The Good Doctor is on the verge of hitting a major milestone on ABC: the 100th episode. Just weeks after a different medical drama hit triple digits in its episode count, the Freddie Highmore-led series has what seem to be some exciting plans. Of course, “exciting” doesn’t necessarily mean “fun” for Dr. Shaun Murphy and the others at St. Bonaventure. Read on for what ABC has revealed so far about hitting the big 100 with Season 6!
The show (which might have hit 100 episodes back in Season 5 if not for shortened and delayed seasons due to COVID) returns on November 14 with an episode called “Hot and Bothered,” and it’s clear from the ABC episode description that the title is extremely apt. Here’s what the network previewed about the cases (and conflicts) of the hour:
In the midst of a heatwave, Dr. Shaun Murphy and Dr. Danica Powell are at odds when it comes to their patient’s surgery. Their heated stalemate tests Shaun’s patience and his willingness to compromise. Meanwhile, when the hospital loses power, Lea and Dr. Aaron Glassman are forced to come up with a quick solution or risk a total shutdown that could risk patients’ lives.
While medical dramas set in places like the Windy City (like Chicago Med) and New York (like New Amsterdam) may usually have a harder time with the cold than heatwaves in November, that’s not the case for The Good Doctor and its San Jose setting. Things will evidently get “heated” between Shaun and newcomer Dr. Powell (played by Titans alum Savannah Welch), which isn’t altogether surprising. They didn’t get off to the strongest start this season, and it seems that the sky-high temperatures won’t help.
Plus, a hospital losing power is never a good thing, and Lea and Dr. Glassman are a bit of an odd couple pairing to be tasked with saving the day. Her tech skills have been key to resolving crises in the past; with “Hot and Bothered” as the 100th episode, I’m guessing that The Good Doctor will raise the stakes especially high for this outage. That said, Lea and Glassman’s story isn’t even teased in the promo, which was released after the October 31 episode (available streaming with a Hulu subscription). Take a look at the preview:
Dr. Glassman does have at least one reasonably calm moment with Shaun, based on the promo, when he states that he works with people he doesn’t like “all the time.” It’s hard to say whether Shaun or Dr. Powell is in the right on the issue that comes between them, with him pointing out that he has more surgical experience and her reminding him that she has more physical disability experience due to her amputated leg. So, fans may not want to take sides just yet, but it looks like the situation will get ugly in the operating room.
Hopefully The Good Doctor will follow The Resident’s example and deliver a happy ending in the 100th episode, but this hasn’t exactly been a happy sixth season of the ABC medical drama. While Shaun and Lea have had their cute moments as newlyweds (despite their wedding night going horribly wrong in a bloody emergency worthy of Grey’s Anatomy), Lim’s surgery resulting in her being wheelchair-bound has caused a lot of conflict, with doctors having to choose sides.
See exactly how The Good Doctor celebrates the 100-episode milestone on Monday, November 14 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. The fall TV season is already winding down, so be sure to check out our 2023 midseason premiere schedule to start planning ahead for early 2023.
