The Good Doctor: Season 6/ Episode 1 “Afterparty” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Season 6 begins by closing a major chapter for Shaun and crafting a new challenge for those that survive Owen.

Aired (ABC)	10/3/2022
Director(s)	Mike Listo
Writer(s)	Peter Blake
Introduced This Episode
Owen	Terry Chen

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Recap

Code Silver – Owen, Alex, Morgan, Dr. Lim, Nurse Villanueva, Shaun, Dr. Glassman, Dr. Andrews, Lea, Jordan, Asher

Owen stabbing someone, then getting a gun off a guard, has everyone on high alert, and Dr. Andrews, who had a brief encounter with Owen, calls in a code silver. With that, lockdown begins, and while Owen is trying to find an escape route, Nurse Villanueva and Dr. Lim are lucky that Shaun decided to act rather than stay on the roof and wait it out. He is joined by Jordan and Lea, and they’re the first to find Lim and Villanueva, followed by Glassman and Andrews, and the two are immediately taken to the OR.

As for Alex, Morgan, and Asher? Alex went outside after hearing Morgan getting a job offer from New York Medical Center made him feel she put her career before him, and he was trying to process that she would always do so. Alongside prepping to break up with her. Meanwhile, Alex and Morgan run across a patient with Crohn’s disease they need to help, but unfortunately, while getting supplies, Owen sees Asher and ends up taking Asher, the patient, and Morgan as hostages.

But, being that Owen isn’t heartless, just a mirror image of his dad, who was abusive to his mom, he lets Morgan and the patient go first, then, after opening up to Asher and Asher doing the same, he tries to commit suicide by SWAT. However, even after being shot up, he is alive but in critical condition.

Is This A Real Decision? – Owen, Dr. Lim, Shaun, Steve, Lea, Dr. Andrews, Dr. Glassman

Dr. Glassman finds himself in two life-or-death arguments with Shaun over how to proceed with Dr. Lim. The first deals with what to do about her lacerated liver, for Dr. Glassman’s procedure could cut 10 years off of Dr. Lim’s life, but she would be alive. Shaun’s method wouldn’t be so drastic, but Dr. Glassman doesn’t approve. However, when Dr. Glassman leaves the room, and Shaun believes the circumstances have changed, he does his surgery to the ire of Dr. Glassman.

But unfortunately, one of Owen’s stabbings went deeper than expected toward Dr. Lim’s heart, so there is a need to do a bypass. The problem is Owen needs one too, and Shaun is outvoted by Dr. Glassman and Dr. Andrews in terms of the idea of sacrificing Owen so that Dr. Lim can have the easiest surgery. This messes with Shaun’s head a bit, and then when the surgery isn’t going as Shaun would like, he freaks out for he feels like he is about to lose someone he is close to again.

Steve appears, thanks to Shaun being triggered, and reassures Shaun that he isn’t at fault for his death. Steve walked backwards, on top of a train, thus him dying as he did. And as Shaun deals with his guilt, Lea is trying to break through to Shaun so that Dr. Glassman can get the assistance he needs, and in time he gets it, thus allowing for Owen and Dr. Lim to make it out of surgery alive.

Post-Op – Owen, Nurse Villanueva, Dr. Andrews, Dr. Lim, Dr. Glassman, Shaun, Lea

With Owen, Nurse Villanueva, and Dr. Lim alive, Shaun and Lea had quite the exciting wedding night. One that brought them closer as Lea helped throughout, and was there for Shaun when he blanked out for a moment. But, alas, while all the surgeries allowed the patients to live and wake up, in the case of Dr. Lim, she is now paralyzed.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Will Shaun blame himself for Dr. Lim being paralyzed?

What Could Happen Next

1. Lim showing the challenge of being a doctor who is unable to stand on their own

Review

Highlights

Steve Sighting

How can you not love a Steve appearance? Granted, Steve’s whole story is something we’ve gotten every detail imaginable on, but considering how impactful it is on Shaun, and we’re now 6 seasons in, it allows for a nice reminder of how far Shaun has come. He went from the kid who could barely talk or socialize to someone married, who stands up for himself, and has a community that is damn near like family.

Not An Outright Win

Dr. Lim being paralyzed creates an opportunity for “The Good Doctor” that you could submit should go to an actor who is a wheelchair user. But, in lieu of that, there is hope there were consultants paid who can offer what it is like to be a doctor when dealing with equipment and tools not made for someone who isn’t standing while working.

In previews, we see the potential challenges and workarounds, but whether that will allow Lim to be at her best, or discover a new version of such, will be hard to say. Alongside Shaun not being atypical, “The Good Doctor” exploring what it means to be a medical professional who isn’t able to walk or stand also means new grounds to explore.

Even Criminals Are Patients

Every now and then, there is a reminder that doctors aren’t supposed to choose who lives or dies. They are not judges, juries, or executioners. What they’re supposed to do is make it so you’re alive to even show up in court. Hence Dr. Glassman’s original need to question why are they spending time on Owen and Dr. Andrews, without discussion, not debating or making points. Instead, he uses his authority to do what’s right and lets it click for everyone why he made said decision.

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