There are some big personal stories coming for Dr. Claire Browne once The Good Doctor season 4 arrives on ABC. The character has gone through a lot in the previous installment; she lost her mother, as well as Dr. Neil Melendez, right when they're professing their love for each other.
The Good Doctor season 4 may start will Claire still mourning because of everything that happened. She's dealing with a lot of things in the season 3 finale and may continue moving forward. She lost two important persons in her life, so she may not be in a good state once the series returns.
As for Claire's future beyond that, everything still depends on the story and whether or not there'll be a time jump. As per CarterMatt, a potential new relationship for her in The Good Doctor season 4 may not be right -- just yet. Instead, she needs to focus on herself, as well as her own healing.
In addition, she needs to focus on her friendships, and be there for Shaun and Morgan. It's also nice to see her medical accomplishments and what the future holds for her and her career. Perhaps, she may help some new doctors arriving at the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.
The Good Doctor season 4 may also bring new challenges for Claire that she hasn't faced before. She may experience something new and do things she hasn't previously done. And because of what happened to her in the third season, she probably changed in a significant way.
Meanwhile, since Dr. Melendez is now out of the picture, some speculated there could be new additions in The Good Doctor season 4. While nothing is certain at the moment, there's a chance the series may add new faces along the way to stir things up.
Aside from Dr. Melendez's official departure in the season 3 finale, it looks like Jasika Nicole isn't returning full time in the next installment. This further fuelled the speculations of new characters are, indeed, joining the upcoming installment.
If ever a new character indeed arrives, he or she may not probably be a direct replacement of Dr. Melendez. Instead, this person could be a new member of the staff; someone who brings a new attitude and spirit to the hospital and may shake up the story further.
As for the release date of The Good Doctor season 4, CarterMatt noted that the new installment may arrive in fall 2020 on ABC. But, nothing is certain at the moment and there could be a delay because of the current global health crisis.
