Anatomy Of A Hit: How Abcs The Good Doctor Became The Seasons Breakout
Sociologist William Petersen coined the term model minority to describe positively stereotyped demographic groups that achieve success despite marginalization. For instance, Asian Americans transformed from the yellow peril and brown horde of the late 19th century to a respected and industrious group that closed the wage gap by the 1970s not because of educational gains, economist Nathaniel Hilger found, but because of less racist public perceptions. Contrast The Mask of Fu Manchu the infamous pre-Code film where Myrna Loy and Boris Karloff don yellowface for the roles of dragon lady and evil criminal genius to Bruce Lees martial arts films of the 70s in which Asian protagonists are idealized.
Idealizing traditional Asian values conveniently upheld the racist status quo. Asian Americans were elevated while other minorities, especially African Americans, were denigrated because they were not perceived to be as hard-working or self-sufficient. This undermined the call for systemic anti-racist changes demanded by the Civil Rights Movement.
For example, in The Good Doctor pilot, Dr. Murphy exists to enlighten his neurotypical peers. In an exchange with a skeptical hospital board, the president of San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital justifies hiring the autistic surgeon because of Dr. Murphys genius-level skills and because it will feel goodWe hire Shaun and we make this hospital better for it. We hire Shaun, and we are better people for it.
On Shauns Evolution As A Character:
spoke mostly about Shaun and the development of his character over time,Freddie told the LA Times. People who arent aware of autism in a personal way or havent watched the show sometimes say, How will Shaun change? Hell always have autism. Whats his arc going to be? So one of the things we discussed early on is, Yes, hell always have autism. But hes going to change continuously as an individual as he adapts to this new world that he finds himself in. That was exciting to me: This individual, regardless of whether or not hes on the spectrum, is going on a journey as a character.
Just because Shaun has autism, that doesnt mean hes not going to grow and change as a person.
Specifically, as Freddie said on Popcorn With Peter Travers, hes enjoyed watching Shaun evolve from the naive young man he was when he first arrived in the big city for his residency after growing up in the countryside: Just because Shaun has autism, that doesnt mean hes not going to grow and change as a person,he said.
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The Good Doctorwhich Premiered Monday On Abc Is Your Standard Hospital Procedural
This allows the show to constantly juxtapose. This tv show is definitely one of the kind as. Hes also a producer on the good doctor, wrote the season two premiere and directed another episode. Shaun murphy is not an abrasive misanthrope like dr. The shows biggest battle isnt that american audiences wont connect we all love a good medical drama its that it has to finely walk the path of making their autistic lead character not fall victim stereotypes. The good doctor himself, dr shaun murphy, is a surgical trainee with excellent memory recall and attention to detail who faces stigma but often saves absolute numbers of autistic doctors practising in the profession are unknown. Its pretty remarkable that an average 17.4 million people have been tuning in each week to watch a character with autism. Shaun murphy, an autistic young doctor with savant syndrome. Whilst some doctors see him as having deficits, others see him as remarkably gifted. Shaun murphy from the good doctor. The good doctor on abc is about a young autistic doctor, shaun murphy, who leaves his rural life to join a big hospital in san jose. I have autism, its part of who i am.. Murphy is the classic white cis male.
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Why Freddie Highmore Was Never The Same After The Good Doctor
Hes still pretty young, but Freddie Highmore has already made a fairly impressive career for himself. Before starring in The Good Doctor, he played Norman Bates on Bates Motel, and earned praise for his performance as a younger version of the motel manager from Psycho. Although Bates Motel was undoubtedly an important stepping stone in Highmores career, his role on The Good Doctor was even more transformative, even though he almost turned it down.
On the show, he plays Shaun Murphy a young, autistic savant who is incredibly skilled with medicine but has trouble connecting with those around him. Hes a young, troubled genius, and Highmores performance has helped propel the show to tremendous success. It finished its first season as one of the 10 highest-rated shows on the air, and stayed in the top 20 for both of its subsequent seasons.
The show has also allowed Highmore to expand his role as a creative contributor, and hes taken an active interest in shepherding it to the screen. That means expanding his job to include other titles besides the one he has as the shows lead.
How Rich Is Freddie Highmore The Good Doctor Stars Net Worth Explored
Freddie Highmore, who plays fan favorite character Dr. Shaun Murphy from The Good Doctor, is returning on ABC with the fifth season of the medical drama. Over the last four seasons, the British actor has built a pretty strong fan base with his powerful performance of an accomplished surgeons character with autism and savant syndrome in the series.
He plays the lead role who is shown facing numerous social challenges due to him being an autistic person at work and in his personal life. The official synopsis of the show reads:
A young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome uses his extraordinary gifts to save lives and challenge skepticism.
The hit ABC series is one of the big breaks in Freddie Highmores career.
