Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), an autistic surgeon with savant syndrome, used his brilliant skills to save lives at San Jose's St. Bonaventure Hospital week after week on ABC drama The Good Doctor, and fans watched over the years as Shaun grew both professionally and personally, ultimately becomgin a husband and father. While the show's depiction of autism drew some criticism over the years, it remained one of the network's most popular shows. The series began in 2017 and lasted seven seasons with over 120 episodes before coming to an end in May 2024. It was based on the South Korean series of the same name.
With so many episodes behind it, some understandably stood out, while others were sometimes forgotten, despite being among some of the best the show had to offer. Plenty of episodes showcase The Good Doctor's blend of baffling medical cases with the team's personal lives, but still others remain underrated, whether they're harrowing conclusions to intense season-ending cliffhangers or lighthearted, character-centered episodes.
10 "Potluck"
Season 5, Episode 14
Many members of hospital staff were affected after food laced with hallucinogens was accidentally taken to a potluck in Season 5 episode “Potluck.” With much of the staff unable to treat patients, Shaun, Glassman (Richard Schiff) and Jordan (Bria Henderson) were forced to take on the bulk of the work, leading to clashes between Shaun and Glassman due to their differing working styles. Meanwhile, Morgan (Fiona Gubelmann) and Lea (Paige Spara) worked to uncover how the drug ended up in a potluck dish.
“Potluck” featured some hilarious moments showing an entirely different side to hospital staff, leading many fans to cite the episode as among their favorites. But wasn’t all lighthearted silliness—the episode also showcased the big differences between Shaun and Glassman, especially in the workplace, just one of many clashes the two have had over the years. The incident also led to some sweet moments between other characters, like Morgan and Lea.
9 "More"
Season 1, Episode 18
In Season 1 finale "More," the team worked together to discover the cause of a college student’s unexplained injuries before his condition worsened. Meanwhile, Shaun lost his prized possession—a scalpel from his late brother, Steve—leading him to be distracted during surgery, and Glassman revealed he had an inoperable glioma and just months left to live. In the end, Shaun was in danger of losing his job after a mistake during surgery.
“More” brought Season 1 to an end on a high note, with a cliffhanger and plenty of emotional moments, especially when it came to Shaun and Glassman and their relationship with each other—something that would not only be a recurring theme throughout the series but would be particularly relevant as the series came to a close. Morgan was also called out for her attitude and told she’d kill someone one day.
8 "22 Steps"
Season 1, Episode 7
Shaun treated an autistic patient in "22 Steps,” who was initially thought to be psychotic due to his resistance to and fear of the doctors. Shaun later experienced prejudice and doubt from the patient’s parents, who were surprised that Shaun was a doctor and did not want him to perform surgery on their son. Meanwhile, Jared (Chuku Modu) treated an elderly patient who intentionally broke his pacemaker, as he was ready to die.
“22 Steps” was an emotional episode—while Shaun was frequently doubted up to this point and was often forced to prove himself, it was typically for staff at St. Bonaventure. The doubt from his patients’ parents led to Melendez defending Shaun for the first time, however, and acknowledging his skills. Meanwhile, Jared faced a heartbreaking case with a man who felt he had lived a full life and was ready to move on.
7 "Middle Ground"
Season 2, Episode 2
In "Middle Ground,” Shaun and Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) worked together to help treat an extremely sick hospital janitor, who ultimately died of pancreatic cancer. Lim (Christina Chang) risked a lawsuit and above all, her career, to help a patient, who had been the victim of female genital mutilation and lied about her age, against the wishes of the patient’s parents, and Morgan wanted to report the parents for child abuse. Meanwhile, Lea returned and was staying with Shaun.
“Middle Ground” was one of the best episodes of the show’s early seasons. It presented two very different medical cases with major ramifications for those involved, and the episode also addressed the ways ethics in medicine can get murky. The episode presented high stakes for Lim and her patient in particular, while also showing Lim’s dedication to doing the right thing, no matter the risks—or at least what she considered to be the right thing.
6 "Friends and Family"
Season 3, Episode 10
As Shaun’s father, Ethan (Michael Trucco), was dying in “Friends and Family,” he requested one final meeting with Shaun, and those close to Shaun encouraged him to visit. Glassman and Lea accompanied him, and the visit led to a tense, emotional confrontation in which Ethan blamed Shaun for the death of Shaun’s late brother, Steve. Meanwhile, the team treated a football player with damage to his spine, and Claire took action regarding her mental-health struggles.
