20 Things Only True Fans Know About The Good Doctor
One of the most recent examples of a medical drama that has found a devoted following, The Good Doctor seems to have the potential to follow in the footsteps of shows like ER or Grey’s Anatomy. Able to stand out due to the focus on a young autistic surgical resident, Freddie Highmore’s performance as Dr. Shaun Murphy is so impressive that we can’t get enough of it. With all of that in mind, it seems entirely possible that The Good Doctor could remain on the air for many years to come.
As is the case with most shows that have managed to capture lightning in a bottle and become a hit, The Good Doctor easily could have failed if different decisions were made behind the scenes. Of course, only the biggest fans of the series are likely to find out about how the show, as its viewers know it, came to be. For those reasons, it is time to look at this list of details only true fans know about The Good Doctor.
In order for a piece of information to be considered for possible inclusion in this list, it must, first and foremost, relate to The Good Doctor in one way or another. On top of that, something about it needs to be astonishing enough to hold the interest of the series’ fans. Of course, it should be noted that every person’s knowledge base is different, so huge fans may be aware of some things to come.
A Lot of Research Went into the Portrayal of Shaun’s Autism
One of many medical dramas currently on TV the major thing that makes The Good Doctor stand out is that its main character is an autistic surgical resident. With that in mind, everyone who had a hand in bringing Dr. Shaun Murphy to life needed to make sure that they got the portrayal of the way someone with autism’s mind works right.
Speaking about the attempts to do just that, the man who developed The Good Doctor, David Shore, revealed they “saw a lot of documentaries. We consulted with people. We have people on the spectrum who we’re working with.” Shore also said “Savant syndrome is rare, even within the community of people with autism. I think it’s a legitimate question, and we want to make sure that we don’t represent him as being representative in any way.”
It’s Based on a Short-Lived South Korean Series
If anyone thought that it was an original idea to focus a medical drama on an autistic surgical intern, then you are not alone. However, all of those who thought that turned out to be wrong, as this series is a US version of a hit show from South Korea with the same concept.
As for the original version of this show, Good Doctor won a long list of awards and was nominated for many more. On top of that, clearly, it was a big enough success to catch the eye of a US network and a group of producers. Despite all of that, South Korea’s Good Doctor only lasted 20 episodes, and aired from August to October in 2013.
Claire was Cast Before Shaun
One of the biggest problems with the first season of The Good Doctor was the fact that the talented actor Antonia Thomas wasn’t given enough interesting things to do. It was great to see Dr. Claire Brown connecting with patients and dealing with the emotional trauma that can cause but she deserved so much more.
Based on the often skin-deep way her character was portrayed when this show began, it was surprising to learn that Antonio Thomas was the first actor hired to play one of The Good Doctor’s main characters. Hopefully, that means that Claire will be given consistently compelling storylines to take part in before too long.
Freddie Highmore Wrote the Script for the Season 2 Premiere
When Freddie Highmore began working on The Good Doctor it became “all-consuming” for him. Speaking about how deeply he cares about his work with Deadline, Highmore revealed he talked to David Shore about contributing to the show “beyond acting.” That is why he was “involved as a producer from the very beginning.”
Beyond that, he not only wrote season 2’s premiere episode, but also sat in the director’s chair for another one. Speaking about his two new The Good Doctor jobs, Highmore said: “I see it as my role to be as honest as I can as an actor, a writer, and a director on the show.”
Dr. Melendez’s Tattoo is Fake
When Dr. Neil Melendez first appeared on The Good Doctor, it seemed like he was going to be another example of a one-dimensional, highly competitive surgeon character. Thankfully, as the show has progressed and viewers have gotten to see more of him, Melendez has quickly become one of the most fascinating characters this show has to offer. Though highly ambitious, he cares deeply enough about saving his patients that he has done several things that could have left his career in ashes.
When viewers first caught sight of a tattoo peeking out of his scrubs, it seemed so out of character that we wanted to know more. In regards to his elk tattoo, one thing we know for sure is that it is fake and applied to the actor’s body prior to filming.
