Faith

"Faith"

Episode Information

Season 7

Episode 7

Overall 123

Airdate:

April 30, 2024

Viewers:

2.58 million

Writer:

Melaina Wright, Garrett Lerner, and Jessica Grasl

Director:

Steven DePaul

Episode Chronology

Preceded by:	Followed by:
"M.C.E."	"The Overview Effect"

"Faith" is the seventh episode of Season 7 of The Good Doctor. it is the hundred-and-twenty-third episode overall, and aired on April 30, 2024.

Synopsis[]

Shaun and Jordan's patient is in dire need of a kidney transplant, but when they find the perfect donor, they also discover that he believes he is Jesus which could compromise his ability to give consent to the surgery.

Plot[]

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This episode weaves together several compelling patient and doctor narratives, exploring themes of family, difficult choices, and the profound impact of medical conditions.

The story opens with Shaun and his wife grappling with the possibility of their baby, Steve, having autism. Shaun, a doctor, observes Steve's lack of vocalization ¹, a fascination with ceiling fans ², and limited eye contact³, leading him to suspect autism. He advocates for early testing and consultation with a pediatric neurologist ⁴, even suggesting an fMRI study⁵. His wife, however, is hesitant, desiring to simply enjoy their baby ⁶and fearing that a diagnosis might unfairly label him⁷. Their disagreement creates tension, with Shaun emphasizing the importance of early intervention ⁸and his wife expressing anxieties about her adequacy as a mother⁹. Despite her reservations, Shaun's wife ultimately agrees to the study¹⁰.

Another central plot involves Tayo, a child born with a unique third arm ¹¹, which his father endearingly calls his "aburo" or "little brother"¹². This extra limb, however, is compressing his trachea, causing severe breathing difficulties¹³. Doctors explain that one of his arms must be removed to save his life¹⁴. This news sparks a heart-wrenching debate between his parents: his father wants to remove the smaller, third arm to preserve the larger, functional one ¹⁵, while his mother insists on removing the larger arm¹⁶. Tayo, caught in the middle, expresses his sadness over his parents' conflict ¹⁷and worries about making them unhappy¹⁸. A blood flow test is performed to aid in the difficult decision ¹⁹, leading to the heartbreaking conclusion that the larger arm must be amputated^20202020.

A third narrative focuses on Mason Landover, an astronaut recently returned from an eight-month stint on the International Space Station²¹. He's experiencing severe pain ²², significant bone loss ^23232323, and a dilated heart chamber causing arrhythmias ²⁴—all attributed to the rigors of zero gravity^25252525. More profoundly, Mason undergoes a dramatic personality shift, suddenly yearning for a settled life and children ²⁶, a stark contrast to his wife Ana's career-driven aspirations²⁷. It's later discovered that he has hydrocephalus, an accumulation of excess fluid compressing his brain ²⁸, a delayed consequence of his time in space ²⁹, which explains his newfound domestic desires³⁰.

Finally, this episode delves into the challenging case of Hannah, a patient battling addiction. Dr. Park attempts to guide her toward recovery, offering Tylenol for pain ³¹and encouraging her to enter rehab³². Hannah initially resists, maintaining she has her addiction "under control"³³. However, after an overdose at the doctor's house ³⁴, Dr. Lim (not Dr. Park as previously stated) makes an unconventional and risky decision: to personally administer controlled doses of oxycodone to Hannah ^35353535, prioritizing her immediate survival above all else³⁶.

Beyond the medical cases, the episode explores the personal lives and relationships of the medical professionals. Dr. Reznick's somewhat awkward public proposal to Dr. Park ³⁷ adds a touch of levity. Dr. Lim shares a deeply personal story of her daughter's overdose with Hannah³⁸, hoping to convey the profound dangers of addiction. Ultimately, Dr. Park and Ana, Mason's wife, find common ground and reconcile. Ana decides to prioritize their relationship and the possibility of starting a family, while still pursuing her career by taking a sabbatical³⁹, signaling a hopeful future for them.

Cast[]

Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy
Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick
Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park
Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim
Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo
Bria Samoné Henderson as Dr. Jordan Allen
Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu
Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman

Wavyy Jonez as Dominick Hubank
Guillermo Diaz as Carl
Ruby Kelley as Hannah Ayleston
Giacomo Baessato as Jerome Martel
Zarrin Darnell-Martin as Naomi Pine
Adrian Hough as Paul Huston
Jordana Summer as Eve Huston

Ben Afful as Miles Pine

Yasmeen Kelders as Suki Pine

Rochelle Greenwood as Dr. Lydia Grant

Tedra Rogers as Joelle

Sook Hexamer as Ruth

Louis Gauthier as Tattoo Artist

Ryan Minaker as Hospital Staff

Trivia[]

Ruby Kelley, who plays Hannah, is the real life daughter of Richard Schiff who plays Dr. Aaron Glassman.
Glassman is shown to be impatiently waiting for the results of some imaging that he had done. Glassman's reaction when he gets the conclusive results back suggests that whatever Glassman was having tested, it came back as bad news.
- In "Unconditional," it's revealed that it was the news that his cancer has returned and is terminal this time.
Lea and Morgan clash over Joelle, a nanny she wanted for Steve but Morgan employed first for Eden, leading Park to talk to Shaun about it and settle a meeting between the four, which initally leads to nowhere as Lea and Morgan keep fighting. Shaun, after seeing Glassman and Lim near the cafeteria, quickly comes up with the idea of using the hospital's daycare so both couples get to share Joelle at the same time.
Steve is now six months old, meaning that the episode takes place six months after the events of "M.C.E.".
Shaun becomes concerned that baby Steve may have autism as he didn't react to Shaun and Lea's departure.