The Good Doctor – Islands, Part One

By starrymag | January 14, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) knocks on Lea’s (Paige Spara) door looking for Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore). She denies knowing where he is, but Glassman bursts in calling out for Shaun and telling him he just wants to talk. Lea is upset about the intrusion and threatens to call the cops as Glassman searches her apartment. Unable to find Shaun, Glassman explains to Lea that Shaun won’t get a second chance at his job and gives her his card if she talks to him. After he leaves, Lea pulls out the trundle bed where Shaun is hiding. She asks what his plan is, and he admits he doesn’t know.

 

Lea complains about Glassman, and Shaun admits that San Jose is too big for him and that he doesn’t want to see a therapist. He declares that he should go back to Casper, but Lea advises him not to make important decisions when he is upset. She suggests taking a vacation, and advises that he call in sick. Shaun responds that he isn’t sick, and she tells him that he doesn’t have to be. Lea suggests that they go on a road trip to clear his head and hands him his phone to call the hospital.

 

Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) gives Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) his patient, two conjoined twins that are going to be separated in six months and need a kidney transplant. Melendez asks about Shaun’s whereabouts, and tells Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas) to talk to Andrews when she tries to talk to him about Dr. Jared Kalu’s (Chuku Modu) firing. Glassman asks them if they’ve seen Shaun, and lies that Shaun is out due to a family emergency.

 

Shaun is unable to make the phone call calling in sick, and lies to Lea that he made the call. She tells him to pack more items, and Shaun asks where they’re going. She replies that they’ll go wherever the car takes them, and Shaun tells her that he doesn’t like beaches. Melendez explains the procedure to the twins, Jenny and Katie Kunkler (Emily and Elizabeth Hinkler) and their mother as Claire marks their arms to tell the two apart.

 

Shaun meets Lea in the parking garage, but she tells him that they’re taking her second car instead. He asks what she does for a living, and she assesses that he wants to know how she can afford two cars. She reveals the vintage car, and explains that she inherited it from her late grandfather. He is excited about the car and they begin their trip. Andrews confronts Glassman about Shaun taking personal time off without getting clearance, warning Glassman that his job is at risk and that he can’t protect Shaun forever. The pressure starts dropping during the twins’ kidney transplant, and Melendez and Claire work to save them.

 

As they drive, Lea and Shaun talk about their likes and dislikes. Lea suggests they play some music, and Shaun declares that he doesn’t like music. She is in disbelief, and tells him that she remembers events in her life by the music that was playing at the time. He responds that he does the same with smells and explains that it smelled like burnt food when his brother died. She asks him about it and he tells her the story. She asks him what he is smelling at the moment, and he replies that it smells like pine trees. Lea turns on the radio, and flips through the station and chooses a song that will represent the moment.

 

Melendez and Claire talk to the twins and their mother about the surgery and confirm that they are still on track for the separation surgery in six months.  Jared approaches Dr. Matt Coyle (Eric Winter) and explains he attacked him due to his harrassment of Claire and asks for his help with getting reinstated. However, Coyle refuses to help him. Claire finds that Jenny’s heart is failing and calls for Melendez. Andrews, Claire, and Melendez discuss what to do about the twins, and Claire suggests moving up the separation surgery. Andrews believes it’s too risky, but Melendez argues that it might be their only choice.

 

Shaun sees that he has a voicemail from Glassman, and Lea asks him to turn his phone off. She makes a deal that she’ll let him drive the car if he turns his phone off for the rest of the trip. He points out that he doesn’t have a license, and that Glassman wouldn’t let him learn. After some convincing, Shaun agrees to the deal and gets behind the wheel. Lea instructs him as he drives around the parking lot, and compliments his abilities. She tells him to drive out of the parking lot, but he is nervous about getting on the road. He admits he’s nervous about hitting someone, but she assures him that she’ll be guiding him.

 

Andrews explains their decision to move up the separation surgery to the twins. The twins ask their mother for advice, but she tells them that it’s their decision. Both of them agree to go through with it. Shaun declares that he wants a car, and Lea tells him that he’s a better driver in a half hour of driving than other people she knows. She tells him to stop the car and teaches him how to burn rubber. He is hesitant at first, but soon begins to enjoy it. Lea tells him to stop, and the car starts moving. Shaun swerves off the road, but stops the car before they hit a pole.

