DVD Review: The Good Doctor Season 4

 

+++Warning, this contains a major spoiler from season three, but no major season four giveaways. +++

Season four of The Good Doctor is definitely a transition year for the show. The first two episodes were geared toward dealing with the pandemic, with, as you would expect, a focus on how it affects the medical professionals. The characters on the show were also dealing with the loss of Doctor Melendez after his death at the end of season three. Nicholas Gonzalez did make a couple of appearances early in the season, but I have a feeling that storyline was cut back quite a bit because of the pandemic-specific episodes. From there, the show then pretty much went back to its format of a combination procedural/serial medical drama. It was mostly a case-of-the-week format with story arcs that wove through the season. There was also more cast turnover this year, mainly through additions to the cast with Noah Galvin and Bria Henderson essentially becoming series regulars as first-year residents. The season is full of emotional ups and downs for many of the characters with almost everyone facing some kind of crisis, or relationship issue at some point during the season. I will not give anything away, but there is a lot of drama pretty much all the way through the season. The show continues to be well-written and acted with all of the characters getting a chance to have good arcs and development. Freddie Highmore continues to do a great job in the lead role, but Paige Spara and Fiona Gublemann were also standouts this season, with very different story arcs. 

For those who get the DVDs, it does have a few extras including about 13 minutes of deleted scenes, a short gag reel, and a goodbye package to one of the characters/actors who left the show this season. Most fans of the show likely know who that is, but again I will not spoil it. 

Overall, I would say if you have been a fan of the show you will probably like this season. If you have not liked the prior seasons then this one is not likely to do much for you. Like most medical dramas, it can get a bit soap operaish, but for the most part, it focuses on the medical cases, so the soap opera-like elements do not distract from the show or dominate it. It is definitely a good season and worth watching.

 

DVD Review: The Good Doctor Season 3

 

Season three of The Good Doctor starts shortly after the events ending season two, with Shaun asking Carly out on a date. Said date ensures, about as you would expect, and the rest of the season pretty much is centered around Shaun's interpersonal relationships. That is not to say that the medical aspects of the show are ignored, but the procedural case-of-the-week stuff does kind of take a backseat to the more soap operaish elements.

All of the major characters get storylines of varying degrees. Claire and Morgan each get major storylines and a lot of character development. Antonia Thomas and Fiona Gublemann really shine in their roles this year, and each will have major arcs going into season four (at least they are set up to be major arcs). The season does not really end on a cliffhanger, but more of a shock that will have a huge impact on the hospital. 

For those who get the DVD set, the twenty episodes are spread over five discs. The only extras are on the last disc, and those include a short gag reel (about 4 minutes) and 21 minutes of deleted scenes. There are no commentary tracks or behind-the-scenes material.

Overall, the series continues to be very well acted and pretty well written. As I said above, the focus of this year is a lot more on the various character relationships than the medical cases. And yes, there is a lot of sex talk, which does turn some people off. But, it is still a medical drama, and the medical cases are still important to the show. Freddie Highmore's acting continues to be top-notch. He can go from playing Shaun as unintentionally funny to sad, to angry on a dime. Some of his best acting is in an episode toward the end of the season in which Shaun's father is dying of cancer and Shaun goes to see him on his death bed. I cannot say that everyone will like the direction the show went in this year, but I think most fans of the show will still like it.