Why was The Good Doctor canceled?
As Deadline reported in January 2024, The Good Doctor is ending following its upcoming seventh season.
“Thanks to David Shore and Liz Friedman’s creative direction and anchored by Freddie Highmore’s performance, The Good Doctor has captivated audiences, who have deeply connected with Dr. Shaun Murphy and the staff at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group.
“As we prepare to finish this beloved story, words cannot express our gratitude for the incredible cast, crew and our partners at Sony and ABC Signature for the lasting impact they’ve made,” he continued, per the outlet.
According to Forbes, although the TV show did well, executive producers and showrunners David Shore and Liz Feldman, and executive producer Erin Gunn, felt that it was “time to say goodbye.”
“We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and the message we’ve been privileged to be a part of,” they said in a statement, per the outlet.
“We look forward to giving our fantastic fans, the truly extraordinary Freddie Highmore, the rest of our talented actors (and friends), and the best crew in the business the series ending that you all deserve. Thank you, Sony; thank you, ABC; thank you all.”
When will the last season of The Good Doctor premiere?
The seventh and final season of The Good Doctor will premiere on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, on ABC and will also be available for streaming on Hulu.
“A surgeon with autism and savant syndrome uses his extraordinary gifts to save lives and challenge skepticism,” the show’s ABC description states.
Per Deadline, the hit series ranked as the number one entertainment series in the 10 p.m. hour during season 6 among adults 18-49.
After six seasons in the Monday 10 pm slot, the show will air on Tuesdays at 10 pm for season 7.
What has Freddie Highmore said about the show ending?
Freddie Highmore — who stars as Dr. Shaun Murphy in the series — shared his thoughts on its conclusion.
“Playing Dr. Shaun Murphy has been an immense privilege and one of the most remarkable and rewarding experiences of my life,” he said, per Deadline.
“I will always be grateful to David, Liz, and Erin as well as the hugely talented – and lovely – cast, writers, and crew who made this show possible. Caring deeply is what got us here.
“Thank you to Sony and ABC, and to everyone who has watched along at home. With love from Vancouver… tequila, stat!”
Will there be a spinoff of The Good Doctor?
There will not be a spinoff of The Good Doctor.
As Deadline reported, ABC decided not to continue with its planned legal spinoff, The Good Lawyer, which aired its backdoor pilot during the spring of 2023.
Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the hold period “was extended for the duration of the work stoppage,” leaving ABC with another month to decide the fate of The Good Lawyer.
The network had planned to debut the series during the spring of 2024 “as the broadcasting networks are running out of shelf space as they try to accom[m]odate all of their popular returning scripted series,” according to Deadline.
