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‘The Good Doctor’ Episode Recap – ‘Smile’

Spoiler alert!  The following article contains spoilers from the latest episode of The Good Doctor titled Smile.

'The Good Doctor' Episode Recap - 'Smile'

The Good Doctor is gearing up for what’s sure to be a doozy of a season finale next week and it all started with Monday night’s episode Smile.  What started out as a light-hearted and happy episode ended with a dark, ominous cloud which now hangs over St. Bonaventure Hospital.  We honestly don’t know how the staff, and particularly Dr. Shaun Murphy, will handle it.

When the episode starts out, Shaun is working with Dr. Marcus Andrews and Dr. Alex Park on a fascinating case.  A teenage girl is brought in to the hospital with a rare disorder which prevents her from being able to smile.  The team could operate to turn her frown upside down, literally, but Shaun has a difficult time understanding the necessity of smiling.  He ends up partially influencing the patient to opt out of the surgery by saying it’s not medically necessary though, her concern is more the financial burden associated with the procedure.  Shaun spends much of the episode hilariously trying to understand the importance of a smile and it finally all comes together after his patient’s procedure is complete.  She can smile for the first time which brings joy and smiles to all those in the room and a smiling Shaun exclaims, “Her smile is not real… all the other ones are.  All the other ones are!”

'The Good Doctor' Episode Recap - 'Smile'

Elsewhere in the hospital, Dr. Claire Browne, Dr. Morgan Reznick and Dr. Neil Melendez are dealing with a patient named Lucy who appears to have stolen someone else’s identity to get medication.  Her real name is Beatrice and she eventually revealed she couldn’t afford the medication she needed after paying for her son’s schooling.  The story takes an even more bizarre twist when we learn that the real Lucy is addicted to her medications and isn’t able to even fill her prescriptions.

Dr. Jared Kalu ends up treating a familiar face and also ends up delivering one of the episodes shocking storyline bombshells.  A former patient of his, Celeste, returned to the hospital for additional treatment.  Previously, Jared had treated her by applying fish skins to severe burns over her neck and chest.  It was time to remove the skins and Celeste asked that Jared tell her a painful story to help dull the uncomfortableness.  He tells her about his recent heartbreak with Claire and also a job he applied for in Denver and, well, sparks fly between these two!  Ultimately, Jared isn’t allowed to date his patients which is why he removed himself from her case before asking her out on a date.  When we last see Jared, he’s opening a letter of acceptance from Denver Memorial.  He has been accepted into their residency program and, now that there’s nothing left for him at St. Bonaventure, will he leave the hospital to pursue a new job?

'The Good Doctor' Episode Recap - 'Smile'

Lastly, we have Dr. Aaron Glassman.  Throughout the episode, Shaun had been helping Aaron navigate flirting with Debbie, the coffee lady from the cafeteria.  Shaun’s unfiltered approach proved to be a great icebreaker for Aaron and Debbie because, eventually, the two did end up on a date.  It’s here where the heartbreak comes into play. Everything seems to be going well on the date until it’s time to leave and ask for the check.  Aaron seems to have difficulty coming up with the word, “check.”  He asks for the door stop repeatedly before realizing something is terribly wrong.  He breaks down crying while Debbie asks the waiter to call an ambulance.

The final scene of the episode is just as tough to watch.  As Shaun happily comes home after a day of learning the importance of smiling, he stops by his neighbor Kenny’s door with a pizza in tow.  Kenny opens to door revealing his buddies are playing poker while watching sports on Shaun’s TV but, he won’t let Shaun in.  He says that Shaun has some “quirks” that wouldn’t gel with his circle of friends.  Kenny takes the pizza from Shaun’s hands and closes the door without letting Shaun in.  The look on his face is pure heartbreak as he thought Kenny was a new friend.

'The Good Doctor' Episode Recap - 'Smile'

Previews for next week show that Aaron is in serious trouble.  He receives a diagnosis which is quite troubling –  a rare brain tumor which may not be operable.  It’s a diagnosis that no one in the hospital is going to be able to accept so, grab your tissues for next week!  It’s going to be a rough one.

What did you think about Monday night’s episode of The Good Doctor?  Do you think Kenny is using Shaun?  Do you think Jared will leave St. Bonaventure for the new job in Denver?  What’s going to happen to Aaron?  Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.