The Good Doctor showrunners David Shore and Liz Friedman reveal the name of Shaun’s daughter, who makes her first appearance in the series finale of the show. The final episode of The Good Doctor season 7 jumps forward ahead several years, focusing on Shaun giving a TED Talk while many core characters from the series sit in the crowd. This includes his wife Lea, their son Steve, and a young daughter who goes unnamed during the final episode.
Speaking with TVLine, Shore and Friedman revealed Shaun’s daughter in The Good Doctor is named Maddie, after Dr. Glassman’s deceased daughter. The showrunners joked about how Lea doesn’t get a chance to name the kids, but the name highlights the focus of the final episode. Check out what Shore and Friedman had to say below:
Liz Friedman: It’s Maddie.
David Shore: It’s never mentioned. It’s in the script that it’s Maddie, but it’s never said out loud. Freddie and I were joking about that because Freddie [Highmore] was going, doesn’t Leah get to name any of the children? [ Laughs ]
How The Name Of Shaun’s Daughter Brings The Good Doctor Full Circle
It All Comes Back To Dr. Glassman
Dr. Glassman’s daughter Maddie died prior to the events of the series, passing due to an overdose that caused her parents to divorce one another. It’s part of the reason why the doctor became so close with Shaun, seeing him as a son from the time he was just a teenager. Glassman’s role in The Good Doctor cast was always a vital part of the series, up until the point he died of brain cancer in the series finale. However, the memory of his family now lives on in the protagonist’s daughter.
By naming his daughter Maddie, Shaun brings the medical drama full circle, allowing the memory of his closest mentor to live on long after his death. Not only does it illustrate just how much Dr. Glassman helped him shape his medical career, but it also shows how he was vital in giving the main character a chance to raise a family of his own. Given how close the two of them were, it’s clear Shaun’s career will continue to evolve thanks to the support of his mentor and everything he meant to him.
While the story of his trajectory in the medical field ends here, Maddie’s presence ends the show on a hopeful note for Shaun and his life moving forward. While The Good Doctor won’t get a chance to reveal how his life proceeds from those final moments, it gives him and his family a happy ending that keeps Dr. Glassman’s memory alive. It’s possible the protagonist’s daughter may even follow in his footsteps, making both him and his mentor proud. Either way, Maddie’s name was the perfect choice to bring the series back to its roots.
Why It Makes Sense For Shaun To Honor Dr. Glassman’s Memory
Dr. Glassman Had A Profound Impact On Shaun’s Medical Career
Just by naming his daughter Maddie, Shaun is able to reveal the depth by which Dr. Glassman impacted his life’s trajectory, reflecting how long the duo knew each other for. The older doctor took the surgeon under his wing when he was just a teenager. He became one of the most vocal proponents of him being allowed to work at St. Bonaventure Hospital, not viewing his autism as a reason to deny his talents. Given Dr. Glassman’s emotional story throughout the show, it makes sense for the duo to have such a strong connection to each other.
While their connection explains why Shaun chose the name he did for his daughter, it also helps pave a new path for him in the medical field. The time jump also reveals he and Claire Browne formed the Dr. Aaron Glassman Foundation for Neurodiversity in Medicine, assisting multiple hospitals and universities around the country. Although Maddie’s name showcases the deeper connection between the surgeon and his mentor, his new foundation further illustrates how connected the pair were, right up to the very end.
How Shaun Can Take On Dr. Glassman’s Mentor RoleShaun Is Already Stepping Into His Shoes
While Maddie’s name reinforces the connection between him and Dr. Glassman, Shaun’s foundation gives him the chance to become a mentor for somebody else. This was touched upon in season 7 with Charlie, an autistic medical student who was shown to be working at the hospital in the flashforward. However, given how young the main character still is by the end, he has plenty of time to mentor even more surgeons. His foundation may just be the start of his transformation into becoming someone else’s Dr. Glassman.
Given the number of wild storylines The Good Doctor has produced, it seems Shaun will be well-equipped to handle training someone else in the medical field. However, much of what he does will no doubt be thanks to everything Dr. Glassman taught him throughout the years. Maddie’s name is just one way he’ll be able to honor his memory, something he’ll likely continue to do for the rest of his life.
