Disaster

## Episode Chronology

**"Disaster"** is the first episode of Season 3 of *The Good Doctor*. It is the thirty-seventh episode overall, and aired on September 23, 2019.

## Synopsis

Following what he believes was a disastrous first date with Carly, Dr. Shaun Murphy proposes a radical surgery to save a newlywed woman’s life. Meanwhile, after the new chief of surgery, Dr. Audrey Lim, announces that the residents can lead surgeries, Dr. Morgan Reznick and Dr. Alex Park compete for the chance to operate on an elderly patient who has been diagnosed with cancer.

## Plot

Shaun and Carly finally go on their long awaited date. Carly is smiling and Shaun asks her why she is smiling. Later, Shaun looks at an index card that has a list of possible topics to talk about which include: movies and tv shows, the weather and sports. But below that list, there’s also a section that says to not talk about religion, politics, abortion or other laws.

Shaun settled on talking about movies, but when the food arrives, his order had pickles. He gets angry and repeatedly says how he asked for no pickles.

In the present, Shaun is recounting his date at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital, where Melendez, Claire, Morgan and Alex are also present as Shaun tells them the date was a disaster.

Dr. Lim comes in shortly after and is told by Alex that Shaun went on date, she seems proud, but asks them why they aren’t working.

Morgan congratulates her, and says that Lim is the first female Chief of Surgery. Eventually everyone goes to do their job, but Lim stops Melendez, saying how they need to go to HR and "break up".

Later, a white limo pulls up to the hospital, and a groom comes out asking for someone to help his wife, whose wedding dress is covered in blood.

At the HR office, the person in charge of their case is there, and she writes down Lim and Melendez's explanation for their break up but says she doesn't believe it. She thinks they have just gone back to dating in secret. But explains that ultimately, she doesn't really care or want to find out. But does warn them that love doesn’t conquer all, and that things will only get more complicated with Lim's promotion.

At a staff meeting, one of the nurses there tells Dr. Lim that Dr. Andrews and Dr. Glassman never authorized overtime, so this is a new experience for them.

Dr. Lim also says how traditionally you don't get to lead surgeries until your fourth year, but that this will be changing, as she believes the earlier you get in there and take responsibility, the more chances you have to learn.

Allegra Aoki comes to visit Glassman who is sitting outside his backyard reading a book. She tells him that she has a vacancy at the hospital, but this time as President. She tells him to think about it and jokingly tells him to put on sunscreen.

Afterwards, Claire is trying to find out from Shaun what went wrong on his date with Carly, when its interrupted by Claire's phone ringing. Shaun says her mother has been calling a lot. Eventually, Shaun asks her if she's looking for some guidance for him. Claire remains quiet. He proceeds to ask her if she sees him as a role model. She nods and says that on some issues, absolutely.

Shaun confesses that he doesn't usually think about the past because he says it doesn't help.

Back to Carly and Shaun's date, Carly is telling Shaun how she took a gap year before college, which in hindsight, she realizes might have been a mistake.

In the present, Dr. Lim is told by one of the nurses that overtime isn’t an issue of the hospital, but rather being understaffed is. The nurse goes onto say that they need two more nurses on the main floor alone, and one in ICU. Dr. Lim interrupts her and apologizes, as she says they don’t have the budget to hire those extra sets of hands.

Frustrated and overwhelmed, Dr. Lim goes to see Dr. Andrews at his home to asks him how he said no to a person, because she thinks she isn’t doing correctly. He shows her how by closing the door in her face. She decides to walk away, and Dr. Andrews comes out asking her that if she gives up that easily, then she might as well quit her new job now.

They go inside Andrews' place, and Andrews tells Lim that the problem isn't how she said no, but rather how she said yes instead. He continues to tell her how its her job now to figure out what you can give them, convinced that is what they need, and make them feel like they owe you.

Lim successfully pulls this off by convincing the nurse that they don't need more technology, but that they need better technology instead. The nurse thanks Lim for listening to her.

Morgan pulls Ruby aside and tells her that she suggests not following through with treatment, as her husband with dementia would suffer. Ruby grieves.

"When memory goes, all that's left is emotion." —Ruby
Lim goes back and offers Andrew a job. At first he refuses, but Lim says that it would be the best for his job and not to be stubborn. Andrews for his part ends up coming back to St. Bonaventure as an attending now.

Morgan watches Ruby lie to her husband for the first time, saying that nothing is wrong and that Harvey is fine. They are going to go home the next day.

When Shaun finally finishes telling everyone about his date with Carly, he says that the date was exhausting because anything could go wrong and too many things were out of his control. He explains how it was hard, uncomfortable and unpleasant, because he spent the whole evening doing unnatural things. Shaun almost breaks down crying, saying that he didn't like the date because he had to act so unnatural to make her happy, only to not know if she was happy.

Claire tries to tell him that this is expected because love is hard, but that it's worth it. Shaun looks back at the patient and her boyfriend, and determines that it's not worth it. Claire finally answers her mother's call. Alex picks up his son from the airport. Morgan watches Ruby and Harvey leaving the hospital. Morgan gets the resolve she needed to go and see her grandpa.

Shaun at first makes his way to Pathology to talk with Carly, but changes his mind at the last second turns away, going back the way he initially came from. However, Carly ends up seeing Shaun walk away when the latter turns his back to her.

## Cast

* Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez
* Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne
* Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick
* Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park
* Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim
* Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo
* Jasika Nicole as Dr. Carly Lever
* Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews
* Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman
* Karin Konoval as Nurse Deena Petringa
* Jenny O'Hara as Ruby
* Jill Morrison as Jenny Waring
* John Innes as Harvey
* Sophia Lauchlin Hirt as Suzanne Martin
* Aren Buchholz as Alex Martin

Co-Starring* Soppo Gomez as Marco Higgins
* Armin Karame as Waiter

## Trivia

* This is Tamlyn Tomita's (Allegra Aoki) first episode as guest cast since the pilot episode, "Burnt Food". It is also her final appearance and only appearance in Season 3.

## Multimedia

### Videos

The Good Doctor 3x01 Sneak Peek "Disaster" (HD)The Good Doctor 3x01 Sneak Peek 2 "Disaster" (HD)The Good Doctor 3x01 Sneak Peek 3 "Disaster" (HD)
## References

1. ↑ "Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Monday 23rd September 2019" - SpoilerTV
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 https://www.wdtvpress.com/abc/shows/thegooddoctor/episodes/disaster/
3. ↑ https://www.spoilertv.com/2019/09/upcoming-season-premiere-titles.html