M.C.E.

"M.C.E"

Episode Information

Season 7

Episode 6

Overall 122

Airdate:

April 9, 2024

Viewers:

2.62 million

Writer:

David Renaud & Tristan Thai

Director:

Mike Listo

Episode Chronology

Preceded by:	Followed by:
"Who At Peace"	"Faith"

"M.C.E" is the sixth episode of Season 7 of The Good Doctor. It is the hundred-and-twenty-second episode overall, and aired on April 9, 2024.

Synopsis[]

The team must deal with a mass casualty event that forces them to put aside their emotions following a recent tragedy.

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

Bess Armstrong as Eileen Lim
Kayla Cromer as Charlotte Lukaitis
Wavyy Jonez as Dominick Hubank
Giacomo Baessato as Jerome Martel
Elfina Luk as Nurse Dalisay Villanueva
Colleen Wheeler as Riley's Mom
April Cameron as Nurse Hawks
David Attar as Rabbi Benjamin
Teryl Rothery as Jan Lancaster
Bethany Brown as Rochelle

Wonser D-Gbon as Nurse Belfour

Regan Ross as Ceda

Dejan Loyola as Mark

Toby Berner as Zane

Abraham Asto as Ron

Juliana Wimbles as Paramedic #1

Zen Lim as Jacob

Boris Bilic as Riley

Hans Potter as Ethan

Owen Leck as Simon

Franckie Francois as Paramedic #2

Paisley Leck as Kerry

Georgia Irwin as Flora's Paramedic

Kayla Deorksen as Ken's Paramedic

Andrew Gillingham as Riley's Paramedic

Chandni Appadurai as Raj's Wife

Evan Mathew Weinstein as Jeff's Dad

Cynthia Potvin as Jeff's Mom

Clayton Neuwirth as Ankle Man

Emmanuel Akpoviroro as Shrapnel Man

Trivia[]

The title is an acronym for mass casualty event.
This episode takes place three days after Asher's murder. Jerome mentions that Asher's family took his body back to New York and it's implied that his killers were caught.
Asher appears in the form of flashbacks.
Dr. Jan Lancaster appears for the first time since "Cheat Day" in Season 5.
Lim's father is revealed to have secretly suffered from clinical depression, something that she may have inherited as well.
This is the 100th appearance of Lea.