Growing up as a high functioning autistic boy I got a lot of people saying not so nice things about me just because I had this label attached to me. Literally people I had never met before would judge me because I wasn't like other kids. I saw that in this and it really struck home. First off I want to commend Freddie Highmore on his stellar performance of a high functioning yet severely autistic man. As someone who as I've already stated was diagnosed with autism at a young age and has spent over 10 years of my life with other people on both ends of the spectrum I think I'm more than qualified to give him a little praise. I also loved how they had those visual prompts kind of like Sherlock's mind palace. Every time I realised he was trying to solve a problem I'd audibly show my excitement. Other than a few irritating characters which are supposed to be irritating so good job! I really enjoyed this on a personal level and as a lover of television and film. I'm gonna give this a 9 for now as I don't know what's to come next but I'm excited I'll tell you that much.
19 Reviews
Incredible!
simsimhajhaj12 October 2018
That was honestly an unbelievable pilot episode, I was in tears by the end of it. It's been a while since a show has been this well written with amazing acting! I created an account just to leave a review here; that's how much i loved it!
Spectacular
SyoKennex29 October 2017
In the first episode of The Good Doctor, we are introduced to autistic doctor, Shaun Murphy, as he travels to San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital, recruited as the first autistic doctor under their name. We are shown the hesitance and discrimination from the fellow doctors and the board, and how Shaun works, what is normal for him.
I feel like perhaps although they went a bit overboard with the discrimination against Shaun, they did this very well. As an autistic viewer, I am incredibly happy to see an autistic character portrayed so well. I was so happy, I cried a few times through the episode seeing just how amazingly it was done. The people behind the show have obviously done their research, and it is so refreshing to see for once. There aren't many shows that do it this well, and I cannot say how great it is to see.
I feel like this received a lot of harsh criticism, especially on case of the flash backs. They were done for a reason, so we can see how Shaun works and thinks in his life now. I don't understand why so many have spared harsh words for this technique used in many shows for a learning experience for the viewers.
I am extremely excited to see where this is going, and I will definitely be an avid watcher for the whole season!
I feel like perhaps although they went a bit overboard with the discrimination against Shaun, they did this very well. As an autistic viewer, I am incredibly happy to see an autistic character portrayed so well. I was so happy, I cried a few times through the episode seeing just how amazingly it was done. The people behind the show have obviously done their research, and it is so refreshing to see for once. There aren't many shows that do it this well, and I cannot say how great it is to see.
I feel like this received a lot of harsh criticism, especially on case of the flash backs. They were done for a reason, so we can see how Shaun works and thinks in his life now. I don't understand why so many have spared harsh words for this technique used in many shows for a learning experience for the viewers.
I am extremely excited to see where this is going, and I will definitely be an avid watcher for the whole season!
Amazing! I think I found a new favorite.
jongriffin101114 February 2018
WOW! This was definitely the best pilot in ages. I am so happy to finally find a show that has good storytelling and good characters. I am not at all surprised this show is a HIT! And no wonder the movie theaters are clearing out......TV is so good now!!
I am so impressed. I give it a 10!
I am so impressed. I give it a 10!
"Burnt Food" (#1.1)
aaronredis12 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I was so excited for the new ABC drama "The Good Doctor." I had a feeling that this could be the start of something good . . . something special. Watching "Burnt Food," the series pilot, I have since discovered that I still think that this series has a lot of potential. If the series can manage to stay on this track, without focusing too much on the administrative side of medicine and fixing up a few things, "The Good Doctor" could easily become one of my new favorite series.
The show starts off by introducing Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome. This very fact proves troublesome for Shaun, as he will obviously face discrimination from many sources . . . some more likely than others. It's already crystal clear that Shaun is the focus here.
On his way to his interview, Shaun encounters a boy injured by glass. With him being a doctor-in-training, he, of course, jumps in to offer a helping hand. The thing that bothered me about this was how we saw the anatomy of the boy's arm on the screen (as it was in Shaun's head). It was almost like he was being portrayed as some genius or something, but as someone who is going into their first year as a resident, this should be standard knowledge. It was basic anatomy that many students in med school should be knowledgeable about.
