is that he declares that he copes with her “adenoidal, annoying voice” with noise-canceling headphones.

He tries to explain himself, saying that he meant the faux pas to be a compliment.

Lea is completely unmoved, feeling entitled to her feelings. Shaun seeks counsel from his mentor, Glassman (Richard Schiff), who blatantly tells him that “complete honesty is a risky procedure.” Enrique, “board shorts,” offers the best plan-- not to back away from the honesty, but to make Lea feel secure in the relationship again. “When we do let our guard down, we hope it's with the ones who don't see our faults,” the candidate offers. Humanity still rings true on this newbie story for “The Good Doctor.”

Glassman doesn't have such kind words for Morgan Reznick. She's having great difficulty getting past her opinion that internal medicine is “boring,” and making enemies among the nurses as a result.

Her ally assures her that more such reports will result in a much more negative meeting in the future.

Success means more than surgery on ‘The Good Doctor’

Morgan has a young patient (Samer Salem) who seems in the prime of life. She discovers a tumor engrossing on his heart, requiring immediate surgery. Despite not being able to perform the procedure, Morgan is taking control over every element she can, including arranging the anesthesiologist against Dr. Brown's (Antonia Thomas) objections.

The team determines that the only way for the operation to succeed is to remove the heart, repair it, and put the vital muscle back. Dr. Brown takes the lead, but it is Dr. Lim who insists that only pig bladder tissue can be suitable for the surgery.

Candidate Dr. Asher Wolke retrieves the tissue and gets the opportunity to “scrub in.” One of the tensest moments of “The Good Doctor” comes when Dr. Lim tells Morgan to leave the surgical observation gallery. Morgan confirms to her patient that Dr. Brown “did all the hard part” in his successful procedure. Still, her keen skills found the problem, and that is why internists are essential.

Thanks to candidate Lundberg's discovery of the artery blockage, Monica doesn't die after crashing in the OR during her breast procedure. Dr. Andrews successfully completes the intricate procedure, and the patient wakes up breathing, and with the breasts, she always dreamed of having. Jordan Allen can't find an objection for this satisfied patient.

After Dr. Park throws a drinking get-together to break the ice with the candidates, John Lundberg apparently runs to Dr. Lim to tattle. The candidate decides that San Jose St. Bonaventure is not the hospital he wants, no matter his medical find over “The Good Doctor.” The senior residents are somehow resigned to the fact that they have to choose Hooper as one of the four residents. Only Claire confronts Dr. Lim, saying that “either he kills us or we kill him.” She also questions the chief on the choice of the candidate who doesn't belong.

Dr. Lim completely agrees, revealing that Hooper was only a “test” for “The Good Doctor” and the other senior residents. With a toast, the four future doctors are Asher Wolke, Enrique Guerin, Jordan Allen, and Olivia Jackson.

The interplay and storylines with these new characters are bound to up the game for the entire cast of “The Good Doctor.”

Speaking of “The Good Doctor,” Shaun comes up with a lovely, and still totally honest, confession to mend his rift with Lea. “I don't like your body because it's excellent, I like it because it's yours,” he declares. He follows by telling her that her voice comforts him, “especially after I've had a difficult day.”

The three words of “I love you” come with a welcome hug, as this couple makes their way through a true relationship on “The Good Doctor.” The stresses and lessons together will continue, but honesty with a buffer of love always works best.

Every wish for healing to Richard Schiff and Sheila Kelley. PLEASE wear a mask.
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