Ahead of The Good Doctor series finale, the cast released an emotional video message thanking fans for their continued support after seven long seasons on ABC.
“This has been an incredible seven seasons,” series lead Freddie Highmore said in his message to fans, per Entertainment Weekly. “We’ve always wanted this show to be more than just a television show. If in some small way we’ve been able to help challenge stereotypes surrounding autism, that would certainly be the thing I’m most proud of.”
Highmore stars as Dr. Sean Murphy, a surgeon with autism and savant syndrome who begins working at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. The medical drama follows his rise as a doctor, but also chronicles his journey to becoming a husband and a father.
Actor Chuku Modu, who returned in Season 6 as a series regular, praised the show’s premise, noting that its “lovely, positive message… means so much” to viewers.
The cast also mourned the fact that they would no longer be working together after The Good Doctor reaches its conclusion later this month. “What I’m going to miss the most when this series ends is The Good Doctor family. I love them so much,” Fiona Gubelmann said.
“We’ve created a family,” Highmore said. “It will be very odd to say goodbye to everybody and know that we will never be together in that same space in the same way.”
Christina Chang also thanked fans directly for their support, saying, “To all The Good Doctor fans out there, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
The series’ end was announced earlier this year. But the decision was not up to the crew behind the hit show; co-showrunner and executive producer Liz Friedman revealed that ABC told them “it was time to end it.”
“We are very grateful that they told us that in a timely manner, which allows us to decide the terms that we’re going to end it on to craft a great ending and a great culmination of Shaun Murphy’s story, but that’s how that came about,” she said regarding the decision.
“I mean, I feel like I could tell stories about Shaun forever,” she continued. “Certainly, as long as the amazing Freddie Highmore was interested in playing him, I was happy to write for him.” But Friedman maintained that they will still “deliver a really good finale” for fans.
