‘The Good Doctor’ Co-Showrunner Confesses It Was The Network’s Decision To End The Show, Not Theirs: “ABC Told Us It Was Time”

By Radhamely De Leon
Published Feb. 16, 2024, 4:03 p.m. ET

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The Good Doctor will be ending on ABC with Season 7, but co-showrunner and executive producer Liz Friedman revealed the decision to end the show was not up to them.

“Why end it now? Well, ABC told us it was time to end it,” Friedman recently told TV Insider.

The critically acclaimed medical drama stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism who solves medical cases at a prestigious hospital.

Friedman expressed that, though she was not ready for the show to end yet, she was glad they had the chance to end it on their own terms. “We are very grateful that they told us that in a timely manner, which allows us to decide the terms that we’re going to end it on to craft a great ending and a great culmination of Shaun Murphy’s story, but that’s how that came about,” she said.

“I mean, I feel like I could tell stories about Shaun forever,” she continued. “Certainly, as long as the amazing Freddie Highmore was interested in playing him, I was happy to write for him.”

Friedman still has high hopes for Dr. Murphy – even after the series finale.

(ABC/Jeff Weddell) FREDDIE HIGHMORE, PAIGE SPARA
Photo: ABC

“To me, the way I look at this is Shaun Murphy’s adventures are going to continue in the universe. I just have to find a way to close the sense that he’s doing it for us,” she said. “But in my mind, Shaun is going to be out there forever doing the amazing things that he does and seeing things in his totally unique way.”

Highmore issued his own statement after the series finale was announced.

“Playing Dr. Shaun Murphy has been an immense privilege and one of the most remarkable and rewarding experiences of my life,” he said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “I will always be grateful to David, Liz, and Erin as well as the hugely talented and lovely cast, writers, and crew who made this show possible.”

Season 7 will only have 10 episodes, a decision that series creator David Shore said was “unfortunate.”

“But being able to go out on your own terms is such a blessing in this industry, and we’ve been fortunate,” he said.

Friedman also maintained that they will still “deliver a really good finale” later this year.

The Good Doctor Season 7 premieres Feb. 20, with new episodes airing on ABC Tuesdays at 10pm ET.