“The Good Doctor” has taken faithful fans and Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) on a jaunting arc over the past four weeks. Since Lea (Paige Spara) disclosed that her “crazy” behavior could be credited to pregnancy, Shaun is taking baby steps through the emotional journey from detachment from a fetus to feeling bonded to his unborn child. This week's April 19 Episode 14 of Season 4, “Gender Reveal” goes a leap further, as the father-to-be learns from patients, his peers, and his own mistakes that females face tough choices from birth, simply by being.
The wait took four long weeks for fans, but the secret is out. TV Fanatic and TVLine per MSN present different perspectives on the episode in April 19 features, but one way or another, parenthood is becoming a reality.
Early morning news starts 'The Good Doctor'
Lea is overjoyed when word comes across her phone that their baby's gender is known. “The Good Doctor” himself sees no reason to become elated, noting that “there are only two possibilities” in this revelation, and “I'm fine with either one,” he reassures. Nonetheless, when Lea implores him to stand with her (please!) to see the results together, he complies.
“It's a girl,” mommy announces in tears of joy. “The Good Doctor” cracks one of those slight, giveaway smiles upon the official word.
Showers of kisses help send the surgeon off to a better day of work. After mixed feelings on the Shaun-Lea connection and its staying power, it's nice to see the maturity and genuine bonding coming through in this character. There are moments when she proves that she can be a soulmate.
Breasts and hips go both ways on 'The Good Doctor'
Dr. Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann) wonders why Dr. Wolke (Noah Galvin) is so enamored with the patient and bay 3. Everything becomes clear when the resident introduces the striking young man with a breast contusion as MMA fighter, Bradley Vargas (Farley Jackson). Asher Wolke clearly has a full-on fan-crush for Vargas, who laps up the attention like crazy.
He's not so fond of needles, though, and balks at the prospect of draining the hematoma, especially in a place where everyone can see in the ER of “The Good Doctor.”
At the same time, Bradley is more concerned about fans or his endorsers finding out he has breast implants, “The Good Doctor” takes on a patient, Jean (Diane Farr) used to keeping her pain a secret and trying 10,000 times harder in her profession. She refers to a joke about her wide hips in reference to the cockpit as a pilot and defers Dr. Murphy's praise about being brave. She is scheduled for a speedy recovery after hip surgery, but when her blood pressure crashes during the procedure, the team immediately investigates. Initially, the issue is attributed to a reaction to anesthesia, but after passing out and falling on her first attempt at steps with a walker, everyone takes a deeper dive.
Roan Curtis offers a memorable portrayal as Jean’s daughter. At the same time that her mother provided such a lofty example of female accomplishment, the sacrifice for the profession over family comes through in every view of her face. She yearns for her mother to allow herself to be human-- to accept caregiving over not always forging ahead.
Speaking of strong examples, Morgan lays down her own ultimatum to Alex Park (Will Yun Lee). Despite their delight in intimacy with one another, she makes a mountain out of the molehill of becoming a “charging station” for her companion. She insists that he needs to see other women. The trouble is, of course, that she wants to be in charge of who he selects.
She hacks into his dating apps and alters his photos. Dr. Reznick has a human side, and the ability to find empathy. Those qualities seem to only show up when she's looking at another someone say goodbye. It's sad that someone is real and direct Park can't break her access pass. If the path isn't over for this pair on “The Good Doctor,” but no one throws a roadblock like Morgan.
Dr. Andrews (Hill Harper) throws out some truth of his own in the OR, relating how men handle the curveballs of life so differently than women. He asks Park how he dealt with the dissolution of his marriage. He applauds Dr. Wolke’s coming out as braver than any cage fight. Dr. Lim chimes in that her decision to delay family came by “lots of little choices” that gradually took the option from her.
“The Good Doctor” consistently lifts the cleansing power of honesty and the acceptance of flawed humanity more deftly than most TV Shows.
To doula or not to doula for ‘The Good Doctor’
Shaun is determined to be all that Lea needs, but after being kicked out of child birthing classes due to his diagnostically-based retorts in classes (not to mention his dreadful back massages), he visits Dr. Glassman (Richard Schiff). As ever, Glassman gets right to the point, asking “Why can't you just give her what she needs?” By the way, the answer is not in a box of “birthing equipment.” Nonetheless, “The Good Doctor” can’t answer the question.
Lea stands firm, declaring that she wants her birthing experience, her labor, and her delivery.
She insists on a doula and pleads with Shaun to concur. “The Good Doctor” does nothing without thorough research, however. He rapidly learns that interviews during the latter stages of labor are never well-received, and relents on the support of a doula. “It's okay that I'm bad at back massages-- she can handle that,” he declares. His aversion to washcloths and microbes is off the table, too.
To his credit, Bradley boldly comes to terms with his breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, even posting his journey on social media. It's a different story for Jean, whose symptoms of Parkinson's disease have long been passed over by her doctors. Dr. Murphy has a shining, superb moment in a confrontation with one such doctor, right in his office.
Dutifully, “The Good Doctor” details numerous symptoms suffered by Jean. The doctor dismissed the issues as simply being part of menopause or stress involving forced retirement. In a powerful scene, her daughter embraces Jean in her hospital bed. Whatever comes in the future, both these strong women will face it together.
“My daughter is never coming to see you,” Freddie Highmore delivers passionately as “The Good Doctor.”
Shaun earnestly explains to Lea that he wants their daughter to have the chance for everything she wants. He gazes into her eyes when he says he understands how the world is harder for women, and he doesn't know how to change that. “The Good Doctor” knows about loss, trauma, abuse, and discrimination.
He doesn't know about those experiences from a feminine perspective, or how opportunities can be taken by degrees, even in today's world. He will see a fresh view in his little girl’s journey. It will change him forever.
“By being an amazing dad,” she replies. “By letting her know she's loved and supported, we’ll raise her to be strong.”
“Like you,” “The Good Doctor” lovingly completes her thought. The doula session is ready to start.
Be prepared for the drama to escalate next week on “The Good Doctor,” as an episode centering on the shooting with young boys grips fans.