Other physicians are introduced, and at this moment, we may not remember their names (or really care what they are), but we'll likely recall their faces and central attributes, which is enough for now. I am confident the series will reach a point where each of them are relevant.
One thing that does bother me, though, is that we already see people sleeping around in on-call rooms. I hope this is not an indication of more to come. I love "Grey's Anatomy," but if I wanted to watch a soapy series, I wouldn't be here. I would be, well . . . watching "Grey's Anatomy!" This one peice of the episode especially felt a bit tired.
The part that I loved most was Shaun's flashbacks. These little glimpses in his past are really clever. I thought it to be exceptional character development. We quickly learned that, during his childhood, Shaun suffers due to an abusive father and bullies at school, but is protected and assisted by his younger brother, Steve, until tragedy strikes. The only one left to protect him and care for him was Dr. Glassman. Their budding kinship is already strongly apparent. I must admit that I teared up as I watched Shaun's past unfold. If it was not for these flashbacks pulling the curtain of his past aside, we would not know exactly why Shaun has opted to become a doctor. His explanation of why was simply beautiful, yet candid:
"The day that the rain smelled like ice cream, my bunny went to heaven. In front of my eyes. The day that the copper pipes in the old building smelled like burnt food, my brother went to heaven. In front of my eyes."
It is very clear to me that this show is extremely capable of emotionally connecting with its audience, and I love that. Very much. I am hoping the show can continue to incorporate Shaun's past without overusing it or belaboring the point because these flashbacks and the storyline truly were what kept me captivated.
Being a nurse in-training, I have a bit of a background in many conditions. I appload Highmore's depiction of someone with autism and applaud the writer's for raising awareness. Life is hard enough to deal with, but autism adds to how difficult life already is, as it sets for a massive communication barrier and can make social interaction difficult and challenging. What intrigues me is that doctors typically are very socially at ease. "The Good Doctor" sets this apart and introduces the struggle of what it's like when doctors aren't. I can't wait to see more of this aspect.
I leave off with one final comment, and that is about the set. St. Bonaventure Hospital looks a hotel, not a hospital. I am really bothered by this. I especially love realistic representation in procedural dramas, but the set for "The Good Doctor" is just the golden egg of fake hospitals.
I give "Burnt Food" an 8.7/10. Overall, it was a decent start. It was certainly not perfect, but it was not terrible either. I truly cannot wait for more!
The show starts off by introducing Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome. This very fact proves troublesome for Shaun, as he will obviously face discrimination from many sources . . . some more likely than others. It's already crystal clear that Shaun is the focus here.
On his way to his interview, Shaun encounters a boy injured by glass. With him being a doctor-in-training, he, of course, jumps in to offer a helping hand. The thing that bothered me about this was how we saw the anatomy of the boy's arm on the screen (as it was in Shaun's head). It was almost like he was being portrayed as some genius or something, but as someone who is going into their first year as a resident, this should be standard knowledge. It was basic anatomy that many students in med school should be knowledgeable about.
Other physicians are introduced, and at this moment, we may not remember their names (or really care what they are), but we'll likely recall their faces and central attributes, which is enough for now. I am confident the series will reach a point where each of them are relevant.
One thing that does bother me, though, is that we already see people sleeping around in on-call rooms. I hope this is not an indication of more to come. I love "Grey's Anatomy," but if I wanted to watch a soapy series, I wouldn't be here. I would be, well . . . watching "Grey's Anatomy!" This one peice of the episode especially felt a bit tired.
