The Good Doctor – Hubert

By starrymag | November 18, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

At a pet store, Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) and Lea Dilallo (Paige Spara) debate which pet to get. Eventually, they settle on a fish, which Lea names Hubert. Shaun reads the instruction manual on proper tank care, and Lea assures Hubert that Shaun shows his love in a different way. Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas) brings Dash (John Patrick Amedori) a pie and asks Kay (Rachel Boston) why she didn’t call her if things were so bad. Kay tells her that she was put on hospus last week and clutches her side in pain.

 

Claire approaches Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) and asks him to operate on Kay to remove a mass that is causing her pain. Melendez doesn’t answer, but agrees to take a look at her after Claire tells him she needs his help. The EMT (Doron Bell) rolls in Santiago (Hemky Madera) and Dr. Audrey Lim (Christina Chang) examines him. Lim pulls out the nail in his head, but his pressure starts dropping. She declares that something else is going on, and Shaun notices a nail in Santiago’s abdomen as well.

 

Melendez examines Kay, and Dash comments that Kay is in more pain than she is claiming. He tells him that Claire told them that a person isn’t out of options until Melendez says they are.  Melendez promises Kay they can help with her pain, telling him that he and Dr. Alex Park (Will Yun Lee) can operate that day. Kay tells him that she came because of Claire, and Claire promises that she’ll be in good hands. However, Kay refuses to do the surgery without Claire and Melendez assures her that Claire will be a part of the surgery.

 

As Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) sits in the waiting room, he notices a boy (Soma Ochiai) playing with a yo-yo. The boy teaches him how some tricks, as Dr. Morgan Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann) reports that they ruptured Santiago’s kidney as Lim pulls out the nail. They are unable to fix the kidney, and Shaun realizes that Santiago was born with only one kidney. Melendez, Alex, and Claire operate on Kay and are able to remove the source of her pain. Alex suggests that Kay could be eligible for a treatment to prolong her life, and Claire is excited by the prospect.

 

Melendez explains the surgery to Kay and Dash, and but warns them that it’s possible that she could die during surgery. Dash admits that he wants more time, but that he’s worried about pressing his luck. Claire tells them that it’s not about luck, complimenting Melendez’ ability and encouraging her to put her trust in him again. Kay agrees to the surgery, and Melendez tells her they need to run a test to determine their strategy.

 

As Shaun and Morgan discuss their patient, Shaun gets a video chat request from Lea. She shows him that Hubert is not doing well, telling him that the bowl’s PH is correct. Lea declares that Hubert looks bored, but Shaun replies that fish can’t be bored. She asks him to bring a little castle, and Morgan comments that she doesn’t know if Shaun or the fish is being domesticated more. Morgan gets a call about Santiago, and reports that he needs a living donor.

 

Dr. Marina Blaize (Lisa Edelstein) calls Glassman in and the boy tells him to keep the yo-yo. Glassman shows Blaize some yo-yo tricks, insisting that it will help with his recovery. Blaize tells him that the new radiation will target everything they need to get rid of, adding there are some other things she’d like to get rid of as well. Kay calls Dash a loving husband, and asks Claire to go out with him after she passes away. Claire laughs at the idea, but Kay insists they would be great for each other and that Dash will need something to live for after she’s gone. As they monitor Kay’s scan, Alex teases Claire about Kay’s request.

 

Morgan informs Santiago’s brother, Armando Benitez (Gonzalo Menendez), that his kidney is a perfect match for Santiago. Shaun lists the potential risks of doing the transplant as he hands Armando the consent forms, and Armando agrees to do it on one condition. Santiago tells Armando that he’s not selling the business, and Armando tells him that he needs his portion of the business for investment opportunities. Armando attempts to convince Santiago, but he insists he likes the business. Armando reminds him that he needs a kidney, but Santiago refuses to sell.

 

Claire reports to Dash that the scan went well, and asks if he has any questions. Dash asks if Kay brought up the idea of them getting together, explaining that he told her not to do that. They agree the idea is insane, but Claire doubts that Kay will give up on it so easily.

 

Morgan is upset that Armando is exploiting Santiago’s situation, but Shaun replies that he’s allowed to do it. She is surprised that he doesn’t think organ donation should be an altruistic act, but Shaun comments that nobody chooses to do it out of altruism. Lim questions if Morgan has ever took an opportunity to get ahead at another’s expense, and Morgan replies that her competing against everyone isn’t the same. Lim tells them that she needs Armando’s kidney and tells them to find a way to get him to agree.

 

Kay asks Claire if she’s considered her proposal, and Claire replies that she’s more focused on surgery than seducing her husband. Kay comments that she’s been running away from romance all her life, but Claire argues that she doesn’t have the time. However, Kay continues to insist that Claire date Dash and promises to drop the subject if she goes on one date with him.

