The Good Doctor – Smile

By starrymag | March 25, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) opens his door to find a bottle of milk from Kenny (Chris D’Elia). At the hospital, Gretchen (Olivia Steele Falconer) makes a joke about her father, Russ Milman (Patrick Sabongui), which falls flat due to a lack of facial expression. Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) assures them that she will be able to laugh soon enough and Alex Park (Will Yun Lee) explains the surgery to them. Gretchen says she’s excited for the surgery, while Shaun comments that people getting her jokes must be important to her if she’s willing to undergo risky surgery for it.

 

Andrews apologizes for Shaun, but Shaun argues that they’re supposed to have an honest risk-benefit discussion with the patients. Russ explains that Gretchen can’t express any emotions, and that it’s affected her social life. Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas), Dr. Morgan Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann), and Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) examine Lucy (Jenny Steadman), who reveals that she never filled her prescriptions. She apologizes and Morgan says it was stupid not to. Shaun tries to avoid Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) in the café, but is spotted. Glassman tries to talk to him, but Shaun reminds him that he didn’t want to be friends. However, Glassman reminds him that they’re still colleagues and can talk to each other. Shaun tells him that he has a new friend, and asks if Glassman has one as well. Glassman admits that he doesn’t, but Shaun notices that the cashier, Debbi (Sheila Kelley), was flirting with Glassman and states that he likes her too.

 

Gretchen mentions to Shaun that his previous comment was due to being on the spectrum. Shaun tells her that people get his jokes, but then admits that he was joking. She talks about her struggles with making friends, and Shaun says that he prefers people not reading his emotions, as they are his. She asks if he really thinks the surgery is too risky, and Shaun lists the risks, adding that it’s expensive and medically unnecessary. Morgan complains about treating a patient that doesn’t bother to fill her prescription, but Claire defends her. They find that Lucy is gone when they check on her.  Andrews tells Gretchen that her surgery is booked for tomorrow, but Gretchen tells them that she’s not having the surgery.

 

Andrews asks to speak to Shaun privately, and tells him that Russ is upset about him talking Gretchen out of the surgery. Shaun insists that he just informed her of the risks, but Andrews cuts him off and accuses him of not understanding the importance of restoring Gretchen’s smile. Shaun argues that smiles are overrated, and Andrews explains that smiles are contagious and make people happy. He smiles at him, but Shaun argues that his smile isn’t genuine. Dr. Jared Kalu (Chuku Modu) finds Celez (Kandyse McClure) waiting for him. She tells him that she’s been wearing the tilapia skins to treat her burn for five months, and that she wants the skins removed. He asks about her progress, and tells her they can remove the skins tomorrow. She admits that she’s afraid of how she will look, but he assures her she’ll look beautiful.

 

Andrews and Park try to convince Gretchen to go through with the surgery, telling her she shouldn’t worry about the potential risks. Gretchen tells him that Shaun didn’t talk her out of it, but inspired her to be stronger. Outside, Park insists that Gretchen is lying. He explains from his police work that people change their mind about testifying for three reasons: fear, confusion, or being paid off. He determines that Gretchen doesn’t seem afraid or confused, and Shaun states that she must have been paid off. Park admits the analogy isn’t perfect, but Andrews gets an idea.

 

Claire tells Morgan that Lucy filled her prescription, and Morgan accuses Claire of doing it for her, asking if it’s a mom thing. Andrews asks Gretchen if she’s worried about the cost of the surgery, and she admits that it is. Andrews tells her that nobody can put a value on her smile, and that the surgery is medically necessary in his opinion. Russ tells Gretchen that he fell in love with her mother’s smile first, and assures her that money isn’t an issue. Gretchen tells him that she loves him and can’t let him give up everything for this. Claire and Morgan call out for Lucy in the waiting room, and the real Lucy (Julie Pearl) stands up.

 

Morgan explains to the real Lucy that she’s been a victim of identity theft, and she asks if it’s why the pharmacy won’t refill her pain medication. After confirming it’s the reason, Morgan promises they’ll get her medication refilled. Andrews visits Jim (Tom Butler) at the racquetball court and tries to convince him to have his insurance company pay for Gretchen’s surgery. Jim insists that the surgery isn’t necessary, but Andrews tries to convince him that giving her a smile is necessary. Jim argues that they can’t pay for everything, but Andrews points out that people create diagnoses to get around the system all the time. Andrews asks if he’d rather cover Gretchen’s potential suicide from social isolation, and threatens to get the conversation on permanent record.

 

Shaun enters Glassman’s office and smiles at him before explaining that he’s testing Andrews’ statement that smiles are contagious. Glassman argues that he won’t get results because his smile isn’t genuine. Shaun tells him he wants to show him something, and has Glassman follow him. Melendez tells Claire and Morgan that sorting out the issues of the real and fake Lucy could take months. Morgan tells him that they have to treat the real Lucy, but Melendez tells her to be clever about it. Shaun takes Glassman to the cafeteria and forces him and Debbi to talk, insisting that they were flirting and are both Jewish.

