Before The Good Doctor signs off this spring, the ABC medical drama will check in with some old friends.
Original cast member Antonia Thomas will reprise her fan-favorite role as Dr. Claire Browne in not one, but two Season 7 episodes — including the series finale.Thomas was a series regular in Seasons 1-4. She announced her departure in June 2021, just hours ahead of the Season 4 finale. “I think, ultimately, for me, it’s about coming to the point where I think we’ve really run the gamut of different things that Claire can have gone through,” Thomas told Deadline at the time. “I’m now really excited to explore different creative opportunities” — which included a starring role in the Apple TV+ rom-com Still Up.
She reprised Claire in a pair of Season 5 episodes, at which point viewers learned that she was offered the position of chief of surgery at her hospital in Guatemala.
Since Thomas’ Season 5 encore, fellow original cast member Chuku Modu has reprised his role as Claire’s ex-boyfriend, Dr. Jared Kalu. The character, who had last been seen in Season 2, initially lost his job at St. Bonaventure after he punched an attending who sexually harassed Claire. He returned midway through Season 6.
Larracuente was last seen in The Good Doctor’s Season 6 finale, during which Dr. Perez suffered extensive internal injuries in an ambulance crash. In the aftermath, Dr. Jordan Allen made the difficult choice to forgo the recovering addict’s wishes. She gave him fentanyl to prevent a fatal cardiac arrest, saving his life but effectively ending their budding romance.
Danny agreed that Jordan made the right call, but he also feared a potential relapse. He ultimately made the decision to leave San Jose and return to Texas to be close to his family, bringing Larracuente’s one-season stint as a series regular to a close.
No word yet on what brings Drs. Browne and Perez back to St. Bons — but TVLine will keep you posted once we have airdates for Thomas and Larracuente’s returns.
