If you're someone like me who has an affinity for binge watching and re-watching your favorite shows on Netflix, you know that frantic feeling you get when you don't immediately have another series in mind once you have finished the show you have been watching all winter break. If you're also like me and love Grey's Anatomy but are looking for something new, ABC has finally answered our wishes and released a life changing, hard-hitting medical series that is bound to change your perspective and surely enhance your already existing infatuation for the world of medicine and doctors.
This series follows in the steps of Dr. Shaun Murphy and his journey working for St. Bonaventure Hospital. While this is a small glimpse into what the storyline is all about, this IS NOT a typical medical series similar to others you have watched, which I am sure you were anticipating. Instead, "Good Doctor" dives deeper into the tagline and highly considers the struggles Dr. Murphy faces when attempting to try and fit in with his other co-workers.
Now, I am sure you are probably wondering "why does he not meet eye to eye with the other surgeons?" What you will soon discover is that Murphy has been diagnosed with autism and savant syndrome. This reality causes the high positioned board members associated with the hospital to strongly question and doubt Murphy’s abilities to effectively contribute to the success of the hospital.
Their skepticism of Dr. Murphy’s inability to properly interact with patients and attribute all necessary characteristics needed to make a good surgeon leads the company to think long and hard about Murphy’s future. However, once Shaun’s heroic duty of saving a little boy’s life in the airport went viral through the media, the company takes Murphy’s offer into higher consideration and eventually offer him the job.
Straying further away from a typical medical series, ABC's “The Good Doctor” does a fine job at reiterating the idea that society cannot judge people and their abilities solely because they are different. If a highly educated, pre-med graduate looking to become a surgeon was applying for the same position, the hospital would not be so hesitant to give him an offer. In fact, they would probably believe that this student was the perfect candidate.
However, while Murphy is very intelligent and has experience in the medical field, his conditions were seen to potentially put him at a deficit, therefore the board members do not hire him right away. This reality goes to show that far too often we undervalue and doubt people that are not exactly the type of person we associate with such a high intensified, serious, and cutthroat job.
With his unique perspective, Murphy soon goes above and beyond the normal guidelines and is not afraid to propose his ideas despite his reputation. His resilience and sixth sense which many of his co-workers fail to perform is achieved through the longing support he receives from Dr. Glassman. The principle of the hospital, Glassman, strived to give Murphy a chance to really show what he is all about. Dr. Glassman’s persistence in standing up for Shaun can give hope to those people with limitations. This interaction is truly what makes this show amazing.
Dr. Glassman’s constant fight to prove Murphy’s potential to succeed strongly demonstrates a positive perspective of what our society views. There are limitations we put on individuals whom society feels are not suitable for certain careers and opportunities because they are unique.
Shifting the stereotypes of a person with autism and destroying the already pre-existing conceptions attributed to autism is something that truly makes this series stand out from the rest. "The Good Doctor" allows the viewer to develop a more open-mind and judgment-free mindest that is anything but limiting.