 

Andrews tells Gretchen that the insurance company has agreed to pay $43,750 for the surgery, and Gretchen agrees to the surgery after Russ promises he can cover the rest. Morgan gives the real Lucy a prescription for Jane Doe, explaining that it’s the only way they can treat her for now. Claire and Morgan get notification that the fake Lucy is arriving in an ambulance, and find that she is going into septic shock when they examine her. They go to Glassman, and Claire argues they should treat the fake Lucy while Morgan argues they should report her. Glassman tells them they have a duty to treat patients, and to get paid before stating that he doesn’t want the hospital to be sued by either woman. He tells them to treat the fake Lucy, but to press charges after the treatment is done.

 

Andrews, Park, and Shaun operate on Gretchen, and Jared prepares to remove the tilapia skins from Celez. She asks him to tell her something painful through the process, and he tells her an embarrassing story. She tells him to dig deeper, and he tells her about how he ruined a good situation. Claire talks to the fake Lucy, who realizes that she knows the truth. After Claire asks for an emergency contact, the fake Lucy admits that she had to choose between paying for her treatment and paying her son’s college tuition. Claire tells her that her son is lucky, and fake Lucy tells her that she didn’t get any medication. As Jared removes the tilapia skins, Celez suggests her move on. Jared tells her he had a job interview in Denver and finishes the procedure. He holds up a mirror and tells her that she’s beautiful.

 

Morgan is convinced that the fake Lucy is using a made-up sob story, but Claire reminds her that she’s dying. Claire does some research and realizes that the real Lucy was denied medication because she’s a pain medication addict. Shaun checks on Gretchen, and insists that she should be breathing on her own by now. He unplugs her, and realizes that something is wrong when nothing happens. Shaun talks to Andrews and Park about why Gretchen isn’t breathing independently, and asks Andrews if he feels bad for downplaying the risks of the surgery.

 

Claire tells Melendez that the fake Lucy’s organs are failing. He gives them instructions, clarifying that he knows that the payment is coming out of the hospital’s pocket. Glassman and Debbi struggle to talk to each other about Jewish traditions, before Glassman admits that he’s only half Jewish and she admits that she’s not Jewish at all. As they end the conversation, two cars have a fender bender in the parking lot and they realize that they have a love of classic cars in common as they talk about the cars involved. Debbi asks if she can get him another coffee as they continue their conversation.

 

Shaun tests his smile hypothesis on Jared, who calls it unsettling. Jared explains that he researching transference of the doctor-patient kind, as he has no person to talk to about his problem. Shaun tells him that he’s a person, and Jared admits that he thinks Celez has feelings for him that he returns and doesn’t know what to do with since he’s only used to unrequited love. Shaun advises him to call in sick, as it worked for him. Andrews tells Russ that they believe Gretchen is brain dead, and Russ tells Shaun that he should have listened to him as he breaks down.

 

Park walks away, and Andrews criticizes him for walking away. He explains his theory that Gretchen might still be under anesthesia. Andrews isn’t convinced, but tells Park to test his theory. Claire tells fake Lucy that her organs are shutting down and asks her to write her real name down to call her in her last moments. The fake Lucy writes her name down and Claire calls her Beatrice. Russ wakes up to find Park and Shaun working on Gretchen. She wakes up and Park tells him they were wrong. Russ embraces Park, but Shaun pulls away when he attempts to embrace him. Real Lucy asks for more pain meds, but Morgan calls her out for being an addict and offers her help.

 

Gretchen wakes up and Park explains that the attached transmitters will give her a preview of what her smile will look like once she recovers. Shaun activates it and Gretchen smiles for the first time. Shaun comments that her smile isn’t real, and Gretchen starts laughing. Shaun sees everyone else smiling at each other and declares that everyone else’s is genuine. Allegra Aoki (Tamlyn Tomita) tells Andrews that Jim made it clear that they owe him for agreeing to pay for Gretchen’s surgery, and compliments him for acting presidential. However, Andrews is still shaken by almost losing Gretchen.

 

Jared tells Celez that Shaun will be taking over her treatment, explaining that doctors can’t date their patients before asking her out. She comments that his situation there is still good, and Claire declares that the upside to the imposter situation is that the real Lucy is now getting the treatment she needs in rehab. Claire compliments Morgan’s help, but Morgan downplays it. Claire lists her family background, but Morgan insists being privileged gives her zero respect. Beatrice flat lines, and Claire declares the time of death. Morgan fights back tears as she leaves, and Jared gets a job offer from the Denver hospital.

 

Shaun brings Kenny pizza, but Kenny has friends over and they’re watching March Madness on Shaun’s TV that he borrowed. Kenny refuses to let him join them, explaining that he’s too weird for his friends before taking the pizza and shutting the door in his face. Glassman and Debbi go on a dinner date, but Glassman struggles with speaking as he asks the waitress (Monice Peter) for the check. After a couple of attempts, Debbi realizes that something is wrong and asks the waitress to call the hospital.