‘The Good Doctor’: Shaun Gets His Job Back and Asks Carly out on a Date

The Good Doctor Season 2 finale came to a surprising conclusion, with Shaun earning his job back and finding the courage to ask a girl out on a date. However, it was not the girl anyone could have expected.

“Trampoline” picked up a day after Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) was fired by Dr. Jackson Han (Daniel Dae Kim) after insisting he must be a surgeon. Shaun spent the morning at a bar, where he tried to have a conversation with fellow barfly Zack (Greg Calderone). After refusing to stop talking, the man took a swing at Shaun, and fell on the floor. This brought Shaun back to St. Bonaventure Hospital, where he lied and told everyone Zack was already injured when he saw him.

While the man was being treated, Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas) reminded Shaun that there is more to life than your job. He admitted he would like to be a father some day. His only problem: he does not know how to fall in love. So, Claire took it upon herself to teach him.

Claire tried to make Shaun understand that his life can change. He has already faced adversity and his life has gotten better. But Shaun insisted this was not true. The conversation was interrupted by the test results from Zack. Shaun’s reaction to the results made it clear he was lying about what really happened. Before Claire could press him further, he ran off to throw up blood.

Shaun took a sample of his blood to Pathology, and tried to enter it without a name on the vial. Dr. Carly Lever (Jasika Nicole) saw through that and tried to tell Shaun he needed to take some medication.

Later, Shaun went to Zack’s room where he once again bemoaned not being able to move on. He does not want a new job. Then, Shaun had an epiphany and realized Zack needed immediate treatment. But before he could explain why, Shaun suddenly fainted.

Afterwards, Shaun was hooked up to equipment to monitor him and help him breathe. Claire told Dr. Audrey Lim (Christina Chang) Shaun’s trauma came from a fight with Zack. While Shaun was out of commission, Claire, Lim and Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) tried to think like Shaun and figure out what was really wrong with Zack. Claire tried to recreate exactly how Shaun stood in Zack’s room to figure out what he saw. Eventually it worked, and they saved his life.

Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) and Lea (Paige Spara) visited Shaun while he was asleep. Glassman reminded Lea that Shaun likes her. She knows it.

When Shaun woke up, he wanted to rush to save Zack. However, Claire came in and shared the good news, so Glassman got Shaun to lay back down. Afterwards, Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) showed up to tell Shaun he heard he missed an interview. Shaun told Andrews he likes being a surgeon, but Andrews said there is nothing he can do about it.

“Shaun, both of us… we need to face reality,” Andrews said.

“My brother Steve said that whenever people want you to do something that’s wrong, they say it’s reality,” Shaun said.

Elsewhere in the finale, Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) and Lim (Christina Chang) told human resources about their relationship and made it official by kissing in the emergency room.

Also, Glassman told Debbie (Sheila Kelley) he is now cancer free, so he took the amazing step of proposing to her. She rejected the idea, saying it was “stupid” to press fast forward on the relationship.

Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) also criticized Han for his handling of Shaun. However, Han defended himself, noting that Shaun was only successful in emergency situations because he always had someone helping him. Andrews later told Han about Shaun saving Zack’s life. But Han reminded Andrews he would look like a fool to the hospital board if he suddenly fired him.

At the end of the episode, Glassman made a plea to the board to get Shaun back at the hospital. He reminded everyone that Shaun not only saved a life, but he made Claire a better doctor. Han said he fired Shaun because he became irrational and could not control himself.

“The issue isn’t whether Dr. Murphy should be working here. The issue is whether I should,” Han said. “Whether I control my staff… because I can’t work here if I don’t.”

Surprisingly, Andrews agreed with Glassman. He fired Han and Lim was offered the Chief of Surgery position. Shaun got his job back.

“He’s not ready to move on,” Andrews said of Shaun. “Neither am I.”

Lea later arrived home to see Shaun carrying a bouquet of flowers and chocolates. He asked her if he looked nice, and surprisingly left the apartment.

Glassman later proposed to Debbie once again. This time, she said yes.

As for Shaun, he arrived at Carly’s home, where he complemented her hair and asked her out on a date. She said yes. Shaun turned and left, jumping in excitement.

The Good Doctor will return in the fall.

Photo credit: ABC