The Good Doctor will reportedly get a spin-off called The Good Lawyer with a female lead. The ABC medical drama The Good Doctor, which was developed by House creator David Shore, has seen success for five seasons, with season 6 set to premiere on October 3. It follows the staff of a hospital in California and young surgeon Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), who has savant syndrome and is autistic.
According to Deadline, Shore and co-showrunner Liz Friedman are reportedly working on a spinoff of The Good Doctor. Titled The Good Lawyer, it would follow Joni, an eager but anxious 20-something who is a brilliant lawyer and battles OCD, as well as Janet, a seasoned partner at Joni’s firm. Sources say Joni and Janet will appear in The Good Doctor season 6, episode 13, with the hour functioning as a backdoor pilot. The roles of Janet and Joni are said to be in the process of being cast. The Good Lawyer will introduce its characters as Dr. Murphy’s legal team when he finds himself in trouble.
ABC seems to be following a pattern of expanding long-running dramas like The Rookie, with a spinoff of that series set to premiere in Fall 2022. It is smart to introduce The Good Doctor spinoff with a direct relationship to the beloved Dr. Murphy, and it’s intriguing to hear that he will get into some legal trouble. It will also be interesting to explore another brilliant character in the franchise, bringing wider representation but sticking to The Good Doctor’s discussion and portrayal of people living with disabilities.
