The following article contains spoilers for the season 7 finale of The Good Doctor.
Ever since The Good Doctor hit TV screens in 2017, Shaun Murphy has found a place in fans’ hearts. Now, seven years later, fans are wondering if it’s time to say goodbye to Dr Shaun and the rest of the gang at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.
Season 7 of The Good Doctor saw the characters once again treat complicated medical issues, grapple with how their personal and professional lives intertwine, and make life-changing decisions. Episode 10 marked the end of the seventh season, but has the series come to an end? After the emotionally charged ending, which included saying goodbye to a fan favorite, is there a season 8 of The Good Doctor on the horizon?
Will The Good Doctor have a season 8?
In January 2024, it was announced that the seventh season of The Good Doctor would be its last, a revelation that shocked fans. Over the years, fans have grown attached to the series’ characters, and this was evident in the show’s viewership numbers.
The announcement came among a wave of show cancellations from ABC. Season 7 of The Good Doctor began airing in Feb. 2024 and just concluded on May 21, 2024, with an emotional sendoff to the major characters. Sadly, there was also a death that we’ve yet to recover from.
Even though co-showrunners Shore and Friedman had plans for more seasons, they had no choice but to shut the door on those ideas. The leading reason why the show couldn’t go further was budget cuts at ABC, which led to other shows getting the boot as well.
What happens in the series finale of The Good Doctor?
In the series finale, we see the return of Dr. Claire Browne, played by Antonia Thomas. Claire returned to the show in its final two episodes, raising the stakes as she revealed that she had Stage 1 breast cancer. When she falls into a coma post-surgery, Shaun comes up with an unprecedented plan to treat her by collecting multiple bacteria samples to find the specific one that can save Claire. The episode is high stakes from the jump, as Claire’s condition steadily deteriorates, escalating to Kalu suggesting that they amputate her arm to buy some more time.
When Shaun’s plan works and the right bacteria is found, the team’s happiness is quickly cut short as Shaun’s treatment plan is rejected. Putting his medical license at risk, Shaun decides to administer the treatment anyway, only to be stopped by his mentor, Aaron Glassman, played by Richard Schiff.
This is where the most emotional beat of the finale comes in. Glassman revealed to Shaun that his cancer has returned, and he only has a few months left to live. Despite Shaun’s attempts to search for a way to extend his life, Glassman insisted that he had made peace with his time and wanted to enjoy the rest of his days with Shaun, Lea, and their son, Steve.
In a heartbreaking time skip, we see Shaun, who is now the chief of surgery at the hospital, delivering a TED Talk where he reveals that Glassman died six months after Claire’s surgery. The screen pans to Shaun’s family, which now includes a daughter. Morgan has adopted a daughter as well. Fan-favorite couples Claire and Kalu, and Jordan and Danny have also tied the knot, making for a bittersweet ending.