Middle Ground

"Middle Ground"

Episode Information

Season 2

Episode 2

Overall 20

Airdate:

October 1, 2018

Viewers:

7.18^[1] million

Writer:

David Shore

Director:

Steve Robin

Episode Chronology

Preceded by:	Followed by:
"Hello"	"36 Hours"

"Middle Ground" is the second episode of Season 2 of The Good Doctor. It is the twentieth episode overall, and aired on October 1, 2018.

Synopsis[]

As Shaun pushes back against Dr. Melendez in order to treat a gravely ill hospital janitor, Dr. Lim risks a lawsuit to repair a teenage girl's ritual circumcision. Dr. Glassman exercises demanding oversight in choosing a doctor for his brain surgery.^[2]

Plot[]

After Lea suddenly returned to Shaun's life, she's been staying with him until she can get an apartment again. One morning, she wakes up to find that he's already gone to work. When Neil comments on this, Shaun states that he was just eager to get to the hospital. He in turn asks Neil about what to do as he thinks the hospital janitor, Paul, might have pancreatic cancer but isn't sure, which Neil considers and tells Shaun to do tests on him but not say why.

Meanwhile, Lim is seeing to her patient, Asha, who is asking about vaginal rejuvenations as she got circumcised when she was two. Shaun and Claire soon work to do tests on Paul, with Shaun claiming that the tests are just necessary in case they've been exposed to patients. Unfortunately, he accidentally reveals Paul's possible cancer. Meanwhile, Lim presents Asha's case to Morgan and Park while making Asha's mother believe she's in school and out studying with her friends. However, she butts heads with Park about the parents whom Park is concerned are abusive but Lim says Asha loves them.

While testing Paul, Shaun and Claire talk about lying and how Shaun can't understand why people do so as it feels amoralistic to him so much. He also talks about Lea, though Claire can't understand whether Shaun is pleased or not concerning this while Shaun finds that Paul has a year to live. While Shaun and Claire are talking about it with Neil, he and Shaun disagree about doing surgery on Paul who could die as a result of it. Ultimately, Claire states that it isn't their call to make and Neil has Shaun talk to Paul.

Lim leads the surgery on Asha, thinking it can be done early which Morgan states is sending her home quicker to her possibly abusive parents. Paul's wife and kids are called in concerning the surgery, which Paul reluctantly agrees to for his family's sake. Shaun soon goes to see Glassman who hasn't chosen a surgeon for his cancer treatment. When he feels uncomfortable about Shaun's advice on whom he choses, he tries to get Shaun to go home but Shaun states that he can't rest there.

The surgery on Asha goes well and she awakens when Lim comes to see her. Although Lim states that it's natural, Asha states that it hurts and Lim sees that Asha isn't going home just yet. Morgan thinks that Asha's pain is good news, considering that she could start getting her sensation there back and they can help her with it. Park points out that this means more surgery, so now Asha will now get classified as a missing child as she won't be home the time they thought she would be.

Shaun apologizes to Paul for being blunt with him, but mostly can't figure out how and when to lie. Paul says that it's OK, agreeing with Shaun's belief about lying, but states that it might be necessary if the truth does not help. Andrews is also informed about Asha, which he is angered with due to Lim not obeying the rules (though she defends what she saw was right) and he was considering her for chief of surgery. He also gets her to call Asha's parents.

The surgery on Paul goes ahead. They get the cancer out, but he's leaking pancreatic fluid and try to help him. Glassman still hasn't decided on a surgeon, being picky about who to choose, while Dr. Blaize tells him to find one if he still wants her as his oncologist. Asha's parents are brought in and Lim explains the surgery to them, only for them to reveal that her real name is Mara and they refuse to listen to what Lim has to say when Ellen Vahtra (a Child Protective Services representative) appears and refuses their demand to move Mara while an investigation is carried out.

Shaun reports to Paul's family that the surgery went well, but there are possible post-surgical complications though Claire stops him from saying anything else. Although he's still concerned about deception, Lea comes to visit and offers to meet for lunch. However, he states that he doesn't have time and leaves. Still confused, Claire tries to get Shaun to talk to Lea but he states that he doesn't understand or know how he feels.

Mara's parents blame Lim for Mara's current condition, to which Lim retorts about how Mara's parents mutilated her or are protecting the real culprits. Mara's mother admits that Mara's aunt and grandmother did it while they were babysitting her. She also states that it's a rite of passage through the generations to find husbands in their culture. Lim states that Mara can find someone who isn't from them and how they have no right to make statements concerning her for what she was put through. Ultimately, Vahtra focuses their efforts on helping Mara. While Lim suggests the possible surgeries, she also states that they have to make sure Mara isn't in pain. Vahtra orders for Mara to be informed about this as she's old enough to make the decision.

Glassman briefly considers his surgeon to not be someone at the hospital and might have to move out of state for one and an oncologist, though Shaun tries to suggest Dr. Ko whom Glassman has had before. Glassman admits that he's not afraid of dying, but the possibility of being compromised if he survives and what he can be if he can't be a surgeon (the only thing he's really been good at). Shaun offers some comfort by suggesting that Glassman could be his friend when he is informed that Paul is crashing.

Mara is asked about what to do, to which she states that she wants to have her clitoris removed when told that it is the least painful option. While Shaun, Claire and Neil still try to save Paul (whose family Shaun feels should've been informed), Lim is upset about Mara's decision and refuses to be involved. While Andrews is angry with her and Morgan who tries to support Lim, Mara is still consulted again alone about removing a part of her cheek inside and grafting it onto her clitoris to help it. Although Mara still doesn't want to be in pain, Lim goes ahead with it nonetheless.

Unfortunately, Paul dies and Shaun and Claire go to tell his family. Although they blame each other over it, Shaun states that it's not their fault and that he wanted the surgery (which is a lie he tells). Mara's surgery succeeds, for which she and her parents thank Lim. The next day, Lea finds that Shaun is still at the apartment when she gets up. When she comments on this, he does her breakfast while presenting her baseball that she gave him before she left. Whenever he saw it, he kept feeling hurt as she had left him and it's worsened now that she's back as he fears she'll leave again. She tries to reason with him, but he just tells her to leave him. Glassman's surgery also goes ahead with Dr. Ko.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy
Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez
Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne
Tamlyn Tomita as Allegra Aoki (credit only)
Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick
Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park
Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim
Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo
Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews
Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman

Guest Starring[]

Lisa Edelstein as Dr. Marina Blaize
Camille Hyde as Mara/Asha
Necar Zadegan as Dr. Jordan Ko
Khalilah Joi as Mara's Mother
Alimi Ballard as Mara's Father
Faustino Di Bauda as Paul Buendia
Jordana Largy as Ellen Vahtra

Co-Starring[]

Eileen Barrett as Lori Buendia
Max Chadburn as Zoe Buendia
Conchita Campbell as Sarah Buendia
Arthur MacKinnon as Taylor Buendia

Trivia[]

Paul's acid reflux leading to cancer is somewhat based on one of the patients from House, M.D., which was also created by David Shore and featured Lisa Edelstein.
This is the first time that a character that had appeared in more than one episode has died (Paul having previously appeared in Sacrifice).