WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for The Good Doctor season 3 fall finale. Read at your own risk.
The Good Doctor season 3 fall finale aired on Monday night on ABC, and it featured the heartbreaking death of Dr. Shaun Murphy's father, Ethan. Here's what happened in the recently-released episode, titled "Friends and Family."
In The Good Doctor season 3 fall finale, Shaun faced his parents after years of being away with them. He traveled to his hometown, along with Dr. Glassman and Lea, to visit his sick father. The emotional episode saw the character reuniting with his estranged father, forgiving him for his past actions.
However, what seemed to be an emotional reunion turned into something bitter after his father blamed him for Steve's death. Ethan called Shaun weak, and after being there, his father then died. He also reunited with his mother, Marcie. She didn't defend her decision to stand by her abusive and didn't explain she chose to be that way.
At the end of The Good Doctor season 3 fall finale, Shaun found out his father died just right after their conversation. He started to break down in the closing seconds, but Lea came in and comforted him. A scene then showed the two lying on a bed together, with Lea embracing her distraught friend.
As for what else happened in The Good Doctor season 3 fall finale, a difficult case prompted Claire to finally address her mental health after her mother's death. She finally decided to make an appointment with a therapist. She will start dealing with her choices, as well as emotions after a sudden loss.
Meanwhile, after the episode aired, showrunner David Shore said they have been planning to reunite Shaun with his parents ever since the series started. In a report from TVLine, he said they didn't want Shaun's father to be a monster as they wanted him to portray a "real human being who was in way over his head."
He added that it doesn't mean they sympathize with him, especially since he has done a lot of bad things and made a lot of mistakes with Shaun. However, Shore explained Ethan is still a human being, and they want him to be a person who may regret the things he has done in the past. He said that it's more realistic and more challenging for Shaun to deal with.
Shore also teased that the show will further explore Shaun's relationship with his mother in the future. Moreover, fans speculated Shaun and Lea's friendship would turn into something romantic, and Shore just hinted the bond of these two would be explored in future episodes.
The Good Doctor season 3 will return on Monday, Jan. 13, on ABC.
