Among the many shows that will be ending in 2024 is The Good Doctor, which marks one of the most surprising cancellations. The ABC medical drama is set to come to an end after seven seasons, even despite reportedly coming out on top for the third primetime hour during Season 6, which aired at 10 p.m. ET. Even the cast seemed shocked over the series' cancellation. Now, following rumors and speculation regarding its demise, the showrunner is explaining why fans are now saying goodbye to the staff at San Jose St. Bonaventure.
It honestly seemed like The Good Doctor could've run for several more years, at least, so fans were appropriately shocked and saddened to hear that Season 7 would be the end. It was rumored that financial matters played into the cancellation. As of late, a number of notable TV shows have seen their budgets tightened, which has impacted casting, production values and more. For example, CBS' Blue Bloods made cuts ahead of its fourteenth and final season. Additionally, the impacts of the dual Hollywood strikes have also been significant, as they've resulted in delayed production starts and shorter seasons.
Usually, there are two primary reasons why a show will meet its demise -- because it was right for the story or the network put its foot down. Surprisingly, the ABC hit actually was the victim of both, in a way. Via Deadline, David Shore revealed during the Television Critics’ Association winter press tour that he's knew where the series is going for its end, even before getting the call from the network:
Years ago when I was doing another show, someone asked, ‘do you know how the show is going to end.’ [He said] Yes, I know exactly how this show will end. One day, I will get a call from the network. On that show and this show, we’ve been lucky enough to plan the ending we want to do.
No matter what scenario played out, it’s still disappointing that the medical drama is ending. What makes it even worse is knowing the fact that, because of the strikes, there are only 10 episodes this season as opposed to the usual 18-22. The trade also mentioned that even after the strikes, 13 installments were initially planned. It does sound like the end is still going to mostly play out in the way that David Shore and his collaborators envisioned, though. With only a handful of stories to tell this year, Shore went on to discuss the "unfortunate" aspect of the situation as well as the "blessing" of it:
This has been a weird year. Only doing 10 episodes is unfortunate. But being able to go out on your own terms is a blessing.
It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to The Good Doctor, but it’s exciting to know that fans are going to be in for a great finale. It will surely be a season to watch, and there should be plenty of tears and laughs, as with any other season. Hopefully, the finale will bring a lot of closure to the characters and maybe even leave some doors open, just in case.
Viewers will soon find out how The Good Doctor will come to an end, as the final season kicks off on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Fans can also stream episodes next day using a Hulu subscription. There may only be 10 episodes, but I'm still confident that the series will go out on a high note.
