For fans of The Good Doctor, the news of its cancellation after season 7 was a tough pill to swallow. After six successful seasons, the announcement that Dr. Shaun Murphy’s journey would conclude at the end of the 2024 TV season left many feeling a sense of loss. While seven seasons is a commendable run in today’s television landscape, the circumstances surrounding the cancellation, particularly for season 7, amplify the disappointment for dedicated viewers. It feels as though external factors in Hollywood unfairly curtailed the show’s potential, leaving fans wanting more.
Two key elements exacerbate the pain of The Good Doctor season 7 being its last:
- Season 7’s Abbreviated Episode Count: This final season consists of a mere 10 episodes.
- The Cancellation of The Good Lawyer Spin-off: The highly anticipated spin-off series also faced the axe.
These unfortunate developments share a common root: the significant disruption caused by the Hollywood strikes.
Shortened Season 7: A Storyline Cut Short by Hollywood Strikes
Previous seasons of The Good Doctor typically spanned between 18 and 22 episodes, allowing for rich character development and intricate plotlines to unfold. Season 7, with its drastically reduced 10-episode order, feels rushed in comparison. This condensed timeframe significantly impacts the narrative’s pacing and the ability to provide satisfying resolutions. The shock surrounding the major character death of Dr. Asher Wolke late in the season underscores this point. With so few episodes remaining, there’s insufficient time for both the characters and the audience to fully process such pivotal events before the series finale. Everything feels accelerated, leaving a sense of abruptness.
The blame for this truncated final season undeniably falls on the WGA (Writers Guild of America) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strikes. While the WGA strike concluded in September, the SAG-AFTRA strike persisted, preventing filming from resuming until November. This prolonged halt led to numerous shows, including The Great and How I Met Your Father, facing outright cancellation, often without providing closure to ongoing storylines. In this context, receiving any final episodes of The Good Doctor might seem like a small victory. However, the stark contrast to a standard full season order leaves a lingering feeling of what could have been, especially for a final season deserving of a more expansive narrative arc.
The Good Lawyer Spin-off: Another Strike Casualty
A year prior to the cancellation announcement, The Good Doctor‘s future appeared bright. Season 6 had a robust 22-episode order, exceeding the usual 18, and ABC had greenlit a spin-off pilot set in the legal realm. The Good Lawyer, featuring Felicity Huffman, was introduced through a backdoor pilot episode within The Good Doctor. This move signaled confidence in the Good Doctor franchise and its potential for expansion.
Unfortunately, The Good Lawyer, like many other promising projects, became a casualty of the Hollywood strikes. The network ultimately decided to move forward without the spin-off, impacting the broader Good Doctor universe. Arguably, The Good Doctor itself also suffered indirectly from the industry-wide disruption. While seven seasons represent a successful run, the cancellation, compounded by the shortened final season and the spin-off’s demise, leaves a bittersweet taste. As the series finale approaches, the feeling that Hollywood circumstances played a significant, and unfavorable, role in the show’s ending is hard to ignore.
Finding Consolation Amidst Cancellation
One small comfort is that The Good Doctor at least received a definitive ending, unlike numerous other ABC shows that were left in limbo regarding renewal or cancellation. Furthermore, ABC has renewed Will Trent, another series that resonates with audiences by portraying a character overcoming unique workplace challenges.
Despite these minor consolations and the anticipation for future programming, saying goodbye to The Good Doctor and the compelling world of Dr. Shaun Murphy is undeniably poignant.
