Who’s Left The Good Doctor? The *Real* Reasons Behind These Cast Exits
All the Characters Who’ve Left The Good Doctor Over the Years
As is often the case with medical dramas, The Good Doctor’s St. Bonaventure Hospital has seen plenty of its staff come and go, whether they’ve been lost to the various tragedies that have struck the hospital, have simply moved on in their careers or have ended a romantic relationship. And some departures have been more surprising than others. So who’s left The Good Doctor?
When it premiered in 2017, ABC hit medical drama The Good Doctor introduced audiences to Dr. Shaun Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome who joined the staff of the prestigious St. Bonaventure Hospital in San Jose. The show follows Murphy’s personal and professional struggles, as well as those of his colleagues, and is based on a South Korean series of the same name.
Allegra Aoki (Tamlyn Tomita) – Seasons 1 – 2
Tamlyn Tomita played Allegra Aoki, chairman and vice president of the organization in control of St. Bonaventure, who wanted to ensure the hospital stayed operational to save as many lives as possible. Her role saw her interacting on occasion with Glassman and Andrews, and she also had a brief romance with a businessman. She left The Good Doctor at the end of Season 2 but appeared as a guest star early in Season 3.
Aside from announcing a shift from series regular to recurring, not much information was released about Tomita’s exit.
Jessica Preston (Beau Garrett) – Season 1
Beau Garrett’s character Jessica Preston was the hospital’s in-house lawyer and vice president of risk management in Season 1, as well as one of Shaun’s advocates. She had personal ties to some of her colleagues — she was close to Dr. Glassman’s late daughter and remained close to him, and she was engaged to Dr. Melendez. At the end of Season 1, however, the couple split up due to their differing views on having children. Jessica did not return for Season 2.
Jessica’s exit was abrupt, although she did reappear later in Season 4. Neither Garrett nor the network offered any insight as to what led to it.
Dr. Carly Lever (Jasika Nicole) – Seasons 1 – 3
Carly, played by Jasika Nicole, was a pathologist who had a romantic relationship with Shaun. But Carly noticed the chemistry between Shaun and Lea and broke up with Shaun as a result, insisting he tell Lea how he felt. Carly did not return to the show for Season 4.
No specific reason has been given for Carly being written off the show, but given the circumstances, it was likely because her story arc had finished and her breakup with Shaun left room for him and Lea to pursue a relationship. Nicole told Parade in April 2020 that she was “upset” about the couple’s split, saying, “When I found out there was a breakup coming, I immediately went into a kind of mild depression. It was almost like I was experiencing the emotional turmoil of Carly going through a breakup.”
Dr. Jared Kalu (Chuku Modu) – Seasons 1 – 2, 6
Dr. Jared Kalu, played by Chuku Modu, is a resident at St. Bonaventure who first appeared in Season 1. During his time at the hospital, Kalu proved himself to be a brilliant doctor and also had a brief romance with Claire, but he was fired for assaulting a coworker who had sexually harassed Claire, leading Kalu to sue for racial discrimination. Ultimately, Kalu left St. Bonaventure at the beginning of Season 2 to work in Denver and spent his final day at the hospital working with Shaun in a mobile clinic for homeless patients. Kalu returned five years later in Season 6.
Kalu was the first main character to leave the show, and no reason was given for his initial departure or his return. Modu had only positive things to say about his early time on the show, writing in an Instagram post, “Nothing but love love love love love, I’m filled. If only you knew the good vibes and energy that’s in constant motion when the cameras aren’t rolling. Thank you all for teaching me more than you will ever know. Thanks for the love my peoples, on to the next one.”