The part that I loved most was Shaun's flashbacks. These little glimpses in his past are really clever. I thought it to be exceptional character development. We quickly learned that, during his childhood, Shaun suffers due to an abusive father and bullies at school, but is protected and assisted by his younger brother, Steve, until tragedy strikes. The only one left to protect him and care for him was Dr. Glassman. Their budding kinship is already strongly apparent. I must admit that I teared up as I watched Shaun's past unfold. If it was not for these flashbacks pulling the curtain of his past aside, we would not know exactly why Shaun has opted to become a doctor. His explanation of why was simply beautiful, yet candid:
"The day that the rain smelled like ice cream, my bunny went to heaven. In front of my eyes. The day that the copper pipes in the old building smelled like burnt food, my brother went to heaven. In front of my eyes."
It is very clear to me that this show is extremely capable of emotionally connecting with its audience, and I love that. Very much. I am hoping the show can continue to incorporate Shaun's past without overusing it or belaboring the point because these flashbacks and the storyline truly were what kept me captivated.
Being a nurse in-training, I have a bit of a background in many conditions. I appload Highmore's depiction of someone with autism and applaud the writer's for raising awareness. Life is hard enough to deal with, but autism adds to how difficult life already is, as it sets for a massive communication barrier and can make social interaction difficult and challenging. What intrigues me is that doctors typically are very socially at ease. "The Good Doctor" sets this apart and introduces the struggle of what it's like when doctors aren't. I can't wait to see more of this aspect.
I leave off with one final comment, and that is about the set. St. Bonaventure Hospital looks a hotel, not a hospital. I am really bothered by this. I especially love realistic representation in procedural dramas, but the set for "The Good Doctor" is just the golden egg of fake hospitals.
I give "Burnt Food" an 8.7/10. Overall, it was a decent start. It was certainly not perfect, but it was not terrible either. I truly cannot wait for more!
Potential
kushtrimsimoni29 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'd hate to be that guy but couldn't let the scene at the airport pass without being or feeling as a partycrasher
I mean some kid gets injured and there is no medical assistance whatsoever?
And the parents acting Lame I like the idea though and Dr. Shaun plays the role perfectly imo.
And the parents acting Lame I like the idea though and Dr. Shaun plays the role perfectly imo.
So far, so good.
theoneandonlymeeple29 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
As a watcher of the K-Drama, in which this show was originally adapted from, I can proudly say that this was a good start. Sure, there are several differences from the original, but they manage to mesh in those differences and make it work very well. They also handled the plot very well indeed. While I would've given it a 9 due to how much I enjoyed this episode, I'll have to give it an 8 due to the pretty unnecessary sex scene. It just felt really out of place, and it kinda turned me off.
Do people with disabilities have shots in life?
favordavid31 August 2021
Doctor Shaun Murphy, a guy with autism. Who wants to be a surgeon. There are many people doubt that Shaun can be a good doctor. So Shaun has to prove it. Being a good doctor is just not about the skill only. It also requires empathy and sympathy.
An amazing character but the show around Shaun needs to settle itself
Carson478515 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The joy and central problem of this episode (and the start of this series) is how much Freddie Highmore as Shaun carries it. By most accounts the character is a sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of a person with autism. Perhaps the network could have casted an autistic actor but it seems like at least they did their research and built a beautifully complex, relatable, king and sympathetic character.
The combination of the Sherlock-esque visual prompts we get when Shaun begins to think medically and the flashbacks give a really strong insight into how Shaun thinks and what his motivations are. The flashbacks do sometimes cross a line where any creative writing teacher might mark 'show not tell' on the screenplay - and watching the flashback of what is meant to be the grand denouement of the episode, the discovery that Shaun is motivated to become a doctor because of his brother's early death, is not only expected but painfully belaboured. And this only has the effect of making Shaun's speech to the board less powerful. Compare this to Cristina Yang's very similar revelation to Owen Hunt (5 seasons in!) in Grey's Anatomy that it was her father's death that motivated her to be a surgeon and you can see the benefits of not labouring the point too much. The frequency of the flashbacks make me worry about the point when we have little left to learn about Shaun and little to wonder about his character - will he become boring or will they drop the technique?
Speaking of Grey's Anatomy leads onto the other issues with the show. What is it? Is it centrally a hospital drama? If so, there are several problems.
