The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 18 Review: More
Kaitlynn Smith
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The Good Doctor season finale was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, with the best performances of the season from Richard Schiff and Freddie Highmore.
On The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 18, Aaron tells Shaun about his tumor diagnosis, and Shaun is devastated. Meanwhile, the residents work with Dr. Melendez to figure out why their patient is having serious complications.
I have to start my review with the obvious. Richard Schiff is one of the most incredible actors in the business.
His performance in this episode was nothing short of flawless.
Schiff already has one Emmy award, and I would not be surprised to see his name on the nomination list in September.
The emotions he displayed constantly had me in tears.
Each moment was fraught with fear, anger, and sadness, from his argument with Jessica to the story about his daughter on the carousel.
Jessica: Aaron, you can’t stop fighting. Maddie would never have wanted you to stop.
Aaron: No! Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare! What are you going to say, huh? That Maddie was a fighter? That she never quit?
I cannot remember the last time I saw a performance this heartbreaking on broadcast television.
I am thrilled that one of my favorite actors is getting the material he deserves to show off his talent.
Freddie Highmore was also spectacular, which is no surprise. He has always been a talented actor, but his acting was something else entirely in this episode.
Because of Shaun's autism, Highmore has to be careful with how and when he emotes.
Shaun was understandably rattled by Aaron's diagnosis, and Highmore managed to walk the fine line between showing his sadness and remaining stoic.
Highmore's most wonderful moment, though, came when he hugged Aaron after hearing the news about the biopsy.
All season, we have Shaun reject hugs from people.
He accepted some physical contact from Lea, but other than that, he has avoided hugs. This time, he was so overcome with hope and joy that he initiated a hug with someone else.
It felt like we had been building to this moment all season, and the payoff was amazing.
Shaun: I love you.
Aaron: I know. I love you too.
Shaun: I love you more.
I was already sobbing because of the hug, but the "I love you more" conversation as they made to their way to Dr. Andrews' office ripped my heart out once again.
I have missed their sweet moments together during their separation.
Now that we know Aaron has a good chance of beating his cancer, I am looking forward to these two being friends again.
While the fraternity boy storyline was not nearly as heartbreaking as Glassman's, I still enjoyed watching all of the residents work together on his case.
They are frequently divided between patients so it was great to see them all together. It gave us some great interactions between the cast members that we do not always get.
I need a friend more than I need space.
Shaun
Melendez finally took some responsibility for the mistakes of his residents.
As soon as he left the OR and instructed Shaun to close, it was obvious that something bad was about to happen.
It would have been easy for him to report Shaun's mistake and let them fire Shaun.
Related: The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 17: Smile
If this mistake happened earlier in the season, I am sure he would have.
He has changed a lot, though, and I am glad he is finally in a place where I root for him.
He is no longer the hardened, self-centered surgeon. He is starting to care about other people.
I think he finally realizes that if his residents do not succeed, he will not either.
I am especially grateful that Melendez took Morgan down a notch with his speech about how she will kill a patient at some point. She was being completely obnoxious, and like Claire, I was ready to smack her.
I originally said I enjoyed watching her as a villain when she first joined the cast, but that wore off quickly.
I officially cannot stand her, and I hope she is not around long when the show returns next season.
This episode was filled with emotional punches to the gut, but one person had me chuckling throughout.
Hope is irrelevant for me. Hope is painful. I don’t want to spend what’s left of my life chasing my tail around in a circle.
Aaron
I have been singing Antonia Thomas' praises a lot lately, but she had some fantastic and subtle moments in the background.
Almost anytime Morgan opened her mouth, Claire could be seen rolling her eyes and shooting Jared dirty looks.
Those little acting choices were hilarious, and they solidified my desire to be best friends with Claire.
"More" was a perfect season finale. It was stirring from the first scene, and it ended on a great cliffhanger. It was not too dramatic, but it certainly left me wanting more.
I know Shaun will not lose his job over the mistake. He is, after all, the main character. I do commend him and Aaron, though, for telling the truth. It definitely makes me excited to see what happens at the start of next season!
Did you enjoy the season finale? Were you ugly crying as much as I was? You can watch The Good Doctor online! Then, share your thoughts with us below!
Kaitlynn Smith was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in May of 2018.
