For the past seven seasons, the hit ABC drama The Good Doctor has seen Freddie Highmore’s Dr. Shaun Murphy navigate his high-stakes job as a surgeon while also dealing with his autism diagnosis and the particular challenges that come along with it. (read all about the cast and characters of The Good Doctor Season 7).
Could The Good Doctor Live on Past Season 7?
The Good Doctor’s Season 7 finale, which also serves as the series finale, airs on ABC on Tuesday, May 21, at 10 p.m. ET.
But some may wonder why a show as successful and popular as The Good Doctor is ending. The network didn’t cancel the program; rather, the decision to conclude it was a creative one.
Unfortunately for fans, the chances of a Season 8 for The Good Doctor are slim to none, at least for now.
Executive producers David Shore, Liz Feldman, and Eric Gunn released a statement praising the cast and crew for their hard work over the years and also thanked the fans for watching (via Variety):
“‘The Good Doctor’ has been a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it’s time to say goodbye. 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.”
The Good Doctor devotees might recall that a spin-off to the series was in development. It was entitled The Good Lawyer and would have centered on a young attorney with obsessive-compulsive disorder played by Nancy Drew’s Kennedy McMann.
A backdoor pilot for The Good Lawyer was even produced. It aired during Season 6 and received much acclaim. However, because of the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023, ABC ultimately passed on picking it up for a series order (via Deadline).
But both the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have long since concluded, and with The Good Doctor coming to a close, there is the chance that The Good Lawyer could be re-evaluated as a possible series. Nothing has been confirmed as of writing, though.
What Could Happen on Another Season of The Good Doctor?
Shaun Murphy has come a long way throughout The Good Doctor’s seven-season run. He has excelled in his career, found love, gotten married, had a son, and most recently, lost a valued colleague.
But in the most recent episode, toward the end of the hour, the startling revelation was made: Dr. Glassman, Shaun’s beloved mentor and friend, has had his cancer return, this time with a terminal diagnosis.
Many are convinced that Glassman will not survive the series’ final episode, making it potentially an especially tragic installment.
So, if The Good Doctor were to somehow be renewed for Season 8 or even perhaps revived somewhere down the line, it would likely do so without Richard Schiff as part of the cast, making Dr. Glassman’s absence painfully felt by fans.
All good things must come to an end. If The Good Doctor’s impactful, meaningful finale resolves all of the major story arcs, then maybe the final episode should stay as the final episode.
