The Good Doctor: Season 5/ Episode 12 “Dry Spell” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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As Shaun and Lea try to figure out how to reconnect sexually, Asher starts contemplating life outside of focusing on hooking up for intimacy.

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Aired	3/28/2022
Network	ABC
Directed By	Bosede Williams
Written By	April Fitzsimmons, Sam Chanse
Introduced This Episode
Nurse Martel	Cole Vigue

Recap

I Didn’t Know We Were Counting – Shaun, Lea

It has been 9 days since Shaun and Lea had sex, and with his catching her masturbating, he thinks it is go time! However, something is off. Some say it is because they need to make the sex spicier. Shaun needs more foreplay to make it more spontaneous or even schedule it. Of all of those options, scheduling it seems best, and while Lea is hesitant at first because her parents would schedule their sexy time, being that Shaun likes their average of having sex every 2.3 days, he is very much for scheduling, and Lea comes around, eventually.

Scheduling Is Everything – Dr. Andrews, Dr. Glassman

Because the hospital’s finances have long been a mess, that is Dr. Andrews’ first priority. Because of that, everything else goes to the wayside, and people seek out Dr. Glassman because he is accessible. This leads to Dr. Glassman seeking out ways to boost morale, and a softball team ends up being his choice. Now, at first, Dr. Andrews isn’t for it, especially taking part, since he likes boundaries between himself and the staff, but he eventually sees the light and plays, which opens opportunities to build relationships with staff members.

I Don’t Want To Be A Hoe Anymore – Asher, Nurse Martel

Because romance has been fleeting and just plain ole hard to find, Asher has mostly focused on hooking up with people in order to get his fix. But, with seeing a couple come in, it seems Asher’s envy of their situation pushes him to want to get serious about dating.

Enter Nurse Martel, who has a bit of a back and forth with Asher, due to Asher losing faith in the inspiring couple when he learns the wife-to-be lied. But, Nurse Martel helps Asher regain his empathy, and after he asks Asher out, it seems Asher may just be smitten.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. With Nurse Martel being Asher’s love interest, does this mean we, after 5 seasons, we may get to know a nurse beyond their name on this show?
2. Why is everyone coming to the current and former president with their problems? Is there not a head of their team or department for the nursing scheduling issues who can handle that? That doesn’t sound like something the president needs to handle.

What Could Happen Next

1. Considering how Dr. Glassman keeps getting forced out of retirement, I can imagine him officially calling it quits by the end of the season
2. Maybe Jordan’s dating life heating up, considering she skipped a date when Shaun and Lea were having relationship issues

Review

Highlights

Dr. Glassman Mentoring Dr. Andrews

If there is one thing Salen showed us that was lacking and has been lacking since Dr. Melendez died, is people having mentors. The issue with Dr. Andrews and Morgan is that their ambition is unbridled and with no clear direction going forward most of the time. All they know is more, collecting accomplishments, wins, and no one really guiding them on a path to making those wins into something.

But, there is hope that with Dr. Glassman not trying to water down Dr. Andrews’ ambitions but rather trying to help him be successful in areas that are Dr. Andrews’ blind spots, those two can finally heal their relationship. Which, considering Dr. Glassman always seems one headache from retirement, could mean there is less of a chance people will try to drag him back, even if in a consultant role.

Lea Boosting Morale

How often do you hear about a woman masturbating on network television and it not being treated as an utter joke? It truly is a new age, and the fact that Shaun is her partner and the idea that her focusing on her pleasure doesn’t mean he is less a part of her sex life was wonderfully handled.

The Potential Of Knowing More Than The Doctors

The whole Salen debacle presented itself as a possible turning point in the show, as it brought many, beyond the doctors, together. But, as always, the doctors took the lead, and we didn’t see the nurses, support staff, or even somewhat recognizable faces at the last stand. Yet, with Nurse Martel showing an interest in Asher and a nurse talking to Dr. Andrews, maybe things could change?

It was only a few seasons ago the show made an episode about the passing of one of the nurses, and some have been seen throughout the years. So, with fingers crossed, and because the doctors’ storylines are slowly becoming stale, here is hoping the larger community that runs the hospital get to shine and remind us it isn’t just the doctors who are the miracle workers.

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