The upcoming seventh season of ABC’s The Good Doctor will be the final chapter of the medical drama starring and executive produced by Freddie Highmore.
The Good Doctor, from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature, is the second long-running ABC drama coming to an end this season, joining Station 19, and the latest series that premiered during the 2017-2018 season to wrap with its upcoming seventh season, along with Station 19 and CBS’ Young Sheldon, S.W.A.T. and SEAL Team.
An anchor of ABC’s Monday lineup, The Good Doctor ranked as the #1 entertainment series in the 10 PM hour last season among Adults 18-49. After six seasons in the Monday 10 PM slot, the series, shepherded by showrunners Liz Friedman and David Shore — the latter of whom created it based on a Korean format — is moving to Tuesdays at 10 PM. You can watch above a promo for the final season, which premieres Feb. 20, and see the key art below.
“Thanks to David Shore and Liz Friedman’s creative direction and anchored by Freddie Highmore’s performance, The Good Doctor has captivated audiences, who have deeply connected with Dr. Shaun Murphy and the staff at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. “As we prepare to finish this beloved story, words cannot express our gratitude for the incredible cast, crew and our partners at Sony and ABC Signature for the lasting impact they’ve made.”
Much more than a typical ensemble medical drama, The Good Doctor‘s premise puts the spotlight on its central character, Autistic young doctor Shaun Murphy, so finding the right actor for the role was a make-or-break decision for the success of the show. Landing Highmore was so important to the producers, they agreed to his condition of abbreviated 18-episode seasons. (The Good Doctor ended up producing a couple of 20-22 episode seasons too. Its strike-impacted seventh and final season will consist of 10 episodes.)
Along with Richard Schiff, who plays Shaun’s mentor, Dr. Glassman, Highmore is the only Good Doctor cast member who will have been on the show as a series regular for its entire seven-season run. Production on Season 7 is currently underway in Vancouver with Shore Z Prods.’ Erin Gunn executive producing alongside Shore, Friedman and Highmore.
“Playing Dr. Shaun Murphy has been an immense privilege and one of the most remarkable and rewarding experiences of my life,” Highmore said. “I will always be grateful to David, Liz, and Erin as well as the hugely talented – and lovely – cast, writers, and crew who made this show possible. Caring deeply is what got us here. Thank you to Sony and ABC, and to everyone who has watched along at home. With love from Vancouver… tequila, stat!”
For six seasons, The Good Doctor has navigated the complex world of Dr. Shaun Murphy and the obstacles, triumphs and milestones his character, as well as his colleagues, face in a fast-paced medical world.
In addition to Highmore and Schiff, the Season 7 main cast also includes Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park, Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim, Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo, Bria Samoné Henderson as Dr. Jordan Allen, and Noah Galvin as Dr. Asher Wolke.
Additionally, original cast member Chuku Modu, who returned as a recurring midway through last season, reprising his role as Dr. Jared Kalu, has been promoted to series regular.
There likely will be other Good Doctor fan favorites who will make an appearance in the show’s final chapter.
“The Good Doctor has been a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it’s time to say goodbye,” Shore, Friedman and Gunn said. “We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and the message we’ve been privileged to be a part of. We look forward to giving our fantastic fans, the truly extraordinary Freddie Highmore, the rest of our talented actors (and friends), and the best crew in the business the series ending that you all deserve. Thank you, Sony; thank you, ABC; thank you all.”
This marks the end of the Good Doctor franchise as ABC recently opted not to proceed with the proposed spinoff, The Good Lawyer, which was introduced as a backdoor pilot episode of the medical drama last season.
The Good Doctor is produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. Daniel Dae Kim, Thomas L. Moran, David Hoselton, Peter Blake, Jessica Grasl, Garrett Lerner, Mike Listo, Shawn Williamson, David Kim and Sebastian Lee are also executive producers.
