For several reasons, The Good Doctor’s long-anticipated series finale wrapped the series up perfectly. The Freddie Highmore-led series changed the television landscape for autistic characters by depicting autism differently. The Good Doctor was confirmed as ending after season 7, leading to speculation about how it would wrap up. The Good Doctor season 7 trailer promised heartbreaking final episodes, and the series made good on that promise. Halfway through the final season, medical resident Asher Wolke was murdered in a hate crime, and several episodes were devoted to the characters’ grief over his passing. Dr. Glassman also revealed in the penultimate episode that his brain cancer had returned and was terminal, setting up an emotional final storyline.
Ending The Good Doctor with this heavy storyline was risky, as it could have led to a depressing series finale that left those fans who stuck with the series to the end with a negative final impression, as a segment of the fanbase feels happened with House, which was created and produced by the same people. However, The Good Doctor handled this and other storylines sensitively in preparation for an inspiring and upbeat ending. Here is a list of seven reasons that The Good Doctor’s emotional finale wrapped the show up perfectly.
Shaun’s Grief On The Good Doctor Was Handled Beautifully
The Good Doctor learned from the mistake it made during “Frontline,” which depicted the beginning of the COVID pandemic in such realistic and graphic detail that a segment of the fanbase was too uncomfortable to watch the entire episode. Cancer stories are even harder to depict sensitively because the end stages of the disease are horribly painful. However, The Good Doctor did not include any on-screen depictions of Glassman’s final days. Instead, the series wisely focused on Shaun’s difficulties in accepting Glassman’s terminal prognosis.
This focus allowed Shaun to go through all the stages of grief and to ultimately be able to honor what Glassman meant to him and to the world. Shaun refused to accept that no treatment could prolong Glassman’s life and lashed out in anger that Glassman wouldn’t accept experimental treatment, but eventually forgave Glassman for surrendering to his disease and honored his memory by creating the Neurodiversity in Medicine Foundation. This grief mirrored what a segment of the audience was feeling as it became increasingly clear that there would be no miracle cure during the wrap-up.
Morgan’s Goodbye Scene With Glassman Humanized Her
Morgan’s goodbye with Glassman was one of the most emotional moments of the series finale. Glassman offered Morgan any of his possessions, but she simply asked for a paper clip. This odd choice turned out to be symbolic of her memory of how Glassman had helped her when she was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and he helped her feel less overwhelmed.
This poignant moment was perfect for multiple reasons. Morgan’s rheumatoid arthritis storyline was one of her best stories in earlier seasons, as her condition forced her to give up surgery. Bringing the memory up now reinforced the idea that Glassman touched everyone’s lives at the hospital and was also a reminder of Morgan’s more human side. Morgan often comes across as sarcastic and selfish, but allowing her to show more vulnerability left a more positive impression and was a strong set-up for her happy scene with Park and their daughter in the flash-forward at the end of the episode.
Shaun and Glassman’s Relationship Ended on a Positive Note
Shaun and Glassman had a major rift during The Good Doctor season 6 that took a long time to resolve. Shaun’s concerns about Glassman’s health led to the discovery that Glassman had mini-strokes that made it impossible for him to continue performing surgery. That rift had finally been healed after baby Steve’s birth, but Shaun’s anger at Glassman for not pursuing cancer treatment threatened to tear it wide open again.
Shaun refused to speak to Glassman because Glassman had chosen not to pursue further treatment, and it would have been terrible if he had kept that up until Glassman’s death. However, Shaun and Glassman not only made up, but resolved their relationship in a beautiful way before Glassman’s death. Glassman made one last sacrifice for Shaun when he treated Claire in defiance of the FDA decision and, in return, Shaun took Glassman to the carousel that Maddie had loved as part of spending their last days together, cementing their love for each other before Glassman passed away.