 

Andrews, Melendez, and Claire consult with another surgeon as they discuss the plan for the separation surgery. Shaun freaks out, believing that he hit something, and Lea tries to calm him down as they step out of the car. Lea takes responsibility for the accident, and Shaun declares that Glassman was right about him not driving. Lea sees that Shaun hit a rock, and Katie tells Claire that she changed her mind about the separation sugery.

 

The surgeons and Jessica Preston (Beau Garrett) debate what to do about Katie’s change of heart. Melendez argues that not doing the surgery might kill one or both of the twins while Jessica is worried about a potential lawsuit. Melendez suggests that Claire should be the one to talk to Katie about duing the surgery, as she is the best communicator in the room.

 

At a bar, Lea assures Shaun that the car will be okay, and orders shots of tequila for them. Shaun insists that he’s not thirsty, and Lea explains that people don’t drink tequila because they’re thirsty. She realizes that he’s never had a drink before, and Shaun asks her what her job is. Lea explains that she is an automotive engineer that works for a startup company that she hates because she’d rather build things than talk about building things. She urges Shaun to try the tequila, and is surprised that he enjoys it without any negative reaction. He immediately asks for another one.

 

As they go over the surgery, Melendez asks Claire if she wants kids. He explains that Jessica told him that she didn’t want kids, and comments that she would be an amazing mother. Claire tells him that it’s good that she realizes that she doesn’t want kids now before it’s too late to back out of it. He admits that he wants a life with her and with kids, and Claire tells him that finding someone to spend the rest of his life with is an accomplishment in itself. Meanwhile, Shaun and Lea drunkenly sing karaoke together at the bar. Melendez visits Jessica in her office, and expresses his love for her. He tells her that he will volunteer with foster kids and coach little league so that he can be with her and still be a father figure.

 

Shaun and Lea drunkenly walk about to their motel room and Lea recounts the day’s experiences. She tells him that she has one more thing to teach him: the proper way to end a date. Lea tells him to tell her that he hopes she had a good time, and he repeats the words. She compliments him and tells him to tell her that he hopes they can do it again sometime and he repeats the words. She tells him to open the door for her and explains that if a woman hangs around, it means she wants a kiss. Lea tells him to kiss her and he does. Shaun enjoys the kiss, but runs inside and vomits before they can kiss again.

 

The next morning, Katie expresses her concerns about the surgery and Claire tells her about her rough childhood in a trailer with an abusive mother. She explains that despite that, making the decision to leave was extremely difficult. Jenny asks if she’s supposed to be the trailer or the mother in this story, but Claire clarifies that they have the potential to be so much more as separated twins. Claire goes to the other surgeons and informs them that she convinced Katie to go through with the surgery.

 

Lea wakes up and finds Shaun’s bed empty, but finds him pacing in the motel parking lot. He admits that he feels disgusting, and she explains that he’s hungover. Shaun expresses concern that she won’t want to kiss him again, but she tells him that she brushed her teeth because she wanted to do it again. She asks him why he’s so hard on himself, and urges him to shake off his past bullying. Claire approaches Coyle and threatens to get his other harrassment victims to help build a case against him if he doesn’t advocate for Jared’s reinstatement.

 

As Andrews leads the separation surgery, Shaun turns on his phone and listens to Glassman’s voicemail. Glassman warns him that his absence is creating problems with Andrews and to call him back before it’s too late. The twins’ mother listens to a playlist Katie created for her as the team finishes the separation surgery. Shaun thanks Lea for taking him on the road trip, and that he’s ready to talk to Glassman. Lea tells him that she’s decided to refuse her boss’ promotion, quit her job, and go back to rebuilding old cars. She tells him that she is moving to Hershey, PA to work in the auto shop that her brother inherited. Shaun is stunned as she talks about her decision and leaves the restaurant when she asks him to say something.

 

Jared gets a call from Andrews, who tells him about Coyle’s attempt to get him reinstated. However, Andrews tells Jared that he can’t reinstate him, as physical assault is a line that he believes nobody can cross. Jared says he understands and Andrews wishes him luck. The twins’ mother asks Melendez when the twins will wake up, and he admits that they should have already. Lea is unable to find Shaun in the motel room, and Shaun listens to music as he waits at the bus stop.