Spoilers for the conclusion to the Season 3 finale of The Good Doctor are discussed below.
Fans of The Good Doctor are still reeling from the two-parter that involved that life-claiming earthquake. Well, someone who survived the fatal tragedy will not be returning as a series regular, nonetheless for fans of the character who was in a relationship with Shaun Murphy in Season 3, it's a bitter blow.
Jasika Nicole will not be staying on The Good Doctor as Dr. Carly Lever in a series regular capacity for Season 4, according to TVLine. The actress has been with the show since the first season and had starred in a recurring role up until Season 3. The news of Nicole no longer being a series regular comes following a big season for her character.
After embarking on a romance with Shaun, Carly realized that he was in love with Lea instead. Having realized this, Carly decided to break-up with Shaun. Following the end of their relationship, Shaun made a considerable attempt to get with Lea, who heartbreakingly rebuffed him. Fast forward, and Shaun and Lea are in a better place, and The Good Doctor is sadly saying goodbye to Jasika Nicole.
Was Carly’s latest appearance in Season 3 her last one ever on The Good Doctor? Well, this remains to be seen. It's also unclear if Carly will be written out without explanation or if Season 4 will formally explain why she's absent. Jasika Nicole’s character did survive the finale, so the door is open for her to return to the series.
Thank goodness Carly survived to possibly appear in Season 4, as another character wasn't so fortunate. As heavily teased, The Good Doctor killed off a major character in the second half of the Season 3 finale. As speculated, Lim and Claire both survived the ordeal, but their mutual love interest was not as fortunate.
In one of The Good Doctor writer’s tough decisions, Dr. Neil Melendez succumbed to his internal injuries, leading to the departure of the character and cast member Nicholas Gonzalez in the process. The actor has since weighed in on his exit, acknowledging the challenge of making it right.
Fans of the ABC medical drama will have to stay tuned to see what unfolds next. Carly not returning as a series regular does not bode incredibly well for her screen time in Season 4. As those who follow television developments know, a series regular has a higher presence on a TV show than a recurring character.
It'll be interesting to see how The Good Doctor explains Carly’s absence. But because Jasika Nicole's character is still alive and well, for the moment, I think it is safe to speculate that there is a good chance that viewers have not seen the last of Carly. Stay tuned for the upcoming fourth season of The Good Doctor.
The Good Doctor Season 4 will likely debut on ABC sometime this fall. For now, you can try to soothe your broken heart with this spring’s premieres.
