With The Good Doctor, Freddie Highmore has won over fans with his empathetic portrayal of the mild-mannered doctor Shaun Murphy who uses his skills and good nature to adjust to life in a California hospital. As the autistic surgeon also has savant syndrome and moves from Wyoming, the show further addresses issues such as intellectual disability and culture shock.
With the sixth season having debuted this month, The Good Doctor proves yet again that it is an excellent companion show to other medical dramas such as New Amsterdam and Good Sam, Additionally, shows with likable protagonists like Ted Lasso and Atypical would also impress viewers of the ABC series.
House (2004–12)
Stream On Prime Video
Hugh Laurie’s magnum opus finds him essaying the role of a gifted yet hot-headed doctor who often spends his time in substance abuse or fighting his medical peers. His unconventional methods bear testimony to his medical brilliance as well as unpredictable nature.
While The Good Doctor‘s Dr. Shaun Murphy is always willing to learn and make others learn, House‘s titular antihero is too egoistic to listen to anyone. This contrast in personality in the operation theater would excite fans of The Good Doctor if they are looking for some of the best medical TV dramas with a twist.
As We See It (2022–present)
Stream On Prime Video
A remake of the Israeli sitcom
On The Spectrum, As We See It
deals with the everyday misadventures of three flatmates, each of whom is on the autistic spectrum. Instead of relying on sob stories to evoke pity, the show’s protagonists are depicted in a humanized manner as self-dependent individuals who just deal with struggles with adulthood in their own ways.
Given that
The Good Doctor
too touches upon the life of an autistic savant through its lead character,
As We See It
would provide a lighter and more feel-good alternative in the same context.
Good Sam (2022–present)
Stream On Vudu
Dr. Sam Griffith and her moody boss Dr. Rob Griffith not only share a strained personal relationship but also a personal one given that Rob happens to be Sam’s father.
Shows like Good Sam turn out
to be interesting case studies on how tense such “personal vs professional” situations can be with the conflict of interest that is bound to ensue.
When it comes to
The Good Doctor
, the show similarly has its fair share of moments when the lead character’s professional responsibilities conflict with his personal beliefs. Given that
Good Sam
just debuted this year, it can be a good companion watch in case the audiences need a quick season to binge on.
Good Doctor (2013)
Stream On Kocowa
The show that inspired
The Good Docto
r is a one-season-long South Korean drama from 2013. Having the same thematic and narrative elements, the Korean
Good Doctor
deals with the mental and emotional tussles of a genius autistic savant who struggles to fit in with his peers in society.
While Freddie Highmore has offered his own take on the character and the show now stands at over 96 episodes, the original makes for essential viewing with 20 episodes to stream. Joo Won’s lead performance as the titular good doctor is also dramatic enough to bring out some tears.
Bates Motel (2013–17)
Stream On Peacock Premium
After a successful stint in
kids movies from the early 2000s
, Freddie Highmore found further popularity playing a younger Norman Bates in Bates Motel. The origin story of the titular serial killer in Alfred Hitchock’s
Psycho
explores some of the character’s deepest darkest secrets along with an almost-Oedipal relation with his mother Norma Bates, played to perfection by Vera Farmiga.
Highmore’s Norman is a far cry from
The Good Doctor
‘s Shaun. However, the two characters still share a soft side and the feeling of being misunderstood that is brought out brilliantly by Highmore’s dramatic prowess. As The Good Doctor is bound to drive audiences towards more of Highmore’s works,
Bates Motel
will be a good start.
Scrubs (2001–10)
Stream On Hulu
JD is a medical intern who often spends his day at the hospital daydreaming about the doctors, nurses, and his fellow interns. As he eventually goes on to become a doctor himself,
Scrubs
details his dreamy journey with enough sitcom tropes to add a fun-filled touch to the usually-emotionally heavy genre of medical drama.
The Good Doctor
‘s emotional moments might get heavy for viewers and if they need a break from the usual teary-eyed drama, then
Scrubs
will prove to be a good follow-up watch.
The Knick (2014–15)
Stream On HBO Max
A period medical drama from director Steven Soderberg,
The Knick
deals with American medical developments at the onset of early 20th century. Clive Owen’s Dr. John Thackeray manages New York’s Knickerboxer Hospital (AKA The Knick) as head surgeon, battling medical myths, racial attacks against his staff, and his own struggles with addiction.
Relatively darker in tone as
The Good Doctor, The Knick
adds an artistic finesse to medical shows, straying away from the usual melodrama that set in the post-
Grey’s Anatomy
era. Dr. Thackeray might not appear to be “good” on the surface but his concern for his patients and staff still set him apart as a grey character.
Atypical (2017–21)
Stream On Netflix
18-year-old Sam is on the autistic spectrum, but he wants to tell the world that he is a lot more than that. Added with the pressures of growing up, Sam also goes on a romantic quest deciding it is high time that he too had his high-school romance.
Atypical
‘s attempts at normalizing autistic representation on screen makes the show worth a watch. The show initially did get flak for casting a non-autistic actor as the lead character, but eventual casting decisions turned out to be more inclusive. It is not absolutely perfect
New Amsterdam (2018–present)
Stream On Peacock Premium
New Amsterdam is one of America’s oldest public hospitals, but it also suffers as a neglected and regressive institution. All of this is bound to change when the ambitiously free-spirited Dr. Max Goodwin joins the hospital.
Even though he’s not as rude or unorthodox as the leads of
House
or
The Knick,
Goodwin’s rebellious tendencies to reform the hospital are reminiscent of Shaun Murphy’s struggles in
The Good Doctor.
Given his social awkwardness and saintly nature, Murphy too can be at odds with his medical peers. It all comes down to displaying some form of rebellious attitude or the other in the end.
Ted Lasso (2020–present)
Stream On Apple TV+
When an American football coach accidentally gets to lead a soccer team in England, comedic chaos ensues. But as the ever-jovial and optimistic Ted Lasso explores his new role in a new country, he goes on to change the lives of everyone around him. For the ones who are in no mood for a heavy watch, this Apple TV+ original will be the perfect streaming option to cheer them up.
Freddie Highmore’s protagonist in
The Good Doctor
might not be as explicitly cheery as Jason Sudiekis’ Ted, both characters end up touching lives of others in unexpected ways. Irrespective of the genre and thematic differences, such shows end up offering hope in bleak times.
NEXT: 10 Best TV Shows About Young Professional Life, According To Reddit
