The Good Doctor: Season 6/ Episode 13 “39 Differences” – Recap/ Review

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As Shaun begins to realize he and Lea may not be in alignment regarding child rearing, Dr. Glassman is looking for all the memories of Maddie he can find.

Aired (ABC)	February 13, 2023
Director(s)	Cayman Grant
Writer(s)	David Hoselton, Tristan Thai
Newly Noted Characters
Becky	Elspeth Arbow
Ricky	Beckham Skodje
Victor	Aaron Serotsky
Shelly	Azura Skye
Previously Noted Characters
Alex	Will Yun Lee
Morgan	Fiona Gubelmann
Jordan	Bria Henderson
Shaun	Freddie Highmore
Lea	Paige Spara
Dr. Glassman	Richard Schiff
Dr. Lim	Christina Chang

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

It’s Like You Want To Break Me Down And Take Credit For Building Me Up – Alex, Morgan

Alex visits Morgan, and for a second, you may think he is really proud of her. However, it ends up partly being jealousy. She has a new espresso machine, was hand-picked for an assignment that allows her to hire a staff, and you can tell every compliment has a touch of envy.

But, for access to that espresso machine, he’ll help. In fact, he comes upon someone who could cause major complications in the study, and of course, Morgan expects and thinks the worse. However, Alex learns that the man didn’t lie on his application but was a consistent blood donor, so no one cheated the system or didn’t do their job. Which, of course, he enjoys rubbing in Morgan’s face.

Keeping Hope Alive – Jordan, Becky, Dr. Lim

Becky is looking for a double lung transplant due to having cystic fibrosis, and for over a decade, Dr. Lim has been helping her to manage her symptoms. As shown in the last episode, while Dr. Lim can sometimes come off calculated as an administrator, as a doctor, she gets emotionally invested in a way that some may not approve of. However, because Jordan is a woman of faith, when it is discovered that the lungs have an infection, Dr. Lim and her are willing to do anything possible to make them viable.

Luckily, just as Becky’s mom thinks it is the end for her, they become viable, and Becky’s life is saved.

Sometimes, Love Is Enough – Shaun, Lea, Dr. Glassman, Ricky, Victor, Shelly

Victor and Shelly fighting over their son Ricky, who is in the hospital due to a rusted nail impaling his foot, and later a brain infection, scare Shaun a bit. He already has a different opinion from Lea about where their son will go to school, so imagining what things will be like when he gets older worries him. Especially since it is affecting the core relationship between parents.

Thankfully, as things get bad for Ricky, and it is discovered that the overprotective Victor is why Ricky is in the hospital, the two come together. But this example doesn’t mean Lea won’t be subject to a long conversation regarding the over thirty topics Shaun thinks they can hash out.

But luckily, with Dr. Glassman around, they’ll always have a third party to run to when they need advice, validation, or a break from the other person. Though, right now, with his house burnt down, all Dr. Glassman is doing is trying to find salvageable mementos. Not to say he doesn’t issue advice regarding how things change when you go from two individuals to three, especially when you have a very busy career, but what he needs more is comfort than additional problems on top of his own. Which, thankfully, Lea and Shaun provide.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. With Dr. Glassman dealing with his house burning down and Morgan on a new project, what’s going to happen to the clinic?

What Could Happen Next

1. I think Shaun is going to name his son after his brother and have Dr. Glassman’s first name as the kid’s middle name. Also, if Morgan has a girl and gets close enough to Dr. Glassman to know about his daughter and that whole journey, she may name her kid after his.

Review

On The Fence

The Becky Fake Out Was Uncalled For

How dare they. We see Dr. Lim unable to save the lungs, the mother watching her daughter die because she felt she suffered enough, and then a last-minute miracle happens. This is why “The Good Doctor” is the only medical show we watch because, as intelligent and resourceful as everyone is, it feels like it has been a while since we lost a patient.

Add in Dr. Lim seems to have multiple long-term patients that she has been personally caring for, and she is recovering so quickly from her own surgery, and there is this feeling we’re due for a loss.

But, I will admit, being six seasons in and this show still able to trick me is worthy of applause.

Is Alex A Terrible Person

Okay, maybe Alex isn’t a terrible person, since we know he and Morgan sometimes like to play dirty. However, while Morgan is indeed a pessimist, I wouldn’t say she goes out of her way to pick with Alex on a personal level. Professionally, when it comes to her patients? Yes, she will question him and point out what he isn’t doing right in front of others.

However, with Alex, as shown throughout the whole pregnancy saga, and now with Morgan’s promotion, he is a hater. He doesn’t like she is getting to potentially be everything she is without him. She is rising in ranks, still likely to have a kid, and while she may not have a partner supporting her, she has the hospital’s president rooting her on and advocating for her.

This is likely why Alex takes whatever opportunity he can find to humble her or try to anyway. Yet, while this makes us hate Alex, it does make us love Morgan, and what more could a writer hope for than getting the audience to react to how they are crafting a character, especially over the long term.

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