1) In a hospital as big as it's shown to be, with that self-important and grand a governing board, with at least 6 ORs - why do we only ever see 4 surgeons? How on earth does the board have the time to debate so heavily the hiring of one surgical resident? Why do the president, chief of Surgery, and attending have so much free time that they can invest in fighting over this? And why does the Chief of Surgery spend the whole of his time out of scrubs?
2) If Shaun is truly a first-year resident surgeon (at that size a hospital) then his even being scrubbed in in the OR on his first day should be a bigger deal. If he's gone through his intern year elsewhere then the board ought to look at his performance record there and be done with the conversation
3) So far there's been little emotional connection to the patients undergoing surgery. There haven't been many granted and currently I'm invested in the outcome of the surgeries given I'm rooting for Shaun's development as a surgeon but again I'm worried that only caring about the surgeries because they affect Shaun's career might not work in the long term.
4) As of yet I don't feel that anyone else in the hospital is actually a doctor. None of them seem to have any motivation behind what they are doing. But perhaps that's only because the two of the other residents sleeping together in the on-call room was the only room we had for character development this episode.
(N. B. These last two are reinforced by the next episode)
On the other hand, if this show is really about Shaun as a person and his struggles to become a surgeon, overcoming the discrimination he faces etc then there are also red flags. So far, while his internal struggles (i.e. With the security guards, or communicating to the other doctors/board) are intelligently and fully displayed, the discrimination he faces isn't believable or nuanced enough. We spend so much time in the board room this episode (where we could be focussing on character development) just listening to people say over and over and over 'autistic people can't communicate so how can they be doctors'. I know that that is actually a huge proportion of the struggle neurodivergent people face, just blatantly being disregarded and discriminated against. But President Glassman's defence of his hiring decision is weaker than it ought to be especially for a show where the audience is meant to unequivocally side with him. And following such blatant prejudiced opposition the board melts after a 30 second speech, no matter how heart-rending?? Even as we move outside the board room that's all we seem to get with Melendez categorically putting him on suction (even though as I said that seems like not a punishment for a first year surgical resident).
Compare this to Grey's Anatomy, to use that example again. Although it's not really developed afterwards in the second episode alone we get a more complete picture of racism within medicine than the discrimination that Shaun faces (Izzie assuming Cristina can speak Chinese, no one being able to communicate with the Chinese ER patients, undocumented immigrants not being able to access medical treatment). But then also consider Dr Dixon, the potential head of cardiothoracic surgery with Asperger's. Not only do the three episodes she's in show the same blatant ignorance and discrimination (but on a lower more believable level), with people calling here "a little off", and her internal struggles (trouble recognizing sarcasm, not understanding certain emotional conflicts that go against logic, getting overwhelmed in certain situations) but they also show people manipulating her, using her condition to get her to do what they want. They show that she is able to communicate, albeit in a different manner, with patients. They incorporate her previous difficulties with pathological stuttering. Etc.
If that's the level of complexity that we can see in the soapy, career/romance-focussed Grey's Anatomy, if The Good Doctor is really going to centre itself around Shaun, it needs to get more nuanced. And if we're going to focus on the medicine then there are fewer technicalities I'm willing to suspend my disbelief over. These are some fairly serious problems to navigate. But for the moment the brilliance of Shaun's character overshadows all of them and earns this episode an 8.
The combination of the Sherlock-esque visual prompts we get when Shaun begins to think medically and the flashbacks give a really strong insight into how Shaun thinks and what his motivations are. The flashbacks do sometimes cross a line where any creative writing teacher might mark 'show not tell' on the screenplay - and watching the flashback of what is meant to be the grand denouement of the episode, the discovery that Shaun is motivated to become a doctor because of his brother's early death, is not only expected but painfully belaboured. And this only has the effect of making Shaun's speech to the board less powerful. Compare this to Cristina Yang's very similar revelation to Owen Hunt (5 seasons in!) in Grey's Anatomy that it was her father's death that motivated her to be a surgeon and you can see the benefits of not labouring the point too much. The frequency of the flashbacks make me worry about the point when we have little left to learn about Shaun and little to wonder about his character - will he become boring or will they drop the technique?
