Spoilers ahead for the February 27 episode of The Good Doctor Season 6, called "Hard Heart."
Season 6 of The Good Doctor hasn't been easy on any of the main characters, but Dr. Glassman in particular recently suffered a major loss that cost him dearly. A simple termite infestation that should have been no more than an inconvenience ultimately resulted in the home that held so many memories of his late daughter burning to the ground. Glassman is on the road to emotional recovery thanks to Shaun and Lea stepping in, and an emotional moment between Shaun and his father figure in "Hard Heart" left me hoping that Season 6 will keep exploring this side of Glassman's loss.
Glassman had been staying with Shaun and Lea since his house burned down, bringing them the perks of a man who is happy to cook gourmet meals for his hosts... and the drawbacks of making himself a little too much at home, with Shaun being way too open with Glassman than his wife would prefer. Going overboard on baby-proofing the apartment without consulting them (and bringing in a nanny cam) was the last straw for Lea, and he finally left... only to secure an apartment in their building, just a few doors down.
The heartfelt moment came toward the middle of the episode, in a conversation that started with Shaun announcing to Glassman that he was annoying Lea. The older doctor knew that he'd overstepped, but said that "it was fun thinking about your baby and the future." Shaun went on to say exactly what Glassman (and I) needed to hear:
Dr. Glassman, you are not exactly my family... But I consider you to be the baby's grandfather.
Glassman looked about as touched by that as he has ever looked over six seasons of The Good Doctor, and he thanked Shaun and followed up with a hug, nearly in tears. He'd lost hope of becoming a grandfather with Maddie's death, and after this exchange with Shaun, I was about ready to give them both a hug through the screen!
For me, the show has done a great job handling Lea's pregnancy (although I could have done without the huge time jump to lower the stakes after the scary fall finale cliffhanger), but needed to touch on Glassman's loss a bit more. This episode did that while also providing some hope, as it acknowledged how much Glassman lost and could not get back while also telling him that he has an important place in Shaun's family, even if they're not family by blood. Be still my heart!
Of course, The Good Doctor is still a medical drama (and has a potential legal drama to launch in the coming weeks), so the show undoubtedly isn't going to go overboard on touching family moments with Shaun, Lea, and Glassman, but I can hope! Plus, there are some exciting developments on the way, not the least of which is the return of Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu, who was a series regular for the first season before officially departing in early Season 2.
How he'll fit back in at St. Bonaventure remains to be seen, but a promo for his first episode back sheds a little bit of light:
Tune in to ABC on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of The Good Doctor Season 6, and revisit earlier seasons streaming with a Hulu subscription. You can also find some upcoming viewing options for March and beyond in our 2023 TV premiere schedule.
