The Good Doctor is a show series on Hulu about a young man who lives with Autism and has "extraordinary medical gifts" as Hulu states in the description. This show has been one of my favorites for over a year now. When I need reminded how precious life is, when I need reminded how important it is to accept others, or when I need a good cry- this is my go to. And there are a few reasons why this show is a must watch for everyone.
It teaches about the hardships of living with Autism.
The main character of the show, Shaun Murphy, lives with Autism. He has a brilliant mind and thrives in the medical world, but is challenged daily by the restrictions and diversity of his way of thinking. He struggles with social ques and regular thought processes.
Everyday he struggles to communicate with pears, superiors and patients. His mind works at such a high rate that he does not understand that communicating with patients needs to be done gracefully and diligently. That speaking with patients must be different than that of his colleagues. He also has trouble with regular social manners; such as not interrupting others, understanding that he can be wrong, or understanding normal emotions of himself or those around him.
This show proves how difficult living with Autism can be. People with Autism can be difficult to understand or even handle at some points, but they are worth it. Dr. Murphy's mind is one in a million- his ability to solve and recall medical information is outstanding. But he struggles when handling his emotions. He has to prove that he is able to work under stress and also understand that there is a human life riding on his actions.
But there is one person who stands behind him the entire show. The president of the Hospital has been there for him for years. He encouraged the other doctors to give Shaun a chance, to see past the basic daily struggles he encounters and to see how excellent his medical work truly is. He helps Shaun through regular life processes such as dealing with his apartment tenant, moving in on his own, and understanding that communication is key for him.
If you need a good cry.
I think every episode I cry at least two times. But the good kind of cry- the kind that you get because you are amazed, something was sweet, something was precious and also because some things are sad. The show has it all. If you like medical shows then this is for you. There is constant surgeries and families that are dealing with the emotions of their family and friends going through medical procedures that jerk at my heart strings, constantly.
Then you have the struggles of Shaun trying to communicate with others. There are many times, especially in the beginning, whenever his peers and superiors are mean to him. They can not seem to wrap their mind around the fact that 1) Shaun is extremely smart and 2) that he thinks differently than others, most times faster and smarter than those surrounding him.
And as the show progresses you see a change in heart in most of Shaun's peers. They begin to give him a chance and understand his mind. They see how talented he is and begin working with him the same as others. It is precious the way they begin learning about his condition and accepting who he is.
It teaches you to be accepting of other people.
The show makes you understand that people with disabilities or troubles are capable of everything you are. Shaun is able to compete with the best of the best in the medical field.
It also makes you realize that your troubles are smaller than you believe. Others are going through so much more than you are- do not get me wrong, it is okay to focus on your own troubles and not take them lightly. But it is a good idea to remember whenever you get overwhelmed or start feel like it is unfair, others have it harder.
You have to understand that others are going through live with struggles that we may not understand or even have knowledge of. Accepting people who are different than us not only opens our heart, it opens our mind. And this show does an amazing job at depicting that.
This show is an emotion packed, Autism awareness, precious series that is one of my all time favorites. If you want something that will pull at your heart strings and make you smile while you cry, watch The Good Doctor.
