THE GOOD DOCTOR 1x01 "Pilot - Burnt Food"

If the boy dies, then everyone loses: the boy, his family, Dr. Murphy (Freddie Highmore) and the hospital. But if the boy survives, well ... it's a success story nobody can ignore. It's a little bit of a shame, therefore, that Dr. Shaun Murphy's position at the hospital can be heavily attributed to the wildfire spreading of his good deed: after the hospital board voted to refuse Shaun's hiring because of his autism, a viral video taken by a bystander of Dr. Murphy saving a boy's life in an airport after a glass sign shattered above him gave the board cause to rethink their position. Naturally, they would, for it would be a PR nightmare to refuse Dr. Murphy's hiring after such a swell of public support. And that was slightly problematic, for it swept under the carpet much of the prior debate over the plus and minus points of a surgeon who suffers from autism. That is to say much of the prior debate. Even with the YouTube clip of Shaun's heroics sweeping the Internet, he might not have got the job without the tear-jerking speech (of sorts) he gave in his defence.

Shaun saves the boy's life
Image: ABC

   It's a rehash of the "I want to help people" mantra doctors quote - but it's so much more innocent and heartbreaking, and it wouldn't have been the same without the episode's flashbacks, which gave us context as to where Shaun's desire to help people originated: his father's abusiveness, his rabbit's death, his running away from home with his brother (and his innocent sadness at not being able to own a television), and then his brother's accidental death. I was originally uncertain of the flashbacks, but they answered a host of important questions, including how Shaun met his mentor, hospital President and his advocate Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff), where he got the toy knife he carries for comfort (a gift from his brother) and, as mentioned, his initial desire to become a doctor.

   But the big issue that needed to be addressed was the ethics of Shaun's hiring, which the episode did well in covering as it took the long way home to the eventual conclusion that Shaun will be allowed to work for San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Some of the board members initially dead set against his hiring were swayed by Shaun's speech, but that wasn't all that settled their stomachs: Dr. Glassman, Shaun's friend and advocate, was given enough rope to hang himself with in his defence of Shaun, should Shaun make any mistakes.

Shaun argues with Dr. Brown
Image: ABC

   But even though Shaun now has his foot through the door, not everyone is pleased by this. Dr. Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez), the Surgical Attending, is forthright in immediately forewarning Shaun that, under Melendez's supervision, the extent of Shaun's surgical contribution will be exceedingly minor, while Dr. Claire Brown (Antonia Thomas) must feel very awkward around him after Shaun picked up on the various ways she treated him (from rude to friendly) and questioned them. It's going to be a tough ride for Shaun.

So the show has picked its starting point. Now it just needs to be a great show. And by the Gods I hope it's aware of how quickly, easily and beautifully it shifts from cheer-worthily uplifting to heartbreakingly sad and back again. I had tears in my eyes on multiple occasions, and now I demand this show makes me full-on cry.

RATING: 9/10

POINTS OF NOTE

• Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Melendez didn't make it past the pilot for one of my favourite shows, Lucifer. I wonder if he'll make it through here.
• Dr. Claire Brown has to be the most interesting main character besides Shaun and Dr. Glassman, in my opinion.
• The opening boardroom scene which devolves into a slanging match is brilliant. Everyone lands a zinger.
• Freddie Highmore - in the words of Andy Gray: "Take a bow son. I mean that: take a bow". (Look it up, America.) What a performance!
• "And I want to make a lot of money so that I could have a television." Someone demand an ECG for my heart, because I think it broke.