Growth Opportunities

"Growth Opportunities"

Episode Information

Season 6

Episode 5

Overall 99

Airdate:

October 31, 2022

Viewers:

3.31 million

Writer:

Peter Blake

Director:

Daniel Dae Kim

Episode Chronology

Preceded by:	Followed by:
"Shrapnel"	"Hot and Bothered"

"Growth Opportunities" is the fifth episode of Season 6 of The Good Doctor. It is the ninety-ninth episode overall, and aired on October 31, 2022.

Synopsis[]

Shaun, Asher and Powell treat a young patient on Halloween with a rare hereditary disease, sending them down an uncharted path. Meanwhile, Glassman and Shaun must overcome their differences to work together to try and find a solution for Lim’s paralysis.

Plot[]

Shaun, Glassman, Andrews and Lim discuss the new surgery plan that Shaun has to fix Lim’s paralysis. Glassman is wary of this new surgery plan and is quick to point out the risks. Andrews asks them to work together to better the odds and Lim agrees.

Shaun gets busy trying to come up with a new surgery plan for Lim with low risks and Lea suggests he delegates some of his work to allow him some free time. Shaun thinks this is a great idea and is excited to do it.

On the other hand, Lim’s date with her hot neighbour is distracting her from the reality of the upcoming surgery to fix her paralysis. Reznick decides to help her get ready but Lim is worried that she is rushing life and the date. Reznick thinks she should enjoy herself and live in the moment.

Perez and Allen are working together on a case and Perez worries that he complicated their relationship. Perez admits he likes Allen but he can’t cross the line and it is not because they work together. He refuses to share his reasons for holding back but asks that they remain friends.

Asher and Powell also find themselves in a dilemma when they discover that the dad of their young patient doesn’t know he is not her biological father. Shaun delegates the job of informing the couple and biological father to Asher and Powell. They worry that the truth might destroy the couple’s marriage and need to find a delicate way to tell the dad.

They decide to notify the mother first and she admits she cheated on her husband with his old college roommate. She asks them to keep it a secret from her husband but they clearly explain that they legally can’t keep the results from him. She hesitantly agrees to give them the biological father’s details before going to explain the truth to her husband.

They notify the biological dad, Nick and Jake( the husband ) accidentally show up during their discussions. They get into a fight and Asher finds himself on the receiving end of a punch. Shaun scolds them for doing a terrible job of choosing a place to talk with Nick.

Shaun still has the pressing issue of coming up with a new surgery plan for Lim but every time he talks to Glassman he thwarts his effort. Shaun thinks Glassman is still angry with him over the last surgery he did on Lim. Glassman admits he is mad at Shaun but he is not shooting down his ideas over his anger but because his ideas are too risky.

Park asks Shaun to help him by talking to his dying patient who is worried about leaving his younger brother behind. Park was hoping that Shaun could talk to him about his experience when his brother died and assure him that his little brother will be okay. Shaun turns him down saying he needs to focus on Lim.

Lea confronts Glassman and asks him to re-evaluate how he is handling his anger with Shaun. She reminds Glassman that although Shaun is a grown man as his father, Glassman should make the first move. This strikes a chord with Glassman and reminds him of his old fights with his late daughter. He talks with Shaun and tells him even though he is angry he still loves him and they work together to perfect the surgery plan.

They discuss the new surgery plan with Lim and she promises to think about it. After her dinner with her hot neighbour, Lim is disappointed because he didn’t see it as a date. She thinks she should agree to the surgery but Powell asks her to think about it some more. Lim decides that she won’t do the surgery and Shaun has a hard time understanding why she turned it down.

Lea talks with Shaun and tries to make him understand Lim’s decision. She tells him that when people are in pain, the least they can do is try to help whether it is fruitful or not. This makes Shaun decide to talk to Park’s patient and tries to help the two brothers.

After their shift, Perez confides in Allen that he is a recovering addict and that is why they can’t date. Allen understands that it is not about her and agrees to be friends.

Cast[]

Starring[]

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
Noah Galvin as Dr. Asher Wolke
Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews
Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman

Guest Starring[]

Savannah Welch as Dr. Danica Powell
Brandon Larracuente as Dr. Daniel Perez
Joel de la Fuente as Jacob
Dennis Oh as Mick Kang
Jonathan Sadowski as Chris McGowan
Julienne Hanzelka Kim as Daisy
Elfina Luk as Dalisay Villanueva
Diana Tsoy as Skyler
April Cameron as Nurse Hawks
Reggie Herold as Ollie McGowan

Co-Starring[]

Ryan Mah as Curtis
Audrey Wise Alvarez as Young Maddie Glassman
Akeem Hoyte-Charles as Trevor
Jessie Fraser as Hostess
Amanda Vredegoor as Mick's wife
Andrew Murrin as Guitar player
Charlotte Marcynuk as Young daughter
Scott McQuarrie Young daughter's father

Trivia[]

The song that Asher Wolke and his patient Skyler sing while he was examining her is A Little Priest from the Broadway musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
This is the last appearance of Maddie Glassman through a flashback as a child, as well as her overall last apperance on the show.
In this episode, Dr. Alex Park dresses as Wolverine. Interestingly, Will Yun Lee, who portrays Dr. Park, played Kenuichio Harada in the 2013 film The Wolverine, which also features the iconic Marvel character Wolverine.