“The Good Doctor” is a hospital drama featuring an autistic young surgeon. Because of his troubled childhood, Dr. Shaun Murphy is forced to figure out how to navigate the world alone.

Unable to connect with others on a personal level, Dr. Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, recently became a surgical resident at San Jose Bonaventure Hospital. In each episode Dr. Murphy continues to grow and pushes through the obstacles set in his path. 

Actor Freddie Highmore brings intelligence and depth to his role as Dr. Shaun Murphy. He is perfect for the part.

The engaging cinematography shows an accurate portrayal of the hospital and what it’s it is like in a surgery room. The flashbacks to when Shaun was a child however, are unnecessary. The flashbacks don’t really have anything to do with what is going on in the present.

Dr. Shaun Murphy talks loudly, freaks out over the little things, and doesn’t understand social cues. Those can be typical behaviors of an autistic person, but not all autistic people behave that way.  The show is doing an excellent job of raising awareness for the autistic community. To quote Dr. Shaun Murphy, “Autism can’t define me. I define autism.”

“The Good Doctor” is refreshing because it promotes the idea that being different is awesome. You just need to take time to understand people’s differences to learn to work with them. This show proves that anyone with challenges or who seems different from whatever  is considered “normal” deserves a chance.