Speaking of Grey's Anatomy leads onto the other issues with the show. What is it? Is it centrally a hospital drama? If so, there are several problems.
1) In a hospital as big as it's shown to be, with that self-important and grand a governing board, with at least 6 ORs - why do we only ever see 4 surgeons? How on earth does the board have the time to debate so heavily the hiring of one surgical resident? Why do the president, chief of Surgery, and attending have so much free time that they can invest in fighting over this? And why does the Chief of Surgery spend the whole of his time out of scrubs?
2) If Shaun is truly a first-year resident surgeon (at that size a hospital) then his even being scrubbed in in the OR on his first day should be a bigger deal. If he's gone through his intern year elsewhere then the board ought to look at his performance record there and be done with the conversation
3) So far there's been little emotional connection to the patients undergoing surgery. There haven't been many granted and currently I'm invested in the outcome of the surgeries given I'm rooting for Shaun's development as a surgeon but again I'm worried that only caring about the surgeries because they affect Shaun's career might not work in the long term.
4) As of yet I don't feel that anyone else in the hospital is actually a doctor. None of them seem to have any motivation behind what they are doing. But perhaps that's only because the two of the other residents sleeping together in the on-call room was the only room we had for character development this episode.
(N. B. These last two are reinforced by the next episode)
On the other hand, if this show is really about Shaun as a person and his struggles to become a surgeon, overcoming the discrimination he faces etc then there are also red flags. So far, while his internal struggles (i.e. With the security guards, or communicating to the other doctors/board) are intelligently and fully displayed, the discrimination he faces isn't believable or nuanced enough. We spend so much time in the board room this episode (where we could be focussing on character development) just listening to people say over and over and over 'autistic people can't communicate so how can they be doctors'. I know that that is actually a huge proportion of the struggle neurodivergent people face, just blatantly being disregarded and discriminated against. But President Glassman's defence of his hiring decision is weaker than it ought to be especially for a show where the audience is meant to unequivocally side with him. And following such blatant prejudiced opposition the board melts after a 30 second speech, no matter how heart-rending?? Even as we move outside the board room that's all we seem to get with Melendez categorically putting him on suction (even though as I said that seems like not a punishment for a first year surgical resident).
Compare this to Grey's Anatomy, to use that example again. Although it's not really developed afterwards in the second episode alone we get a more complete picture of racism within medicine than the discrimination that Shaun faces (Izzie assuming Cristina can speak Chinese, no one being able to communicate with the Chinese ER patients, undocumented immigrants not being able to access medical treatment). But then also consider Dr Dixon, the potential head of cardiothoracic surgery with Asperger's. Not only do the three episodes she's in show the same blatant ignorance and discrimination (but on a lower more believable level), with people calling here "a little off", and her internal struggles (trouble recognizing sarcasm, not understanding certain emotional conflicts that go against logic, getting overwhelmed in certain situations) but they also show people manipulating her, using her condition to get her to do what they want. They show that she is able to communicate, albeit in a different manner, with patients. They incorporate her previous difficulties with pathological stuttering. Etc.
If that's the level of complexity that we can see in the soapy, career/romance-focussed Grey's Anatomy, if The Good Doctor is really going to centre itself around Shaun, it needs to get more nuanced. And if we're going to focus on the medicine then there are fewer technicalities I'm willing to suspend my disbelief over. These are some fairly serious problems to navigate. But for the moment the brilliance of Shaun's character overshadows all of them and earns this episode an 8.
This can be good but I'm not sure yet
sofad198827 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Where do I start. Very interesting setup. Very young autistic doctor (sort of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory) travels to new city to audition to get a job in a prestige hospital. In the airport he saves young boy, who gets into accident, demonstrating phenomenon skills and knowledge. So far the show is excellent.