 

Morgan tells Armando it’s against the law to barter organs while Shaun points out that both he and Santiago get money from selling the business. She argues that he should do it out of love for his brother, but Armando argues that Santiago should sell the business out of love for him. Armando insists that everything in life is transactional, and that he has leverage to convince Santiago. Shaun is confused about the concept of leverage, and Armando is confident in his negotiation skills.

 

On their date, Dash asks Claire how long they have to be there for. After some discussion,they eat in awkward silence but they soon start reminiscing over old memories. Shaun tells Santiago that he should sell the business, arguing that it’s a good deal. However, Santiago insists that the business is their father’s legacy and that he’d rather die than let him down. Shaun and Morgan determine that the graft is failing and rush to help him.

 

Lim declares that Santiago has less time than they thought, and Shaun comments that he should accept Armando’s offer. She tells him he’s negotiating with the wrong brother, and that they need to figure something out soon. Morgan suggests a live donor drive, believing that the sight of selfless family members will help convince Armando to do the right thing.

 

Shaun comes home to find Hubert dead and Lea upset. He tells her they can get another fish, but Lea tells him no. Shaun asks if she’s sad, and Lea confesses that she is the problem She tells him that she went to Hershey to help her brothers, but the business and their relationship fell apart. Lea questions how she can get her life together if she can’t keep a fish alive, and Shaun takes the fishbowl away.

 

Kay promises Dash she’ll make it through the surgery, and he kisses her goodbye. Claire tells her it’s okay to be afraid, and Kay asks about her date with Dash. Kay asks her to promise she’ll give him a shot, but Claire tells her that she can’t put that on her. Kay asks her to trust her judgment, but Claire calls her out for pressuring her. Kay replies that Claire doesn’t know what’s best for her, and Claire calls her out for being a control freak but regrets it as Kay is rolled into surgery.

 

Armando sees the donor drive and Morgan pointedly tells him that he’ll look like an asshole whether they find another donor or not. Armando insists Santiago won’t die for a company, and Shaun tells him about what he said about his father’s legacy. Armando tells him that nothing was ever good enough for their father, and that he told him on his deathbed that he wasn’t proud of Santiago following in his footsteps. Shaun suggests he tell him that, but Santiago accuses him of saying anything to get what he wants and orders Armando to leave.

 

Later, Armando tells Shaun to give him the consent forms and signs them. Shaun tells him that his father thought he wasn’t worth the trouble, but he knew he was because of the love of his brother. Shaun brings Armando’s kidney to Santiago’s operating room and Lim leads the transplant. Nurse Dalisay Villanueva (Elfina Luk) reports that Shaun’s requested test results were positive, but Shaun explains that it’s not for this patient and that it’s too late to help the other patient.

 

Glassman goes in for his radiation chemo and plays with his yo-yo afterwards in the locker room. He realizes his wallet is missing and reports it to Blaize. She pulls his wallet out of a box on her desk, telling him that he gave it to her before his session. Claire tells Dash that Kay’s surgery is going well so far, and hands him food, telling him that Kay would want him to eat. He admits that waiting is hard and that Kay has been through so much and that he wishes he could help her. Claire gets notification that she’s needed back in the operating room, and Melendez tells her that Kay has a pulmonary collapse.

 

Melendez orders Alex to stop the chemo, but Claire suggests that the chemo isn’t the issue. She makes a suggestion, and Melendez agrees to do it. Shaun wheels Armando in and he asks how Santiago is doing. Morgan tells him he’s improving and Santiago thanks him for the kidney. Armando tells him not to ask for another one without a check and Santiago calls him a jerk as Shaun wheels him away. Claire checks on Kay and apologizes for earlier. Kay admits she is a little manipulative, but Claire tells her she was wrong. She assesses that Kay tries to control things as a way to not focus on her own problems. Claire reminds her that she’s dying, but assures her that she’s not alone.

 

Claire thanks Melendez for everything he did, and tells him that she meant everything she said about his abilities as a surgeon, calling him the most gifted surgeon she’s worked with. Melendez tells her she did well, and Claire promises to report back to Lim tomorrow if that’s what he wants. He tells her it’s for the best, and Lea protests as Shaun takes her back to the pet store. Shaun tells the pet store clerk that they need a replacement fish, but he replies that they’re responsible for the fish once it leaves the store. Shaun shows the clerk the test results he ran at the hospital that prove that Hubert died of a common pet store parasite, and declares he has no leverage. The clerk tells them to pck a fish, and Shaun assures Lea that she didn’t kill Hubert as he was already defective. Lea thanks him, but tells him that a fish won’t solve her problems. They look at the fish, and decide on a new one.