Seven seasons is a long time to spend in a hospital. For the cast of The Good Doctor, it wasn't just about memorizing medical jargon or looking busy with a stethoscope; it was about navigating a show that basically redefined how neurodiversity is portrayed on network TV. When Freddie Highmore first stepped into the shoes of Dr. Shaun Murphy back in 2017, nobody really knew if a show about an autistic surgeon with savant syndrome would actually land. It did. Hard.
The chemistry worked because it wasn't just "The Freddie Highmore Show." It was an ensemble. But if you've followed the drama at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital from the start, you know the locker room looks a lot different now than it did in season one. People left. Characters died. Some actors just wanted to go do movies or live their lives away from a grueling 22-episode-a-year schedule.
The Anchors: Freddie Highmore and Richard Schiff
You can't talk about this show without talking about the relationship between Shaun and Dr. Aaron Glassman. Honestly, it’s the heartbeat of the whole thing. Freddie Highmore didn't just play Shaun; he inhabited him. Highmore, who had just come off a chilling run as Norman Bates in Bates Motel, brought this incredible vulnerability to the role. He’s won awards for it, and rightfully so. He stayed until the very final curtain in 2024.
Then there’s Richard Schiff.
He’s the veteran. The mentor. Most people know him as Toby Ziegler from The West Wing, but to a new generation, he is the only person who truly "gets" Shaun. Schiff’s real-life wife, Sheila Kelley, even played his love interest on the show. That’s why their scenes together felt so lived-in. When Glassman faced health scares or professional downfalls, the audience felt it because Schiff plays "grumpy with a heart of gold" better than almost anyone in Hollywood.
Why Antonia Thomas Left Early
One of the biggest shocks for the cast of The Good Doctor was the departure of Antonia Thomas, who played Dr. Claire Browne. She was the empathetic soul of the surgical team. Claire was often the bridge between Shaun’s clinical directness and the patients' emotional needs.
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So, why did she leave at the end of Season 4? It wasn't behind-the-scenes drama. Thomas was just ready for a change. She told Deadline that she wanted to explore different creative opportunities. It’s a classic "actor thing"—after four years of 14-hour days, the itch to do something else becomes impossible to ignore. She did come back for guest spots later on, which fans loved, but the show definitely felt a little colder without her constant warmth.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
While the leads get the posters, the mid-season additions kept the show from getting stale. Fiona Gubelmann (Dr. Morgan Reznick) and Will Yun Lee (Dr. Alex Park) started as recurring characters and ended up being the show's most complicated romantic pairing.
Morgan was the character everyone loved to hate. She was competitive, borderline mean, and unapologetically ambitious. Gubelmann played her with such a sharp edge that when her character eventually faced a career-ending diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, the shift into a more vulnerable role felt earned rather than forced. Will Yun Lee, on the other hand, brought a quiet, stoic energy. Before he was a TV doctor, Lee was a martial artist and a lead in big action movies, and you can see that disciplined physicality in how he carries himself as Park.
- Christina Chang (Dr. Audrey Lim): She rose from a supporting surgeon to the Chief of Surgery. Her storyline involving paralysis after a stabbing was one of the most intense physical acting challenges seen on the show.
- Paige Spara (Lea Dilallo): Lea wasn't even supposed to be a permanent fixture. She was Shaun’s neighbor. But the fans' reaction to her was so massive that the writers had to make her the primary love interest. Spara’s "manic pixie dream girl" energy evolved into a grounded portrayal of a mother and tech professional.
The Heartbreak of Nicholas Gonzalez
We have to talk about Neil Melendez. If you want to see a fandom go into a total meltdown, go look at the Twitter archives from the Season 3 finale. Killing off Dr. Melendez was a massive gamble. Nicholas Gonzalez was a fan favorite. He was the "hot doctor" who had actually grown into a deeply principled mentor.
The decision to kill him off after an earthquake-related injury felt cruel to many. The showrunners argued it was for the sake of "creative stakes." Basically, they wanted to show that no one was safe. Gonzalez handled it like a pro, but even he admitted in interviews that he felt Melendez had more stories to tell. His brief "ghost" cameo in Season 4 was a small olive branch to grieving fans, but the cast of The Good Doctor never quite replaced that specific "tough but fair" leadership vibe he brought.
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New Blood in the Final Seasons
As the show reached its sixth and seventh seasons, we saw a revolving door of residents. Bria Samoné Henderson (Dr. Jordan Allen) and Noah Galvin (Dr. Asher Wolke) were the standouts here.
Galvin, specifically, brought a fresh perspective as an openly gay doctor who had left an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. His character’s exit in Season 7 was another "holy crap" moment for the audience. It was sudden, violent, and sparked a lot of conversation about how the show handles tragedy.
Behind the Scenes: Who Directed?
It wasn't just about acting. Freddie Highmore actually stepped behind the camera to direct several episodes. This is a trend in long-running shows, but Highmore took it seriously. He also served as an executive producer. This gave him a level of control over Shaun’s development that most actors don't get.
The show was produced by David Shore—the same guy who created House. You can see the DNA. Both shows feature a brilliant, socially "difficult" doctor, but where House was cynical and misanthropic, Shaun Murphy was hopeful. That shift in tone is entirely due to how the cast interpreted Shore’s writing.
Where is the Cast of The Good Doctor Now?
Since the series wrapped up in May 2024, the stars have scattered. Freddie Highmore has taken a well-deserved breather but is reportedly looking at more production-heavy roles. Antonia Thomas has been busy with UK-based projects, including the series Suspect.
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Richard Schiff remains a staple in the prestige TV world. He’s one of those actors who will never be out of work because he brings instant credibility to any scene he’s in.
If you're looking to follow their next steps, here is the move:
- Check out "Bates Motel" on streaming: If you only know Freddie Highmore as the "Good Doctor," his performance as Norman Bates will blow your mind. It’s the polar opposite of Shaun Murphy.
- Watch "The West Wing": To truly appreciate Richard Schiff, you have to see him as Toby Ziegler. It’s arguably one of the best supporting performances in the history of television.
- Follow the guest stars: Keep an eye on the younger actors like Bria Samoné Henderson. The "Good Doctor" has a history of being a launching pad for actors who go on to lead their own series.
The legacy of the show isn't just about medical miracles. It's about how this specific group of people made us care about a character who saw the world through a different lens. They didn't just play doctors; they built a world that felt like home for millions of viewers every Monday night.
To see what the actors are up to today, your best bet is following their official Instagram or Twitter accounts, as many have recently announced new pilot deals for the 2025-2026 season.