“Friends and Family” was an emotional episode overall and among the series’ most memorable—Shaun’s strained relationship with his family had always been a common theme, and this episode was a heartbreaking look at the dynamic with his father in particular. The episode, especially the scenes with Shaun interacting with his father, showed how cruel his father actually was. His callousnesses towards Shaun was difficult to watch, as was Shaun’s understandably devastated reaction.
5 "Empathy"
Season 2, Episode 9
In “Empathy,” Neil, Morgan and Claire (Antonia Thomas) struggled with a patient who sought an operation which would stop him from acting on pedophilic feelings, with each doctor holding different views on how to help him—and whether or not he was being totally honest with them. Meanwhile, Lea taught Shaun how to drive, and Shaun learned a lesson in empathy from his patient after previously believing it was a bad thing to have.
“Empathy” was a compelling episode which examined morality and ethics, including a very sensitive subject handled with care. The episode featured some nice moments between Shaun, Park and their patient, especially as Park helped Shaun realized he felt empathy for their patient. It was also a great episode for Claire and Morgan, as they disagreed over how to proceed with their own patient, and grappled with the possibility that the world was better off without him following his suicide.
4 "Islands"
Season 1, Episode 11
In the two-part “Islands,” Andrews turned to Melendez for help in performing a kidney transplant for a set of conjoined twins, then performed an operation to separate them. Meanwhile, an overwhelmed Shaun went on a spur-of-the-moment road trip with Lea in an attempt to forget about stress at work and Glassman’s attempts to get him to see a therapist, during which Shaun and Lea bonded over music and shared a kiss.
While it did feature a medical case, “Islands” strayed somewhat from the typical procedural format, and it was all the better for it. It was a great episode for Shaun and Lea in particular, as it showed how Shaun was able to be himself around her and how accepting she was of his autism. It also showed their dynamic with each other, laying the groundwork for their romance and eventual marriage later in the series.
3 "Goodbye"
Season 7, Episode 10
In the series finale, “Goodbye,” the doctors of St. Bonaventure worked together to save their own. Glassman revealed his brain cancer had returned and he would not have it treated, giving him just months left to live, despite Shaun's attempts at convincing him to undergo a rare treatment. Glassman's final act as a doctor was to perform a non-FDA approved treatment on Claire instead of allowing Shaun to do the procedure, leading to Glassman losing his license.
The aptly titled “Goodbye” was an emotional, bittersweet finale which nicely wrapped up the characters’ stories and offered a glimpse at their futures. It was an especially fitting episode for Shaun, as it forced him to accept not only the reality of Glassman’s situation but also his wishes for not seeking treatment. Glassman, for his part, performed one final but major act as Shaun’s mentor, saving Claire while shielding Shaun from legal consequences, therefore allowing his career to continue.
2 "Decrypt"
Season 4, Episode 10
The hospital faced a cyberattack which led them to divert patients and threatened to shut down life-saving equipment while Lea worked to prove herself by outsmarting the hackers and fixing the problem in Season 4 episode “Decrypt.” She succeeded just in time, as Glassman was about to authorize a transfer of bitcoin as a ransom payment. Meanwhile, Morgan fought to find an organ for a transplant patient. The episode was directed by Highmore.
“Decrypt” featured standout moment from nearly all the show’s characters. The episode gave Lea a chance to stand out, and it also featured a nice moment between her and Shaun as he reassured her and shared that he has his own doubts in his abilities at times. Morgan also had a moment of her own, as she went above and beyond to orchestrate a crucial transplant for a patient in need.
1 "Afterparty"
Season 6, Episode 1
In Season 6 premiere “Afterparty,” Shaun and Lea’s wedding celebrations were cut short when the hospital was put on lockdown due to a violent attack on the hospital at the hands of Nurse Villanueva’s (Elfina Luk) ex-boyfriend, in which she stabbed both her and Lim. The team scrambled to save Lim, and the trauma of the attack and its aftermath deeply affected Shaun, especially as his loved ones were put in danger.
Season 5 finale "Sons" is regarded as among the show’s best, with an intense cliffhanger ending leaving lives in the balance. But “Afterparty,” its follow-up, was just as harrowing and emotional, with high stakes for some characters as others stepped up and did everything they could to help. The episode had a lasting impact on the series moving forward, from Lim’s injuries and how Shaun chose to treat them to the way it impacted their relationship.
