‘The Good Doctor’: Jared Gets Tearful Send-off in His Final Episode

The Good Doctor season two premiere was the start of Dr. Shaun Murphy’s next adventures at St. Bonaventure Hospital, but it was the end of the road for Chuku Modu’s Dr. Jared Kalu.

At the end of a tumultuous first season that included Jared getting fired only to be welcomed back on thin ice, Jared was accepted into a position at a Denver hospital. While many fans thought this meant he would be leaving right away, Modu was seen in photos from the set, confirming he would be in season two. However, he will be gone for good after the season two premiere, with Will Yun Lee’s Dr. Alex Park and Fiona Gubelmann’s Dr. Morgan Reznick taking more prominent roles.

The season two premiere “Hello” takes place on Jared’s last day at the San Jose hospital. He is assigned to work with Shaun, who also found himself in trouble at the end of season one, as they offer medical assistance to San Jose’s homeless community.

Jared goes to bat for one particular patient, Harry, whom he thinks might have bacterial meningitis. He eventually convinces Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) to let him use hospital equipment to test his theories, which turn out to be wrong. Andrews then threatens to call up the Denver hospital to make Jared’s life hell even after he leaves San Jose.

However, Shaun later has an epiphany and realizes the patient actually has a brain tumor. Tests prove Shaun is right, which also proves that Jared was at least right about one thing: the man needs help. Harper agrees not to ruin his life in Denver.

Since Jared spends most of his last day outside the hospital, it isn’t until the very end that he gets a tearful goodbye from Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas), whom Jared had a relationship with early in season one.

“I’ll miss having you around as a colleague, but I also miss what we had together,” Claire tells him. “I think we made a mistake… I made a mistake. I’d like you to stay.”

Jared sits silently for a few moments, then simply says, “No. It’s sad saying goodbye. Doesn’t mean it’s a mistake. It will be OK. I will be ok.”

Tears stream down Claire’s face, but Jared has something positive to say.

“I think we’re both going to be ok,” Jared says as he moves closer to Claire. He puts his arm around her and kisses her forehead before he wipes away a tear from her cheek. As he walks away, Jared wipes away tears of his own.

Modu will next be seen in Marvel’s Captain Marvel.

The Good Doctor airs on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo credit: ABC/Jeff Weddell