The Good Doctor's 'Internal Nemesis' Revealed in Game-Changing Season 5 Premiere — Grade the Episode!
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St. Bonaventure is in for a major shakeup following the events of The Good Doctor‘s Season 5 premiere.
As TVLine previously reported, the ABC medical drama was poised to introduce an “internal nemesis” this fall — and as we expected, that nemesis is none other than one Salen Morrison, played by Tony-winning actress Rachel Bay Jones.
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The presumed Patient of the Week came to the clinic experiencing shortness of breath, blurred vision and headaches, all a result of her ADHD medication. But it turned out that she was messing with Andrews, Morgan et al. in an attempt to determine if the doctors employed by St. Bonaventure were up to snuff.
Salen, who we can only presume is some sort of wealthy businesswoman, had previously been diagnosed with Raynaud’s phenomenon — a condition that causes decreased blood flow to the fingers — which eventually developed into systemic scleroderma. The diagnosis had come seven years ago, after experiencing symptoms for three years before that.
“Lots of bad doctors out there,” Salen surmised. “I went off my scleroderma meds a few weeks ago to see if you doctors were more of the same.” But why?
In the very last scene, Lim was waiting to present a detailed budget report before the hospital’s board. She was also about to inquire about hiring boyfriend Mateo as a new surgical attending — presumably to fill the vacancy left by Melendez. But once the doors opened in front of her, revealing that the meeting had already been adjourned, Glassman told the chief of surgery that there had only been one item on the agenda: St. Bonaventure had just been purchased by Salen! As the new owner exited the boardroom, she turned to Glassman and Lim to say that she’s “looking forward” to working with them.
“This tests everybody, including Shaun,” executive producer David Shore previously told TVLine. “Of course, Shaun is going to have a different point of view on it,” as we’ll see in upcoming episodes.
“I just love what [Jones] brings, what this character brings,” Shore waxed on. “She just has a great dynamic and a great energy. She is just going going going.” Sometimes she appears “scattered,” he said, but she is always “focused on what she wants to be focused on from moment to moment, brilliant and capable at the same time, and she proves to be a real challenge to our people.”
Among other notable developments in the Season 5 opener…
* Seeing how much Lea struggled with planning their engagement party, Shaun insisted that he play an equal part in planning their wedding — which, after Lea’s nightmare in the premiere’s opening scene, is not going to be held outdoors.
* Speaking of Shaun and Lea, their engagement party nearly went off without a hitch… until an inebriated Glassman gave a toast and revealed that he and Debbie separated two months ago.
* Andrews, also newly single, accidentally wound up with two dates for Shaun and Lea’s party. His plus-ones ultimately left together, and he went home with the bartender. Quite the player, huh? But by the end of the hour, when Andrews asked the bartender if she’d like to get breakfast and she declined, it was clear that this man is not built for bachelorhood. He wants to be in a committed relationship.
* As for Park and Morgan, the new couple shared a kiss before Shaun and Lea’s party that indicated they’re still going strong. Park, meanwhile, saved the life of the real Patient of the Week: a single mom with advanced cervical cancer who had passed it on to her two sons.
What did you think of The Good Doctor Season 5, Episode 1: “New Beginnings”? Grade it via the following poll, then drop a comment with your full review.
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