Was anyone surprised that Shaun butted heads with his new resident on his first day as an attending?
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 2 dealt with Shaun being on the other side of a conflict between attending and resident. For the first time, he was the boss, and he almost made an irreversible mistake.
Thankfully, he did the right thing in the end, coming up with a solution that allowed Powell to continue learning despite her refusal to do the procedure.
Shaun didn’t think the situation with Powell was analogous to his disagreements with Glassman or other doctors, and in a way, he was right.
Powell was taking an ethical stance that would make it more difficult for her to proceed with her career, while Shaun tended to disagree with other doctors about the best course of treatment.
Still, Shaun found Powell’s disobedience annoying, and he needed it pointed out that that’s how other doctors feel when he won’t listen to their instructions.
Jordan: That is so awkward between her and Dr. Murphy.
Asher: Everyone and Murphy is awkward.
Jordan: But Murphy caused her paralysis,
Asher: Murphy saved her life.
As an aside, all the people blaming Shaun for Lim’s paralysis need to cool it.
There’s no objective proof that Shaun’s surgical course led to this outcome. Everyone assumes that’s the case because he didn’t do what Glassman wanted.
At first, Lim was fine after surgery; she then crashed, and when she woke up again, she was paralyzed. That could have happened just as easily if Shaun had followed Glassman’s recommendation.
No matter what treatment the doctors chose, there were risks and unforeseen complications. Glassman’s decision to blame Shaun is purely egotistical; he thinks if Shaun had followed his directions instead, it wouldn’t have happened, and that’s about him being upset that Shaun undermined him.
If anyone is to blame for Lim’s paralysis, it’s the guy who stabbed her. Without that, there would have been no need for surgery and no subsequent paralysis.
Guessing games about what would have happened if Shaun had performed a different surgery don’t do anyone any good. Lim is paralyzed, and that’s how it is.
Lim’s attempt to adjust to using a wheelchair at work was realistic and dramatic. She also has some (more) PTSD from being stabbed, which seems secondary to her physical issues.
Her determination to get back to doing surgery masked her pain over not being able to do things the way she used to.
I hate that I need this thing. I hate that I have to drive with my hands. I hate that my body won’t do what I want it to and that I have to be a goddamn Olympic gymnast just to get off the toilet. And I hate Shaun Murphy.
Lim
Anyone who has suffered a life-changing injury, especially one involving mobility, could relate to how she felt (minus the anger at Shaun).
She needs someone she can be vulnerable with; she keeps trying to bottle up her pain so she can get on with the business of being a doctor, and that’s not going to lead anywhere good.
Getting back to Shaun and Powell, was anyone else irritated that Andrews wouldn’t give him any advice?
Yes, Shaun is an attending now, but it’s his first day, and anyone who has been in a supervisory position for only a few hours might have questions about how to handle an issue with their trainees.
Shaun is even more likely to need that kind of help because of his autism.
Andrews’ non-advice didn’t help, and Glassman and Lea’s advice didn’t either. Glassman was too caught up in bitterness over Shaun overruling him in Lim’s case, and Lea was only worried about Powell causing Shaun more trouble in the future.
Thank goodness Lim had some decent advice, or Powell would have been out of a job when that wasn’t the best way to handle her concerns.
Andrews did one thing right: he told Morgan and Park to stop sniping at each other.
It needed to be said about two years ago, but better late than never.
These two have been unprofessional for a long time. Together or not together, they can’t seem to help getting each other’s goat.
Their constant arguing is so annoying that it makes me wish Morgan had taken that job in New York.
Powell’s refusal to use a pig heart brought up interesting ethical questions, insubordination aside.
Surprisingly, Asher was okay with the surgery despite his religious upbringing. Since he follows the kosher laws, which include not eating pig products, I thought he might also be uncomfortable with using a pig heart. But he took the opposite stance to Powell, viewing the use of animal products as a standard part of medical treatment.
The pig being brought to the hospital alive added another dimension to the issue. The doctors weren’t just using a pig’s heart; they were responsible for killing the pig. Even Shaun was a bit uncomfortable with that!
Naming the pig Wilbur was a bit on the nose — anyone who has read Charlotte’s Web understood the significance. Nevertheless, I was glad he got a last-minute reprieve and that Jordan’s patient adopted him.
Jordan and Perez’s case was odd. The guy had a tumor on his neck, but Jordan seemed more concerned about his hoarding habits than his physical illness.
Jeremiah didn’t want doctors in his business.
Patient: You know, this is why I don’t like hospitals. Too much meddling in things that are none of your damn business.
Morgan: You may need surgery to remove that mass from your neck. Is that okay?
Patient: What the hell do you think I’m here for?
After the way Jordan constantly pressed him to resolve his issues, whether it meant shopping in stores instead of online or getting rid of junk he didn’t want to part with, I couldn’t blame him.
He was there because of a tumor on his neck. And while what he was doing was unhealthy, it wasn’t life-threatening. Jordan was right to ask about it the first time, but after that, she should have left it alone.
If she was concerned, she could have asked for a psych consult. But trying to get Jeremiah to change when he didn’t want to was ineffective, and she needed to drop it.
Your turn, The Good Doctor fanatics. Hit the big blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know your thoughts on Lim’s paralysis, the new residents, and the almost-transplant of a pig heart into a human.
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The Good Doctor airs on ABC on Mondays at 10 PM EST / PST.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.