The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Not Fake

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In "Not Fake," the surgical residents face their first major trauma, making the episode compelling and heartbreaking. 

In The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 6, a bus crash causes two dozen people to come to St. Bonaventure Hospital. This tests the abilities of the hospital's three newest residents, as they all fight for their patients to live while getting a little too close to them. 

Working On a Patient - The Good Doctor

My first thought while watching "Not Fake" was "Why are they jinxing themselves by talking about what a dead night it is in the ER?!"

I may not be a doctor, but I have seen more than enough medical dramas in my lifetime to know that by saying it out loud, you are asking for trouble. 

I could not believe all of the doctors were being so casual about the emptiness of the emergency room because I am so used to seeing doctors yell at each other when they do this on other shows.

As expected though, the trauma came, and the residents were blindsided and immediately stressed. 

arriving at the bus crash site

The entire cast was superb, but Antonia Thomas gave a standout performance as Claire. 

Claire was devastated at the end of the episode when she learned she made a mistake that led to her patient's brain damage, as I imagine any doctor would be.

Thomas displayed Claire's emotions perfectly. She was clearly heartbroken, but she was not overly emotional. It will probably take Claire a while to recover from this, and Thomas' performance felt realistic rather than melodramatic.

I am truly starting to enjoy Claire. Her quiet emotions and her smarts make her a captivating character. Since she is the only female lead in this boy's club of a show, I am thrilled with the progression of the character in only six episodes. 

You need to think a little more like Shaun. A little more, not identical.

Neil Melendez

I do wonder why Claire was so quickly dismissed from the femur case. Dr. Melendez is finally starting to trust Shaun, but it should not be at the expense of Claire and her chance to help a patient. 

The 3D printed femur was her brilliant idea. Shaun, for the first time in the series, was the one to say nothing could be done to save the leg.

Other than the short scene when Claire tries to convince Melendez to do the surgery, they did not make a big deal about the fact that the femur replacement was her idea instead of Shaun's. It might not have bothered Claire, but it seemed odd that Melendez would not give her a shot at scrubbing into this supposedly historical surgery. 

Maybe Melendez was making up for all the times he shot down one of Shaun's unique ideas or kicked Shaun out of the operating room. However, Claire should not be punished for this. 

the wreckage - The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 6

The series has been hinting at a relationship between Dr. Glassman and Jessica since the pilot. This episode, though, was a bit more explicit about it.

At one point, Glassman watched the conversation about her wedding to Neil with interest. Later, Jessica stood in the room when the bride from the bus crash found out her groom once cheated on her.

I had a woman come into the ER once. A mother, 51 years old, Francine Parker. She had two boys. She had a cough. A bad one, but a cough. I checked her out, gave her some antibiotics, sent her home. Six hours later, she was rolled into the ER. She had had a heart attack, and I missed it. And she died. Not one day goes by when I don’t think about her.

Aaron Glassman

It is clear that there is some sort of relationship between them, but the writers have not shared exactly what that relationship is yet. To be honest, I am annoyed that they are teasing us with little clues and dragging out the reveal.

Are they past lovers or are they currently having an affair? How much are the viewers supposed to care about this relationship? Because right now, it is just irritating.

No, I don't. I don't want love.

Shaun Murphy

Has anyone else noticed that Shaun has been answering questions with no hesitation? Just a few episodes ago, Claire figured out that Shaun did not like to ask questions. Now, though, he is answering everyone's questions, whether it is about a patient or about his love life. 

It must be difficult to write for a character who does not want to answer questions. Claire's discovery of that fact, however, was such a major moment for both her and Shaun. It is odd, and a bit lazy, that the writers have dismissed it already. Shaun is autistic. Realistically, he would not be able to change that aspect of his personality so quickly. 

the cast of The Good Doctor

For the first time in the series, this episode featured no flashbacks. I did not even notice this until the episode was over. Clearly, I did not miss them. 

Flashbacks can become old (no pun intended) quickly, and "Not Fake" was a welcome break from young Shaun. Instead, it focused on the entire ensemble, which gave all doctors their chance to shine. 

I loved watching each resident develop small relationships with their patients or their patient's family. I especially enjoyed Jared with the burn victim. He was compassionate, sympathetic, and dedicated to helping her. It was a powerful relationship, even though it was brief. 

You look good, tough, like Aquaman.

Jared Kalu

The Good Doctor is taking a break next week, but in two weeks, Shaun will be working with a patient who is also autistic. From the preview, it looks like an eye-opening case for Shaun and his colleagues. I'm genuinely excited to see what happens, and I'm glad this show has me wanting to spend more time in St. Bonaventure Hospital. 

You can watch The Good Doctor online. Once you do, share your thoughts with us! Did you enjoy it? Did you miss the flashbacks or were you happy to have a break from them? 

Not Fake Review

Editor Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.9 / 5.0 (20 Votes)

Kaitlynn Smith was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in May of 2018.

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The Good Doctor Season 1 Episode 6 Quotes

You need to think a little more like Shaun. A little more, not identical.

Neil Melendez

No, I don't. I don't want love.

Shaun Murphy