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Still A Lot Of People Do Believe In Shaun Glassmancertainly A Father Figurehas Always Defended Shaun And Shauns Ability To Operate Despite His Condition But Recent Episodes Have Seen Their Dynamic Shift As Shaun Has Demanded More Independence Where Is That Headed
Schiff: The writers are like, Glassman has to let Shaun go so he can grow and learn. But even a surrogate father like Glassman doesnt want his child to go through pain. Glassmans no all-wise Yoda, though. I think he has selfish reasons for wanting to maintain a certain kind of relationship with Shaun.
We Bet The Good Doctor Fans Didnt Know These Interesting Facts About The Shows Cast
- 14 May 2021
The Good Doctor, since airing back in 2017, has become one of the most beloved medical dramas worldwide. The series follows Shaun, a young autistic doctor, who travels from his mid-city life in Casper, Wyoming, to join the medical staff at the renowned St. Bonaventure Hospital hospital in San Jose, California, who uses his unlikely skills to treat patients and prove his abilities to his colleagues.
The series features Freddie Highmore as Dr Shaun Murphy Antonia Thomas as Dr Claire Browne Hill Harper as Dr Marcus Andrews and Richard Schiff as Dr Aaron Glassman, with the shows star-studded lineup also constantly introducing fresh new faces to keep up with its exciting, dramatic and often downright heartbreaking storylines.
Read on to discover where youve seen the cast of The Good Doctor before, and learn some interesting facts about the impressive actors.
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Is Norman From Bates Motel Autistic
Highmore does not have autism, but he studied the disorder carefully for the show. In real life, Highmore does not have any developmental disability. … He once said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that he knows someone with autism but also did a lot of research to learn the best way to portray the role.
On Doing Research For The Role:
Before playing Shaun, Freddie said he was “aware” of autism because he knows people in his personal life with the condition. But in order to properly portray a person with autism himself, Freddie and The Good Doctor showrunner David Shore did a ton of research before even filming their first episode. They also hired autism consultant Melissa Reiner to help them get the character just right.
“David Shore, our wonderful main writer and showrunner, and I sat down before the pilot and also between the pilot and making the show with the consultant that we still have on-board,” Freddie said on ABC podcast Popcorn With Peter Travers. “And also just traded back and forth books and pieces of literature and documentaries that we thought were useful or gave us some sort of insight into building this one, very particular character.”
Freddie’s research hasn’t stopped since, even now that he’s three seasons into playing his character: “I’m constantly learning,” he told Digital Spy in March 2019. “Aside from continual research, or working with the consultant that we have, I’m also talking to people who feel that they have a personal connection to the show through autism, and are pleased or thankful that the show is seeking to raise awareness in that way.”
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Freddie Highmore As Dr Shaun Murphy
Freddie Highmore takes on the role of The Good Doctors protagonist, Dr Shaun Murphy, an autistic surgical resident. The young doctors savant abilities include the ability to photographic recall and the ability to note minute details and changes in his patients, which are often intertwined with flashbacks to his teen years .
While hes all grown up now, fans may remember Highmore for his role as Charlie in the 2005 Tim Burton classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The English actor later earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of Norman Bates in the psychological thriller series, Bates Motel. As well as taking on The Good Doctor and Bates Motels title characters, Highmore has written, produced and directed episodes for both shows.
A Bheil An Actair A Tha A Cluich Deagh Dhotair Autistic
An deagh dhotair Chan eil Freddie Highmore autistic Mar a tha e a dèanamh a choileanadh cho creidsinneach. Còmhla ri strà c là idir Ameireaganach, tha an rionnag tà lantach Breatannach cuideachd a toirt dealbh fìor fhìor de dh iomadh dòigh, pà tran gutha, agus giùlan cuideigin air speactram autism.
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On Representing Autism On Tv:
While Freddie was creating his character on The Good Doctor, it was incredibly important to him that Shaun wasn’t just a one-dimensional “person with autism” but rather a complete individual with his own complexities, just like any other character on your favorite TV shows.
“I appreciate the way in which Shaun is a fully formed character,” Freddie told USA Today. “Often, people with autism on screen have been represented as somewhat emotionless or singularly focused on one thing and that isn’t true. We get to see Shaun in moments of joy, what makes him excited, alongside the very real struggle he’s facing.”
Murphy Is The Classic White Cis Male
Murphys relationship with his mentor dr. Its pretty remarkable that an average 17.4 million people have been tuning in each week to watch a character with autism. Dr shaun murphy has both autism and savant syndrome in the good doctor. The good doctor does that, counterintuitively, with a protagonist whose inability to connect emotionally is one of his defining features. Expertly played by freddie highmore , dr. The shows biggest battle isnt that american audiences wont connect we all love a good medical drama its that it has to finely walk the path of making their autistic lead character not fall victim stereotypes. Read the official abc bio, show quotes and learn about the role at abc tv. The good doctor depicts one character with extreme realismbut not all autistics are like the character on the the good doctor may choose to present its autistic protagonist front and center, but in the tv show the good doctor, would dr. The patient continuously escapes from his hospital room, and jared keeps tracking him down. It is based on a 2013 south korean series of the same name. Season 4 of the good doctor premieres monday, november 2 on abc. Shaun murphy, a surgical resident with autism. To start off with some of the positives, freddie highmore already looks like a great choice to play dr.