But when we get into the hospital, the show drops hard. In very first scene we see two doctors laying in bed right in the hospital after having sex... What is this? Stupid Grey's Anatomy... Not only that but apparently the supermodel super-hot chick the granddaughter of founder hospital also have sex with another doctor. I already see this - love triangles everywhere, what could I want more from a medicine TV-show.
Next. Every 3 minutes flashbacks, every 5 minutes super inspirational music plays. It's get very annoying soon.
Whole plot of first episode is about the Board of directors afraid of hiring autistic doctor. Nobody wants such responsibility, doctors give tons reasonable arguments through the episode to not doing this and then he gives this speech about how he can't save his rabbit and his brother and now he want to help people. Whole thing takes maybe 30 seconds, and... you are hired.
In summary. I hope this episode so cheesy because it's pilot and next episodes would be more serious. This show can be great, and I hope it will. Just less Grey's Anathomy and more House M.D. please.
But when we get into the hospital, the show drops hard. In very first scene we see two doctors laying in bed right in the hospital after having sex... What is this? Stupid Grey's Anatomy... Not only that but apparently the supermodel super-hot chick the granddaughter of founder hospital also have sex with another doctor. I already see this - love triangles everywhere, what could I want more from a medicine TV-show.
Next. Every 3 minutes flashbacks, every 5 minutes super inspirational music plays. It's get very annoying soon.
Whole plot of first episode is about the Board of directors afraid of hiring autistic doctor. Nobody wants such responsibility, doctors give tons reasonable arguments through the episode to not doing this and then he gives this speech about how he can't save his rabbit and his brother and now he want to help people. Whole thing takes maybe 30 seconds, and... you are hired.
In summary. I hope this episode so cheesy because it's pilot and next episodes would be more serious. This show can be great, and I hope it will. Just less Grey's Anathomy and more House M.D. please.
Pilot Episode
pdecrescenzo3 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This was a great pilot episode. I like how the episode opens by bringing the viewer into the world of autism. When Shaun walks on the street, a white straight line appears, showing the audience a visual representation of how his brain functions. This imagery continues throughout the episode. Then, as he walks through the airport, the sound volume and intensity in the show models what those sounds actually sound like to Shaun from a sensory standpoint. The board room meeting scene also shows the challenges autistic people face with how others perceive them. The board immediately questions the decision of Shaun's hiring because he is autistic, even though he meets all of the standards and qualifications of the job. To convince the rest of the board, Shaun's savant syndrome had to be brought up, he had to save someone's life, and socially communicate with the board, which may be a challenge to many autistic people. Just to get the job, Shaun had to do a lot more than other candidates may have had to do. The show does a great job in showing how Shaun's extraordinary intelligence and struggles with normative social communication skills come to a crossroads in important situations. This really helps the viewer empathize with persons with autism. At the end of the episode, we see Shaun finally get approved as a resident. Yet, he is still not accepted, as he is told he doesn't belong there by a coworker. This shows that the challenges autistic people face don't end after a good day, and that they are constantly forced into proving themselves to society daily. Nevertheless, this pilot episode did a great job at building awareness for autism and communicating autism in a positive but realistic way. I'm looking forward to watching more.
Good, inspirational although overtly dramatic pilot episode
Abdulxoxo20 February 2021
Okay, as a pilot episode this episode ticks almost all the boxes - introducing the main characters, setting up future conflicts etc. It's a good see a film protagonist that many people like him are going to be inspired by. I thought the casting choices were good especially the lead actor. Freddie Highmore is very convincing as an autistic person and looks the part. The rest of casts are fine. However, what I'm not a fan of about this episode is the melodrama; the dramatic elements were too on-the-nose and so was the music. The dialogue was cheesy. And there were a lot of of 'convenient coincidences' that take place in this episode. I hope there won't be a romance angle or love triangle anytime soon or anytime ever lol. What I like apart from the acting, is the animation that pops on the screen everytime something anatomical comes up. It's educative and keeps the viewer informed. Overall, a good pilot with good performances and some interesting future conflict, but I hope the drama and the cheesiness could be tone down a bit in the future episode.
