The Good Doctor is currently approaching the mid-season finale of its third outing as Dr Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore) attempts to help a number of new patients. Some viewers of the show are interested to know more about Shaun’s condition on the show, and what the actor has revealed about playing him.
Now well into its third season, the show portrays a young doctor called Dr Shaun Murphy who is a surgical resident at San Jose St Bonaventure Hospital.
Shaun has a condition called autism in the series, which has been explored through a number of storylines on the show.
This includes a season one episode when Shaun addressed his condition after an autistic patient presented himself at the hospital.
The series has also spent a lot of time attempting to portray what everyday life is like for Shaun as an autistic person.
This has led some viewers to want to know more about what exactly the condition is.
According to the National Autistic Society, autism a term used to describe a number of different conditions including Asperger syndrome and Pathological Demand Avoidance.
The charity describes it as: “A lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them.”
This often manifests itself through how people see, hear and feel the world.
However, there are also a number of different forms of the condition and it affects people in a number of different ways.
In the UK, there are around 700,000 autistic people, according to the charity.
Speaking about portraying the condition in the series, actor Freddie Highmore spoke to Digital Spy.
He revealed that he and The Good Doctor showrunner David Shore did a lot of research into the condition before filming.
The team also work with an autism consultant named Melissa Reiner who helps the creators and actors with the portrayal.
He told the publication about taking on the portrayal: “I’m constantly learning.
“Aside from continual research, or working with the consultant that we have, I’m also talking to people who feel that they have a personal connection to the show through autism, and are pleased or thankful that the show is seeking to raise awareness in that way.”
The actor also spoke to USA Today about wanting to portray the character and his condition in a fully-formed way.
He said: “I appreciate the way in which Shaun is a fully formed character.
“Often, people with autism on screen have been represented as somewhat emotionless or singularly focused on one thing, and that isn’t true.
“We get to see Shaun in moments of joy, what makes him excited, alongside the very real struggle he’s facing.”
