The Good Doctor (4×08) Parenting Review

For our review of the last episode of The Good Doctor, click here.

Synopsis: The team treats a teenage gymnast who experiences complications from her intensive training. Shaun meets Lea’s parents for the first time. (IMDb)

This latest strong episode of The Good Doctor saw characters take on parenting roles for others in more ways that one as some aren’t doing so good while parents played a big part in the episode for better or worse. Meanwhile. the episode featured more standout performances from Christina Chang, Antonia Thomas, and Freddie Highmore as Lim, Browne, and Murphy as the season has only scratched the surface with Lim’s PTSD but Browne still found a way to get roped into someone else’s issues while Murphy stood up for himself and Lea in a very surprising way.

Parenting began with Murphy and Lea getting the news that the latter’s parents are making an unannounced visit (Lea was more worried than he was). The case of the episode was a 14-year-old girl named Daria with a leg injury but that was only the beginning. Though she suffered from an intestinal blockage from her unusual diet, she also had the bone density of an 80-year-old woman which was caused by the strain put on her from overtraining and her diet. Being able to compete was a concern but she was willing to risk it and not get the surgery she needed.

Daria’s father (Kristoffer Polaha) faced issues of his own including the same kind of blockage. Meanwhile, Andrews took particular attention to his niece Jackson who he felt was struggling despite his earlier promise to her to not interfere. He empowered her to be a better person and doctor. While addressing Daria’s blockage, the doctors found a heart problem. She wasn’t being pressured by her dad but rather, she was taking medication to make her boobs bigger whose side effects were responsible for her condition. Wanting to take care of his daughter, Daria’s dad gave the doctors permission to perform the spine surgery she needed that would essentially end her gymnastics career. As a result, she wanted to be emancipated.

Jackson’s outside the box idea was scrapped in favor of an esophageal diversion, which was her original idea, during the dad’s surgery. Meanwhile, Browne was on Lim about her PTSD as the latter claimed she was dealing with it. Nevertheless, Browne kept pressing with the situation peaking (Lim took offense at the double-standard between how each dealt with their PTSD) at a bar where Lim refused her offer to drive her home. Lim took that behavior back to the hospital, giving Daria some tough love as she was her dad’s next of kin and taking one more shot at Browne (Lim’s issues reminded her of her mother). Daria and her father’s adversity ultimately brought them closer together. Jackson ultimately reaffirmed to her uncle that she was going to stay true to herself.

Murphy was a little concerned about Lea’s parents so he practiced with Reznick and Glassman acting as Lea’s parents (the former had more fun with it) but it did not go well. The actual dinner appeared to go well until it devolved but Murphy seemed to salvage it by the end but he didn’t. Murphy opened up to Lea in a truly honest way about his feelings. He then approached Lea’s parents to stand up for his relationship with Lea in a smart and thoughtful way. Glassman, who Murphy accused of not liking Lea, set the record straight with her. He was just concerned and worried about him but he gave his support. Lea’s parents made one more visit to seemingly confirm their support.

The episode ended with Browne talking to Glassman about her PTSD and her concerns about Lim. Now that’s going to get worse before it gets better.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.