Cringeworthy
treborbasset25 November 2023
This is not how people act or behave. I don't mean the protagonist, but the rest of the cast. The entire premise of the episode (and possibly the entire show?) is ridiculous - there is not this level of discrimination against autistic people, in fact a huge number of autistic people ARE surgeons and nobody cares.
To have the board of a hospital get so worked up about the idea of hiring an autistic person, with people saying they don't want to have someone autistic working there (without even meeting him) is ridiculous to the point of absurdity. Never mind the fact it would break multiple discrimination laws, it is not how people behave.
Straight away Shaun finds himself an an unlikely situation where a boy's life needs saving. The whole thing seems surreal and bizarre. It's not realistic. At the end it becomes like one of those memes: "and then everybody clapped". I got second hand embarrassment that somebody wrote this and thought it was good.
The writing was awful in this. There are frequent flashbacks to his childhood, which reveal a bizarrely unrealistic "origin story". It's laid on so thick, so full of cliche.
Freddie Highmore does a decent enough job of playing Shaun, and some of the representation of autism in the episode were good. I feel some of the other casting choices were questionable and put in poor performances (smirking Chuku Modo in particular).
The entire scene of Shaun not being allowed into the hospital was stupid, as were most of the interactions between the rest of the characters. I was continuously thinking "this isn't how people talk or behave".
The show is so badly written, it's difficult to tell whether it's meant to be a serious drama or low quality daytime soap opera. It seems that the writers contrive to make things happen because they want to show it, which makes character motivations nonsensical. It feels like deus ex machina. Nothing unfolds organically, it all feels so made up, almost like a fairy tale. And then they all clapped.
To have the board of a hospital get so worked up about the idea of hiring an autistic person, with people saying they don't want to have someone autistic working there (without even meeting him) is ridiculous to the point of absurdity. Never mind the fact it would break multiple discrimination laws, it is not how people behave.
Straight away Shaun finds himself an an unlikely situation where a boy's life needs saving. The whole thing seems surreal and bizarre. It's not realistic. At the end it becomes like one of those memes: "and then everybody clapped". I got second hand embarrassment that somebody wrote this and thought it was good.
The writing was awful in this. There are frequent flashbacks to his childhood, which reveal a bizarrely unrealistic "origin story". It's laid on so thick, so full of cliche.
Freddie Highmore does a decent enough job of playing Shaun, and some of the representation of autism in the episode were good. I feel some of the other casting choices were questionable and put in poor performances (smirking Chuku Modo in particular).
The entire scene of Shaun not being allowed into the hospital was stupid, as were most of the interactions between the rest of the characters. I was continuously thinking "this isn't how people talk or behave".
The show is so badly written, it's difficult to tell whether it's meant to be a serious drama or low quality daytime soap opera. It seems that the writers contrive to make things happen because they want to show it, which makes character motivations nonsensical. It feels like deus ex machina. Nothing unfolds organically, it all feels so made up, almost like a fairy tale. And then they all clapped.
Just phenomenal
dstheking20 March 2022
You won't just enjoy this, you will live every moment of it. I was in tears in almost every scene of this pilot episode. The performance, the dialogue, the screenplay, the story, the screenplay, everything was phenomenal.
S1.E1 - Amazing First Episode [9/10]
panagiotis199321 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
(S1. E1) My Live Reaction / Review for The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 1 ''Burnt Food''. Shaun seems to be kinda weird, I already like him. Shaun is able to analyze things in a very unique way, I like that. It seems like Shaun had (has?) a very unsupportive and dysfunctional family. All Shaun wanted is to save this boy but they wont let him, so frustrating. The people in charge don't want to hire Shaun, why not give him a chance? They are dumb. The video with Shaun saving the boy went viral, now that will change what the people in charge think about Shaun. Freddie Highmore plays the role of being autistic really good. Did his brother die? That's so brutal and sad. Im so glad they hired him. Shaun told the other surgeon that he is arrogant, damn haha. A great first episode, I loved it. Overall this episode was good and I enjoyed it. My rating is 9/10.
