The Good Doctor Season 7: Everything You Need to Know

It feels like just yesterday when Shaun Murphy was a first-year medical resident who had to prove that his autism wouldn't interfere with his ability to be a surgeon.

But it's been six years, and as of The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 22, Shaun is now a first-time father and attending physician at St. Bonaventure.

That's right -- The Good Doctor Season 7 is on its way, and we have info to share! (This post will be updated as new information comes in, so bookmark it and check back often.)

The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 22 ended on a high note, with Shaun holding his baby for the first time and naming him Steven Aaron after his brother and Dr. Glassman -- the latter of whom refused to come in to meet the baby.

That means there's potential for plenty of new-parent drama alongside the usual medical storylines when The Good Doctor continues.

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Shaun struggled with changing relationships with his mentors throughout The Good Doctor Season 6, which was a refreshing new take on his autism-related difficulties.

He defied Glassman's orders, doing a risky surgery that likely saved Lim's life but which left her temporarily paralyzed, and she spent the first half of the season resenting him for it. No sooner was that finally resolved than Shaun's belief Glassman's brain was failing caused a rift between him and his surrogate father.

Sadly, Shaun's diagnosis was correct, and Glassman lost his surgical privileges under dubious circumstances, which only made things worse for his relationship with Shaun.

Although Glassman extended somewhat of an olive branch by sending a gift after the baby was born, things are still rocky between him and Shaun, which will likely influence the first half of Season 7.

Whether you're a long-time viewer or a newer fan, we've got you covered if you can't wait to learn everything you can about Season 7.

The Good Doctor Season 7 Renewal Status

First, the good news: ABC renewed The Good Doctor for Season 7 in April.

This news was unsurprising, considering it was one of ABC's top-rated scripted series, despite a dip in live and delayed ratings from previous seasons.

Although The Good Doctor doesn't have the longevity (yet!) that ABC's other big medical drama, Grey's Anatomy, does, it's one of ABC's most reliable series, making it more likely to be renewed each year.

The series was popular enough to spawn a backdoor pilot for The Good Lawyer on The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 16. However, ABC has no word yet about when or if The Good Lawyer will premiere.

The Good Doctor Season 7 Storylines

The Good Doctor ended with Shaun facing significant changes in his personal life.

We don't know how Shaun will navigate fatherhood, but that'll present new challenges for him, especially since he plans to continue working at St. Bonaventure. Stories might revolve around disagreements with Lea over how to parent their new baby, especially given Shaun's love of schedules and rigid adherence to what he believes is right.

It'll also be difficult for Shaun to balance work and family time, and he may have expectations of Lea that she thinks are unfair.

The entire series won't focus on Shaun's family life. There will likely be a new crop of residents for the doctors to guide, and Asher and Jordan will also return for their third year of medical education.

This will provide new opportunities for medical dilemmas and interpersonal conflicts between Shaun and the residents and between Asher and Jordan and the newbies.

Shaun's also not the only one with a new baby; Morgan adopted baby Eden on The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 20, and she has started to accept Park's help.

Could this be the start of a healthier, more mature relationship for Morgan and Park?

As for Dr. Glassman, his anger at Shaun comes from his no longer being able to perform surgery. Glassman will likely continue to come to terms with this, although it may not be as difficult as he thinks.

He gave up surgery earlier on to work in a clinic, and he might be able to return to that kind of work.

And if he forgives Shaun, Glassman might find a new purpose in being a great-grandfather to little Steven Aaron.

There are also significant changes ahead for the hospital.

Dr. Andrews resigned as hospital president so that he could continue to date his new love interest, Nurse Villanueva and new heads of hospital generally mean new drama.

Who is Part of The Good Doctor Season 7 Cast?

While most of the cast is expected to return, there are two notable exceptions:

Brandon Larracuente (Dr. Danny Perez) left the cast after the Season 6 finale.
Hill Harper (Dr. Andrews) is likely not returning, considering that Harper announced his candidacy for the US Senate on July 10, 2023.

Chaku Mody returned on a recurring basis as Jared Kalu during Season 6; we don't know yet whether he will be back or in what capacity, but we will update you as soon as we do.

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When Will The Good Doctor Season 7 Premiere?

Most years, The Good Doctor premieres at the end of September or the beginning of October.

However, the ongoing WGA writers' strike could delay things if a settlement is not reached before the fall season begins.

In this case, we're most likely looking at a midseason premiere for The Good Doctor and other ABC-scripted shows.

How Many Episodes Will There Be in The Good Doctor Season 7?

At this point, we don't know how many episodes will be in The Good Doctor Season 7, and there are several factors that could impact the number.

As we noted above, the WGA writers' strike has meant that showrunners don't have a team at hand to work on scripts. Without scripts, there are no episodes.

Now, there is another strike in effect, as the SAG-AFTRA actors union called for a strike on July 13, 2023. Both of these will affect not only when the show will return but how many episodes to expect.