The Good Doctor (4×09) Irresponsible Salad Bar Practices Review

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

Synopsis: Lim is challenged by the unique circumstances surrounding a pregnant patient with an aggressive tumor; after misdiagnosing a patient, Claire makes a disconcerting discovery about certain practices at the hospital. (TV Guide)

That silly episode title did mean something in terms of the story here in terms of an endearing subplot with Murphy while a case opened Browne’s eyes about hospital practices.

Irresponsible Salad Bar Practices started with Allen and Reznick tending to a transgender man named Rio (Emmett Preciado) with a growing tumor while Browne, Wolke, and Guerin treated a delirious woman named Zara (X Norton) who was under the influence of something and whose heart rate was steadily rising for whom the former made a great call to stabilize her (which was arguably profiling). Things got contentious between Browne and Guerin whose relationship recently evolved and this would continue over the course of the episode while her experience opened her eyes on the treatment of minority patients at the hospital.

It was discovered that Rio’s ailment was worsened by the fact that he was pregnant (cue the predictable inappropriate questioning from Murphy and the overinvolvement in his personal life). His tumor was secreting hormones causing his ailment forcing him to choose to have his pregnancy (and stopping his transitioning) before addressing the tumor. Rio chose the latter until he had a change of heart. This did not sit well with his partner Eliz (Johnathan Sousa). Meanwhile, Murphy also had his eye on Dr. Cintia D’Souza (Priscilla Faia), a new radiology resident. The two appeared to have a lot in common as he started to develop feelings for her and it bothered him. And the others noticed. Upon conferring with Lea, she was okay with it as she had feelings for other guys which confused Murphy..

Zara suffered from a rare heart condition where some of the walls were too thick making it harder to pump blood. Meanwhile, Glassman checked in on Lim earlier who assured him that she was fine and that she didn’t need to see anyone. She was concerned about what it would mean for her reputation. Now with Browne on her bad side, the hits kept coming as her profiling of Zara caught up with her, putting the other doctors in an awkward position as she wanted to go to another hospital. Glassman convinced her to stay by offering to oversee her treatment.

Rio’s tumor worsened, forcing him to reconsider his pregnancy but he decided to move forward. His surgery saw a slight complication as Lim was seemingly overwhelmed for a moment but then recovered, resulting in a successful surgery. Meanwhile, Zara’s surgery also saw some complications until a witnessing Browne suggested a solution that ended up saving her. Once Browne checked in on Zara to see how she was doing and apologize for her earlier behavior. It got emotional when she explained how she became the kind of person she never wanted to be, someone trying to make white people comfortable. This was something that she and Guerin further bonded over.

Lea watched D’Souza and recorded her observations, Her irresponsible salad bar practices was Murphy’s breaking point (hence the episode title), giving him a detail to focus on to break through the feelings he had for her.

In the end, Lim was finally open to addressing her PTSD as she opened up to Andrews and Browne.  Wherever she and Browne go remains to be seen but the former’s growth has been one of the best parts of the season thus far and that credit belongs to Christina Chang.

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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.