The Good Doctor was one of the most talked-about new shows of the 2017-2018 TV season, and its first season came to an end on March 26 with a finale that resolved one cliffhanger while presenting a whole new one. We still have a while to wait before Season 2 hits the airwaves, but we do already know some key ways that the show will be different once it's back. There will be some significant changes to the cast.
The biggest change is undoubtedly the departure of original cast member Chuku Modu. He started off the series as one of the surgical residents, Dr. Jared Kalu, who worked alongside Shaun at St. Bonaventure. While a skilled surgeon who showed great promise, he got himself into trouble when he punched a doctor who had sexually harassed one of his fellow residents, Claire Browne, who also happened to be his girlfriend. He was fired for the attack but was reinstated after blackmailing the higher-ups at the hospital, which did not endear him to Dr. Melendez.
Jared ended the season having landed a job as a surgeon in Colorado, although the finale didn't confirm whether or not he'd accept the position. Chuku Modu's departure undoubtedly means that Jared is heading to Colorado. Given that most of the folks at St. Bonaventure probably won't be sad to see Jared gone, it should be interesting to see if The Good Doctor ever brings him back.
Although The Good Doctor will be quite different without Jared full-time, the show is filling in the gap by promoting no fewer than four previously recurring actors to regular status. Fans of Shaun's neighbor and love interest Lea, who left after the first half of the first season, will see her back with actress Paige Spara as a regular. Lea decided to move to Hershey, Pennsylvania after Shaun inspired her in the first season. It's not clear at this point what exactly will bring her back to San Jose, but we can bet that Shaun will be happy to see her.
Also promoted to regular status are Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, and Christina Chang, according to Deadline. Gubelmann's promotion in particular probably won't come as a surprise to many fans. As surgical resident Dr. Morgan Reznick, she entered the scene belatedly in Season 1 to pose a threat to the other residents. While quite skilled as a surgeon, Morgan was also openly looking to beat her fellow residents rather than befriend them. With Jared out of the picture, Morgan would logically have more time to shine. Will Yun Lee will appear more frequently as Dr. Alex Park, who changed careers from law enforcement to medicine and is yet another resident. Christina Chang is a counterpart to Dr. Melendez rather than the residents in the role of Dr. Audrey Lim.
We'll have to wait and see how The Good Doctor works with all these cast changes. It's possible that the promotions from recurring to regular won't be all that noticeable (with the exception of Lea given that she hasn't been seen since the midseason finale), but Jared's absence will be noticeable. For what you can watch while we wait for The Good Doctor to return, check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our summer TV premiere schedule. For more network shows that have had their fates already decided, take a look at our rundown of TV renewals and cancellations.