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Whos Leaving Thegood Doctor In Season 5
Antonia Thomas is leaving The Good Doctor after four seasons portraying Dr. Claire Browne. In the season 4 finale, a team from St. Bonaventure is on a surgical mission in Guatemala and Dr. Browne decides to stay with the medical team in the remote village and help the people there who are in need in a very different way.
It was a really difficult decision, and leaving is a bittersweet thing for me because the last four years have been absolutely incredible, Thomas told Deadline. After dedicating four years to Claire and her journey and really, really exploring the character, I am just now ready to try something new, ultimately.
Thomas indicated that she would love to return as a guest star in the future.
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A Broken Cup And Putting Life Together On The Good Doctor
Shaun is cautioned by Dr. Andrews to not bring up autism again.
The Good Doctor persists, however, particularly after realizing that Chambers suffers from Musicians Dystonia, which is habitual positioning of the wrist while straight. The discovery is another consistency with ASD indicators. Dr. Guerin witnesses the cruel attack on The Good Doctor from Chambers. The patient refers to the surgeon as a child playing dress-up, and everyone else plays along. Guerin declares that he no longer holds Chambers in esteem. The new resident questions Claire about how much one has to change in becoming a surgeon. I want to change whats in the world around me, he says insightfully. Its clear that hes making a big change.
Once Shaun confirms that Silas Chambers fits the criteria on the ASD scale, the patient tears into a heated exchange, screaming at The Good Doctor as he steps back.
The yellow mug that Chambers always holds breaks in the scuffle. Dr. Murphy doesnt just return the next day with an exact replica of the originalit didnt seem repaired he brings his own story.
The very lessons that Claire points out to Shaun as markers that he can grow into being a very good father are palpably on display. Chambers only had his career and reputation. Shaun learned lessons. He cultivated insights to build relationships and his most important relationship will be with his child.
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The Good Doctor Is Fairly Medically Accurate
In terms of medical accuracy and realistic depictions of hospital life, TV has always received mixed reviews from actual doctors. The hookups and egregious errors by interns and residents on “Grey’s Anatomy” are considered extremely unrealistic by the medical community. “Scrubs” meanwhile has always been regarded as highly accurate and very aware of working dynamics in a hospital .
“The Good Doctor” has some errors but is more realistic than many other medical TV shows. In an interview with TV Insider, the show’s medical consultant Dr. Oren Gottfried discusses how he suggests actual medical incidents from real life to the writers. The doctor noted that “Some do seem so outlandish, but the fact is they’re really medical truth.”
Experts praised the drama in one article about medicine on television as “more accurate than other shows in terms of medical terminology, diagnoses, and treatments” but criticized small errors in depicting protocol and basic procedures . Professional nurse and actor Rebecca Brown, who often appears on the show, said in an Instagram Live chat that “there are things we sometimes have to tweak but the steps that we’re doing that the viewers are watching are correct” .
You can watch all five seasons of “The Good Doctor” currently streaming on Hulu.
Does The Good Doctor Have Autism
Starring Freddie Highmore as Dr., The Good Doctor is directed by Christopher Nolan. There is no autism in real life for Freddie. A consultant for autism helps Freddie in his role by doing research and providing support. On Monday, November 2, ABC will air the premiere of The Good Doctor’s fourth season.
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Coby Bird Actor With Autism Paving The Way For Actors With Disabilities
For the past four years, Bird has trained with Los Angeles theater company The Miracle Project, an award-winning theater program for children and teens on the autism spectrum.
Kudos to the show for hiring a person with autism to portray a person with autism, said Elaine Hall, executive director of The Miracle Project.
Just five percent of characters with disabilities in primetime television are portrayed by actors with disabilities the rest are played by an actor pretending to have a disability.
There is an enormous untapped potential of individuals with disabilities who are talented actors to play their own roles as people with disabilities, Hall said. We hope that showrunners will continue to collaborate and develop this talent pool through these opportunities.
Last year, Bird also guest starred on an episode of Speechless as a character with autism.
Bird is represented by Gail Ford Williamson of the Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin Diversity Department. Williamson represents more than 300 performers with disabilities.
Coby is a wonderful young actor on the spectrum who has won the hearts of casting directors and producers, Williamson said. He often auditions for roles that casting is looking for adults to play, but once they see Cobys skills, they have no problem hiring a minor and accepting the extra expense and limited work day.
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