The Good Doctor

Shaun Murphy is a young surgical resident who leaves a quiet country life to join a major hospital's surgical unit. He has autism and savant syndrome, and social cues often feel unfamiliar to him, yet his exceptional medical memory and diagnostic instincts let him see things others miss. As he takes on complex cases, his clinical skill forces colleagues to reassess assumptions about competence and care. The show follows how Shaun grows as a physician and as a colleague, with each episode pairing medical emergencies and ethical dilemmas with moments that reveal how patients, staff, and Shaun shape one another without giving away key plot twists.

The Good Doctor premiered in 2017, created for American television by David Shore and adapted from Park Jae-beom's South Korean series. Freddie Highmore headlines the ensemble as Dr. Shaun Murphy, supported by a cast that includes Christina Chang, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, and Paige Spara.

The series has attracted attention from awards bodies, with particular praise aimed at Freddie Highmore's performance and the ensemble casting. It has earned nominations and recognition across various television awards and audience-voted ceremonies, reflecting its visibility on both critical and popular fronts.

On cultural impact, the show pushed discussions about how neurodiversity is represented in mainstream drama, bringing autism into wider public conversation. Shaun Murphy became a distinctive TV character, and the series prompted debate among viewers and advocacy groups about accuracy, stereotypes, and how workplaces and media can portray inclusion in medical and professional settings.

Critical and audience reception has been generally favorable, highlighted by a user vote average of 8.466/10 from 12,693 votes. Reviewers and viewers often single out Highmore's steady lead work and the show's focus on medical ethics, teamwork, trust, and prejudice. Structurally it mixes hospital procedural elements with character-driven storylines, raising questions about responsibility, empathy, and what it takes to earn trust in high-stakes medicine.