Now that its seven seasons have drawn to a close, fans still have questions — for example, is The Good Doctor autistic in real life?
Between this and Young Sheldon ending, it seems like some of the best TV shows of 2024 are all wrapping up at once. Now, fans are bereft there won’t be 0\another season of The Good Doctor.
First airing in 2017, the ABC series follows Shaun, a young doctor, who joins a renowned hospital in California. His colleagues don’t socialize with him, instead using his skills to treat patients and prove himself.
It’s been one of the most binge-worthy TV shows in recent years, but is The Good Doctor autistic in real life?
Is The Good Doctor autistic in real life?
The Good Doctor — actor Freddie Highmore — isn’t autistic in real life, but has confirmed in interviews that he undertook a great deal of research before taking on the role.
Speaking to Variety in 2019, Highmore explained that he felt he had a “moral responsibility” to get character Shaun Murphy’s autism right. “It’s especially important in today’s world to portray different versions of masculinity, not only the stereotypical ones,” he said.
During filming, Highmore also worked with a consultant specializing in forms of autism to assist in the series’ accuracy.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight before the end of Season 7, Highmore added: “I hope, if in some small, tiny, little way, we’ve been able to change perceptions surrounding autism, challenge stereotypes. That would be the thing that I’d be most proud of and that would make it feel, as we’d always hoped it would be, more than just a television show.”
Is Charlie on The Good Doctor autistic?
Cromer’s character — full name Charlene “Charlie” Lukaitis — was brought in during Season 7 as a medical student who idolizes Shaun.
During the same interview with ET, producer Liz Friedman explained: “She is the first actor with autism who we’ve had playing a doctor on the show, and she’s going to be there for a number of episodes. We’re bringing her in as a young med student who has ASD and actually a character who got into medicine because of Shaun Murphy.”
In an Instagram post, Cromer shared her excitement about appearing on the TV show, writing: “Words cannot express the overwhelming gratitude I feel as I take on the role of Charlotte “Charlie” Lukaitis, on The Good Doctor” I love her and I know you will too! It’s truly an honor to bring authentic representation to the show and viewers.”
While there has been criticism over how she was introduced, fans have given Cromer plenty of praise for her time as Charlie. One fan posted on Reddit: “I also think Kayla Cromer is doing a great job portraying Charlie in a way that she’s not wholly unlikeable but rather a complex human being with flaws and shortcomings, but at the same time being an intelligent, capable, ambitious aspiring surgeon.
“She also plays wonderfully off of Freddie Highmore’s portrayal of Shaun, and their dynamic is a joy to follow, even though their dialogues are often discordant rather than delightful.”
How realistic is autism in The Good Doctor?
Over its seven seasons, The Good Doctor has drawn plenty of criticism for how it has chosen to handle its portrayal of autism, with Highmore himself eventually having to defend the show’s direction.
Back in 2023, a scene from the show went viral in a TikTok clip, birthing the ‘I am a surgeon’ meme that the show became synonymous with. For many, this sparked bigger concerns about how The Good Doctor has handled autism across the series.
A 2018 guest column in The Hollywood Reporter from three doctors implied that the show was doing wrong by its characters by framing autism as a “disability superpower.”
A number of fans with autism also wrote essays sharing their thoughts on if The Good Doctor gets things right, with one writing: “I hope that we can give this show a shot and if we do, like giving Dr. Murphy a shot at employment and something he enjoys, we will all be pleasantly surprised by the results.”
However, the Autism Center of Excellence praised Highmore in the role, explaining: “His commitment to authentically represent his character’s experiences has been remarkable. Highmore has family members with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), lending a personal perspective to his role. But his understanding doesn’t stop there. He delved deep into the subject matter, reading books, consulting with experts, and even hiring a consultant with autism to ensure accuracy.”
Speaking to People Magazine before the Season 7 finale, Highmore clarified that he has always wanted his portrayal of Shaun to feel as “authentic as possible.”
“I feel that’s what people have over the years connected with about him, that he sees a good in people, that he reminds you, that even when we’re different — we’re all actually more the same than different — and I think hopefully he’s imbued me with, hopefully he’s made me a better person.”
