While it’s incredibly important to make movies and television shows on crucial topics that concern society as a whole, it’s equally important to remain sensitive in the approach to representation. The most recent example of a show receiving backlash is The Good Doctor.

The television show focuses on Shaun, a smart and gifted doctor who battles Autism. He faces a myriad of issues in socializing with his colleagues and familiarizing himself with his patients because of his disability. The show focused on Shaun’s challenges and how he tried to overcome them to ultimately live up to the title of the show.

Does The Good Doctor Mock Austim?

The Good Doctor | ABC
A still from The Good Doctor | ABC

Not many shows venture into such a sensitive territory to showcase disabilities and let the main character battle the hurdles that come with them. This is because there’s a very fine line between adequate representation and a situation going so wrong that it sparks negative comments and backlash from the community. Actor Freddie Highmore plays the lead character Shaun in The Good Doctor.

SUGGESTED
“She should sue whoever did this”: The Boys Star Erin Moriarty’s Shocking Plastic Surgery Transformation Has Left Fans Aghast for Good Reasons
“She should sue whoever did this”: The Boys Star Erin Moriarty’s Shocking Plastic Surgery Transformation Has Left Fans Aghast for Good Reasons

Recently, clips from the show went viral for mocking Autism and showcasing the disability in an unusual light. Certain clips show Shaun yelling repeatedly that he is indeed a surgeon while another snippet from the show highlights Shaun’s inability to figure out the gender of a transgender patient. Even though these situations highlight plausible challenges that a person with Autism might face, fans are concerned about the way these were handled.

The Good Doctor | ABC
A still from The Good Doctor | ABC

Back in 2018, a few doctors collectively wrote a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter arguing why the representation of Autism is shown as a sort of superpower for Shaun. The visual representation of his thought process and the way he diagnoses a problem further make viewers believe that being autistic means being superhuman.

Rather than pointing out the underlying issues with how people treat autistic individuals, the show went on a different tangent altogether. The doctors in the guest column pointed out how autism is more than just awkwardness and genius abilities hidden under the surface. It is a serious neurological disorder that can translate to different behaviors in people.

Fans react to The Good Doctor ending after 7 seasons

Freddie Highmore in The Good Doctor | ABC
Freddie Highmore in The Good Doctor | ABC

The ABC show The Good Doctor is coming to an end after 7 seasons on the platform. Throughout its run, the show has featured various storylines that focused on the lead character Shaun, his inability to connect with his peers, and how being autistic somehow helped him learn the nuances of medicine.

SUGGESTED
“There’s a number of different things”: What Makes The Spiderwick Chronicles Show Different from the $164M Movie That Failed to Get a Sequel
“There’s a number of different things”: What Makes The Spiderwick Chronicles Show Different from the $164M Movie That Failed to Get a Sequel

On the other hand, such a dragged version of the story made some fans appreciate the Korean Drama adaptation of the story that only ran for one season. The story was concisely presented and wrapped up after a few episodes.

Fans are actually happy that the show is finally over as many people have claimed over the years that The Good Doctor mocked autism and showed it in a completely different light than what reality is. Empowering people with autism and making them feel represented is a great move, but when that effort is maligned with an idealized version of the truth, things can soon take a turn for the worse.

Six seasons of The Good Doctor are streaming on Netflix.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!
Explore from around the WEB