TikTok sounds can come from anywhere. Sometimes the most dramatic moments make the most impactful templates, especially when used in an absurd fashion. The latest TikTok trend is no exception. “I am a surgeon!” is one of the best Dada-esque memes to spawn so far this year, and the wildly weird trend has plenty of people scratching their heads.
Where did the clip originate?
The Good Doctor is a several season-long series that follows the career of Autistic surgeon, Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore). Shaun has Savant syndrome — a rare condition that makes him an incredible surgeon — and has a certain set of skills that surpass some of his much more seasoned colleagues. Chief of surgery, Dr. Han (Daniel Dae Kim) spends much of the second season downplaying and sidelining Shaun for his disabilities, believing that his Autism bars Shaun from empathizing with his patients and leaves him unable to control his emotions. By the end of the season Dr. Han’s unwavering ableist beliefs and tendencies finally start to wear the young doctor down, and in the penultimate episode of the second season, “Breakdown” – which aired on March 4, 2019 – Shaun finally snaps.
Losing his cool, Shaun erupts at his superior, repeatedly flashing his medical badge and screaming, “I am a surgeon!” as tears well up in his eyes. The scene was praised by critics for how well it navigated the challenges faced by those on the spectrum, with the Autismspeaks website even highlighting the series for its nuanced portrayal of people with disabilities.
What should have been a moment of pure drama ended up falling flat with younger audiences, and in true internet fashion the series spawned a wave of memes and anti-memes — irreverent and intentionally unfunny content— in 2021. It wasn’t long before the clip left the immediate cultural zeitgeist, only to emerge almost two years later.
What is the meme now?
The clip has reemerged on TikTok and is fulfilling much the same purpose it did before. The bite still relies on anti-meme staples, with users pumping it full of absurdist commentary and editing the clip with filters, superimposed images, or modified sounds.
Some of the most liked videos are truly masters of anti-humor.
When it comes to this trend, it really does seem like only the most anti-meme templates are racking up the most likes.
In an ironic twist, Dr. Han has emerged as the MVP in the clip, spawning a slew of memes with the stoic Dr. Han depicted as a Chad.
No matter the context, the mission is clear. The goal of this meme is to be as irreverent and weird as possible; no joke is bad enough, no filter too cringe.
