Hello and welcome to our weekly update that went a bit chaotically, but we are BACK and with a mad dash of posts that should get you caught up in a few days. Life moves on, and with the holidays approaching, I cannot wait to take the time to really throw myself into this series. With that, let’s go ahead and dive into the review of “Tough Titmouse”.
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
Lea and Shaun are at odds, which makes sense as the last episode ended with a blowout. Shaun is trying to make amends while Lea is still hurt from him shutting her off. Shaun asks Park and Melendez about what he should do, both giving opposite answers- either make the apologies big or walk away, while a nurse who overhears merely says just to be nice. Lea is house hunting and Shaun is kinda stalking her, showing up at the location, which Lea finds it creepy. I would feel the exact same way, honestly. Later, Shaun tries to recreate the karaoke night. Lea snaps, stating how Hershey meant everything but it didn’t work, so she returned and when she needed help, he gave her the brush off. Not once did he ask what happened. He finally asks what happened, and she asks if he really cares, which he says no.
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
Dr. Glassman is talking to his late daughter, Maddie, who we know passed away at a young age in the previous season from his conversations with Jessica. He isn’t sleeping because, as she says “If you go asleep, I go away.” She cannot remember any bad memories at first, just the good times they had when she was younger. She wants to clear the air about what happened, how she died, but Glassman is deflecting. Shaun walks in on Aaron talking and is worried he is having issues from the surgery. On his way out, Glassman calls Maddie’s name and Shaun freezes, realizing who he is imagining. Even Shaun is aware of how important that conversation is.
Glassman pretends to take a pill once his doctor tells him to either take the Ambien or she was gonna give him a sedative. Maddie is no longer sharing good memories, instead of mentioning when Aaron wasn’t around, admits she died hating him, and tries to take the pill… but he cannot escape. Maddie was high and Glassman threw her outside. He thought she was going to a friend’s or Aunt, but she didn’t. It’s unclear what actually happened, if it was an overdose, or suicide, or was murder. Either way, Aaron regrets wanting to be a hero and wanting to win her back, otherwise, she would have been sent to rehab a long time ago. The staff, of course, hear him and sedate him. As he fades to sleep, Maddie says she loved him. And then it gets a bit blurry because I start bawling like a small child.
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
Mac has fragile X syndrome and comes in with a piece of wood sticking in his arm. You can tell his mother cares but needs time away from a special needs son. As a single mother, it is hard. Park mentions may be a group home but Melendez is reluctant. We get to see more of Shaun’s past, which is really nice. Shaun has a new foster parent named Sybil. Mac ends up punching Shaun when his mother returns the next day with a cut on her palm. Mac and Shaun end up talking for a bit. Park pushes the issue for a group home because it is clear she is overwhelmed. In a flashback, Bil tells Shaun he has to move. Shaun panics, but Sybil is
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
just very ill. He tells Nicole Mac won’t hate her, just be really scared, and then he’d get used to it. Melendez is still very against it. Park talks about doctors and right paths. Melendez does take the time, and talks with Nicole, explaining how if she gives Mac up, they will view it as giving up, taking the easy way out. But he goes on to say they don’t really understand. They never lived with it. He now realizes it is the hardest thing a parent could do. Park. Shaun and Melendez are there when she tells him and he reacts badly.
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
Kitty Kwon is an extreme climber but broke her spine. She seems depressed, even making a comment about how she should have been left on the mountain when she realizes how badly she was injured. Claire offers a procedure that would reduce her movement, but raise the chances of healing while Morgan mentions a new one, less invasive but still in research. Kitty is a risk taker. Her parents are worried about her ability to climb again, she will go back up and potentially kill herself. Turns out Kitty has a ton of injuries from falls and just turned 18 a few months ago. Claire is worried and ends up having the patient get a psych evaluation. Turns out Kitty did try suicide a while back because someone broke up with her, but she got help almost instantly.
Source: American Broadcasting Company for The Good Doctor.
Morgan calls out Claire is so hung up on the case because she never stopped her own mother. Still, the evaluation the therapist sides with preservation of life- so her parents decide the surgery. Kitty tells Claire to tell her parents she never wants to see them again. Claire talks with Melendez about how to give advice without dragging our baggage into it. Claire talks to the parents and tells them Kitty’s wish. Claire admits she was pushing the decision because of own personal issues but doesn’t want to be the cause of them losing their daughter. The mother responds – if we do this, she will grow and learn. We may not be there, but those are the gifts we are giving her.. and that is enough.. it will have to be enough. Before they walk out of the hospital. Claire is there when Kitty wakes up. She tells her they did this because they love her. Kitty merely says ‘I know’. I hope they make up later…
The episode wraps up with Shaun waiting for Glassman to wake up, asking if seeing Maddie was therapeutic. We also meet Melendez’s sister, who is in a group home for some mental condition, think autism. I think Melendez was upset at his parents until this episode, not understanding. In the Korean version, the Melendez counterpart had a brother with autism and his parents let him go to school once by himself. He died that day, a car accident. Lea and Shaun make up, kinda. The last few scenes show Lea and Shaun re-creating Karaoke again and he admits to signing a lease for a 2 bedroom apartment Lea liked. And end episode.
This show, these reviews. They have helped me grow as a person. Knowing someone is still here, reading, it an oddly endearing feeling. I really hope you are growing each day and learning more about yourself. These characters keep growing, letting their pasts define them to learn about their future better. Never let your past hold you back- They are just lessons. With that, I’m gonna finish up the next few articles, and prepare to get this train of lessons back on track as I learn from my own- Take time for yourself, and have fun! Stay shiny!
