The Good Doctor Review: Breakdown (Season 2 Episode 17)

Freddie Highmore’s Emmy feels that much closer to his hands thanks to his best performance yet as Shaun Murphy on The Good Doctor Season 2 Episode 17, “Breakdown.”  

Fans of the ABC hit could see his walls coming down from a mile away, basically since his flailing on the floor at the end of the winter season finale. Newbie Han, and Shaun’s reassignment into pathology, is merely the tipping point.

But it culminates in a demand bordering on temper tantrum: Shaun wants to be reinstated as a surgical resident and that’s it. Period.

Shouting “I am a surgeon” repeatedly, of course, won’t magically make that happen, especially when you’re shouting it at the stoic, no-nonsense Dr. Han (Daniel Dae Kim, whose production company is behind the series, which is based on a 2013 South Korean series of the same name).

There’s a nerve-racking, white-knuckling 15 minutes or so in this episode — and that’s meant in the best possible way — where Shaun goes from teary-eyed to so upset that he struggles with opening his locker and ultimately spills the entirety of his backpack’s contents all over the floor. His toy scalpel taunts him from the floor, and said “Breakdown” goes into overdrive.

After all, a backpack emptied out entirely on a floor is the type of thing that could easily take Shaun a half hour to rectify, each object picked up in a certain order, deemed either clean or in need of cleaning, and so on.

Cue Claire. She’s always on hand for such crises. But she can only do — say — much this time. His frustration — no, make that exasperation — is palpable, as much as it is understandable.

Melendez deemed Shaun’s expertise necessary in surgery prior to his Han confrontation, retrieving him from pathology despite Han’s protesting. Melendez, feet as firmly on the ground as Han’s, simply states that it is what is best for his patient. Shaun offers a last-minute, life-saving consult, only to watch the actual surgery from the bleachers.

Thus, the Han confrontation is inevitable. Han, too, has created an indelible character, and in a significantly shorter amount of time. He simply sees proof that he’s right about Shaun, as he shouts that he’s a surgeon repeatedly, hoisting his badge into Han’s face while doing so.

He calls him immature, adding: “You’re proving that you can’t communicate and can’t control your emotions,” But you do have a talent that I value.”

Unfortunately, that’s not enough for our determined, gifted, good doctor. “Breakdown” ends with Shaun having gathered up all his belongings and exiting St. Bonaventure. Standing out in the rain, we’re left to wonder if he’ll embark on some new adventure, Han will change his mind, or maybe even Shaun will, accepting his new role in pathology and coming to see the good he can do there.

The Good Doctor manages to make almost every episode feel like a season finale, but it’s Highmore’s performance as the titular character that somehow actually manages to get better with each episode. This one in particular.

Dr. Han: You’re proving that you can’t communicate and can’t control your emotions.

What did you think of this episode of The Good Doctor? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Good Doctor airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC.

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