Good beginning 10/10
blastevil21 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
When a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome joins St. Bonaventure hospital's surgical unit, he must navigate the new environment and relationships in order to prove that his medical gifts will save lives.
A great and sad beginning, we saw a wonderful introduction of the characters with an amazing medical drama. We saw Shaun's past with his brother, and the way he was introduced to the series was amazing, and Freddie Highmore's acting was great, a beautiful start. The beginning in general was wonderful and I did not feel bored. The brightening in this series makes you feel tense. The medicine in the series is amazing. My rating for this episode is 10/10. It deserves this fair rating. A great start, I hope the level of the series will be like this start .
A great and sad beginning, we saw a wonderful introduction of the characters with an amazing medical drama. We saw Shaun's past with his brother, and the way he was introduced to the series was amazing, and Freddie Highmore's acting was great, a beautiful start. The beginning in general was wonderful and I did not feel bored. The brightening in this series makes you feel tense. The medicine in the series is amazing. My rating for this episode is 10/10. It deserves this fair rating. A great start, I hope the level of the series will be like this start .
Watchable
fallowdeer10 September 2022
Would be nice to have a TV show occasionally where people act like real people. A job interview for a surgical residency that consists of one question, followed by a boardroom clapping, erm really?? The autistic doctor is realistic in some ways, with flashes of Hollywood that jar. Surely failure to employ based on disability would be a lawsuit waiting to happen, there are processes. The series of unlikely medical catastrophes. The family drama. Too many incidents predictable for TV and unlikely for real life. Disappointing Hollywood can't do better. But of the amazon prime shows I've recently watched, this is the one I can most stomach watching.
One big anachronism
nemesis-8810 April 2024
So in this episode we're shown some workers at the airport replacing a GLASS sign right over the heads of the passing passengers. OF COURSE the sign breaks and OF COURSE there's a little boy standing right under it. You believe that? They evacuate half of Chicago every time a Southwest plane skates off the runway in O'Hare... again. But not this airport!
Next, we see a father who repeatedly slaps his autistic son for... being autistic. The poor mother is trying to intervene by shouting "You're hurting him!" In the process of slapping his son the father throws his pet rabbit against the wall thus killing it. The boy and his brother take the rabbit to a doctor and openly discuss how they're not going back home and will be living on their own. The good doctor (pun intended) just looks away in pity. This must be 1930s? Maybe 1950s? 1970s at the latest!? Nope. It's mid-2000s. Child Protection Services don't exist. The doctor is not obligated to report domestic abuse. Everything's peachy.
Next, we're transcended roughly 12-15 years ahead. The advisory board of a clinic in San Jose. You know what they're doing? They are openly discussing how they won't hire a person because he's autistic. Unlike EVERY other institution in the United States, this hospital doesn't have the Code of Conduct that clearly forbids discriminating against people based on their disbilities.
It sure looks like the script was written for a different time and was adapted "as best as we could". Let's see where this goes.
Next, we see a father who repeatedly slaps his autistic son for... being autistic. The poor mother is trying to intervene by shouting "You're hurting him!" In the process of slapping his son the father throws his pet rabbit against the wall thus killing it. The boy and his brother take the rabbit to a doctor and openly discuss how they're not going back home and will be living on their own. The good doctor (pun intended) just looks away in pity. This must be 1930s? Maybe 1950s? 1970s at the latest!? Nope. It's mid-2000s. Child Protection Services don't exist. The doctor is not obligated to report domestic abuse. Everything's peachy.
Next, we're transcended roughly 12-15 years ahead. The advisory board of a clinic in San Jose. You know what they're doing? They are openly discussing how they won't hire a person because he's autistic. Unlike EVERY other institution in the United States, this hospital doesn't have the Code of Conduct that clearly forbids discriminating against people based on their disbilities.
It sure looks like the script was written for a different time and was adapted "as best as we could". Let's see where this goes.
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