The Good Doctor: Season 4/ Episode 15 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
With two kids in a life-threatening condition due to a shooting, it puts into perspective, not just child-rearing but also how different belief systems clash.
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With two kids in a life-threatening condition due to a shooting, it puts into perspective, not just child-rearing but also how different belief systems clash.
| Episode Title | Waiting |
| Director(s) | Gary Hawes |
| Writer(s) | David Hoselton, David Shore, Oren Gottfried |
| Aired (ABC) | 4/26/2021 |
| Newly Noted Characters | |
| Mason | Dominic Mariche |
| Ethan | Knox Hamilton |
| Carina | Elizabeth Rodriguez |
| Taryn | Italia Ricci |
This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text may contain affiliate links, which, if a purchase is made, we’ll earn money or products from the company.
Recap
Differences Don’t Always Attract or Repel – Asher, Claire, Alex, Morgan
At this point, while Morgan is a motivator and could make a good partner, her desire to avoid emotional entanglements makes it so Alex thinks their sexual relationship should end. He wants to catch and reciprocate feelings, and because of where Morgan is at in life, she is unwilling or unable to do so. Thus ending their relationship.
But, they aren’t alone in hitting a rough patch. With Claire learning Asher voted for Donald Trump, it complicates things and leads to a lot of back and forth. Mind you, the sole reason Asher mentions is Trump’s position on Israel, nothing that could genuinely raise a red flag, but considering all that Asher was willing to trade for that one issue, Claire feels a shift in their relationship.
However, despite the issue leading to a bit of a tiff between them, an olive branch allows for peace between the two.
Mason and Ethan – Mason, Ethan, Taryn, Carina, Shaun, Alex, Claire, Asher, Lea
During a protest for Prop 266, two kids, Mason and Ethan, are shot. Mason is shot in such a way where he should survive if the hospital can get enough blood. As for Ethan? He was shot in the head, so his situation is a bit dire. Add in both of their parents are single mothers, and that really complicates things.
In terms of Taryn, Ethan’s mom, she is a single mom thanks to a divorce, and she’s struggling with 8 and a half-year-old Ethan and fears that he’ll pass away, potentially hating her. On the other end is Carina, Mason’s mother, who is single due to Mason’s father dying in a car accident. And for her, the fear is, Mason was the shining light that helped her during her time of grief, and while out of the darkness, she could quickly end up right back there if he died.
All of this makes for a stressful time, and while Claire and Asher put aside their differences long enough to help Mason and do good work on him, Shaun and Alex working on Ethan? Much less, Shaun doing most of the talking to Taryn? Let’s just say it wasn’t the best idea.
However, with Lea in there with the two moms, waiting on test results, she felt the need to push Shaun and Alex to give some sort of status update. After all, Carina got one. And honestly, if it wasn’t for Lea keeping up the energy, even helping to keep the two moms peaceful, despite their different opinions on Prop 266, Mason could have died. For, in the end, Taryn ends up donating the blood Mason needs to get through surgery, and, as a gift from karma, Ethan lives rather than dies as previously predicted.
Was It A Lie? – Shaun, Lea
When in with the ladies, Lea implied her test results were fine and was focused on supporting them through their tough times. However, not too long after leaving the hospital with Shaun, Lea seems to experience debilitating pain and ends up on the ground. Thus leaving Shaun freaking out and screaming for help.
Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs
I don’t feel like you want an answer. I feel like you want an apology.
— Asher
Review
Highlights
Shaun & Lea In Sync
While Shaun has had a difficult time getting into the exciting parts of parenthood, he seems to connect with Lea on the anxiety and emotional toll. We feel this is quite notable because Shaun operates mainly in theory and questions, and then things get personal. And I think when it comes to Shaun and becoming a father, he was an observer, not so much a participant. He was there for doctor appointments and classes, but he got push back when he tried to assert himself.
However, I think in getting to experience negative emotions with Lea, like this scare she is dealing with, this might be Shaun’s in. He has to be included, as the child’s father, rather than be pushed to adapt. And don’t get us wrong, I think Shaun will still have to adjust to the situation, but now his input is asked, and I think that’s all he has wanted. For the way Shaun operates is that he theorizes and asks questions, and it eventually gets personal, and we’re at that point now for something is up with the baby.
And let’s be real here, many shows bring in the mother getting postpartum depression, having complications, and while the thought is morbid, the potential of Lea dying during childbirth could happen. I don’t want it to, but you can imagine Shaun having to struggle on his own with a baby, and this bring Dr. Glassman, maybe Debbie (bleh), back into the fold. If not, Shaun having a real chance to reconcile with his mother, which didn’t really happen when she called him up for his father’s death.
But the point is, Shaun has struggled with not feeling needed and a bit helpless during the pregnancy. Which, albeit, isn’t going to end any time soon. However, it does present the opportunity for it to not be just Lea struggling but a shared struggle, which might ultimately bring Shaun more into this than just waiting to be tagged in.
The End Of Alex and Morgan?
We’ve never hidden the fact that we aren’t a fan of the majority of the pairings The Good Doctor has. Outside of Shaun, most of the couples put together either seemed short-lived or one-sided for the sake of benefitting one character. With Alex and Morgan, that has always seemed the case, and while The Good Doctor is the type of show that rather play the long game than give fans a quick burst of satisfaction, there wasn’t much here to want.
In comparison, it isn’t like Claire and Dr. Melendez, and the feeling they could have been something since the early years of the show. For while, yes, Alex and Morgan have had moments throughout the series, I gotta admit, I’m still very stuck on the idea of Morgan and Claire being a thing. That was Morgan’s best match, and maybe it is because you could clearly see them both benefit from that relationship? Either way, I’m hoping Alex finally slowly slips away, like Dr. Andrews, and Morgan gets her time back.
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Summary
Shaun & Lea In Sync - 86%
The End Of Alex and Morgan? - 88%
87%
As Shaun begins to get into the fears and anxiety of having a child, beyond the struggles they may experience because of gender, he continues to blossom as a potential dad. All the while, we watch as Claire learns not all issues need to create a line in the sand, and Morgan might be free of Alex.
