We're back for another week! The Good Doctor 6x21 “A Beautiful Day” shows the rift between Glassy and Shaun as the schism deepens for Lim and Andrews. Also, Morgan and Parker grow a little closer. Ready?
Here we go!
Something important breaks between father and son in “A Beautiful Day.” As we discussed last week, Shaun's decision to go to Lim first after finding out what's going on with Glassy wasn't the right thing to do. Glassy felt it like a betrayal. And we agree with him.
We mean, we understand Shaun's concern, but Glassy is his father, he deserved, at least, one conversation before Shaun threw him under the bus with the Chief of Surgery. So yes, Glassy is angry, and he has a right to be.
The entire “A Beautiful Day” episode was about how Glassy tried to hide and balance the anger he feels at Shaun for betraying him with Shaun's attempt to work things out in his logical and rational way.
But feelings are the opposite of logical and rational. Glassy is aware that Shaun saved his life by trying to investigate him, but he feels betrayed by what he did next. It's not something Shaun can fix by explaining the logic behind his decision. That only makes Glassy angrier that Shaun isn't understanding and isn't even trying.
And then comes the turning point of “A Beautiful Day.” Shaun calls Glassy out, and while it helps the patient get the care he needs, it's a humiliation for Glassy. And it's not just anyone who has humiliated him, it's his son... and that hurts him triple. So he not only feels betrayed but also humiliated by the person he loves the most.
Shaun didn't mean it like that, of course, but that's how he made Glassy feel and when he claims it, that's when Shaun realizes it. Shaun's eyes fill with tears because he feels the reproach, the disappointment of his father, and understands that he hurt one of the people he loves the most.
Shaun can't bear to have done it. He didn't know what else to do and he made a decision... but now he understands that, although it was rationally the most logical option, it was not the correct one. And just like that, the relationship between father and son ends up breaking down in “A Beautiful Day.” So much so that Glassy isn't even in one of Shaun's most important moments.
Of course, they can repair this relationship but it will take time, communication, and work.
In "A Beautiful Day" Lim and Andrews have a new clash, this time regarding what is happening with Glassy. We understand both sides of the conflict. It's true that to get rid of a surgeon like Glassy they need more than just what they have. But it's understandable that as extra tests roll in, Lim doesn't want to put any patients at risk.
Who do we think is right? Lim. She's not advocating firing Glassy or cutting him off altogether, just keeping his schedule clear while he gets the necessary tests. This doesn't put patients at unnecessary risk and gives Glassy time to worry about his health.
Frankly, we believe that Glassy's reaction wasn’t rational and was rooted in fury and anger, not towards Lim, but towards Shaun. But Andrews has to think coolly, that’s the way a person in his charge is supposed to think. And what Lim proposes is the best, not only for the patients but also for the hospital.
If something goes wrong with Glassy's operation and the patients find out what's going on with him, they won't hesitate to sue the hospital. So yes, Lim's option is the most correct in this situation.
That said, as we mentioned last week, Lim and Andrews are a team, they're the ones running the hospital, and they can't be like this. They must return to trust not only in each other but in their decisions. I hope they find that friendship and camaraderie that characterized them again.
Being a mother is a challenge, and “A Beautiful Day” showed Morgan trying to overcome it. And, how could it be otherwise, our girl did it. She had to adapt to a new reality in which Eden doesn’t hesitate to make her discontent and discomfort clear and for Morgan that means few hours of sleep and being very, very tired.
However, Morgan is too proud to let herself be helped, she is too afraid to drop her perfect façade and show her vulnerabilities. But Park sees through it, knows her too well not to. Besides, he was in Morgan's position a few years ago so…yeah, he knows she's not having as good a time as she wants him to seem.
What I love about this is that Park is next to her. He doesn't try to force her to confess the truth, he just makes her feel his presence and his support so that Morgan knows that she can count on him. That she can show herself vulnerable to him because he won't judge her. Morgan knows this and a sign of that is that she lets him in. He's the only one she lets in.
And that’s love. We can't wait for Morgan and Parker to take that last step they need to get back together.
PS: Sometimes I hate this show because of how it makes me cry. But that's one of the reasons I love it. Does that make sense?
PS 2: Andrews is learning to appreciate the nurses and understand their demands, although he's still going too slow on that.
PS 3: Shea baby is coming!
This is where our The Good Doctor review ends. We will be back next week with the season finale review.
Agree? Disagree? Don’t hesitate to share it with us in the comments below!
The Good Doctor airs Mondays 10/9c on ABC.