It's the beginning of the end as ABC's The Good Doctor tonight kicked off its two-part series finale. The first hour had hallmarks of a happy series closer - a wedding and a fan-favorite couple rekindling their romance after years apart - before the episode took a double dark turn at the end.
The episode sees the return of Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne, although the delight of her return is dampened by her diagnosis of breast cancer. Meanwhile, Dr. Aaron Glassman struggles to help Hannah while Dr. Alex Park and Dr. Morgan Reznick search for a venue for their last-minute wedding.
Needless to say, there is a lot going on, and it is one emotional rollercoaster of an episode.
First, it is lovely to catch up with Dr. Browne again. Her kindness towards Dr. Murphy and how she fits back perfectly into San Jose Bonaventure Hospital is refreshing to watch.
Meanwhile, "Unconditional" ends with Dr. Browne seemingly suffering a medical emergency. One can't help but wonder if it's wise to begin a dramatic cancer storyline with this returning character one episode before the finale.
The show easily could've given her a happy and satisfactory ending by hinting at her relationship with Dr. Kalu instead of introducing another medical storyline that will take up space in what is already shaping up to be a crammed series finale.
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On top of that, the episode hints at some unresolved feelings between Dr. Kalu and Dr. Jordan Allen, although it seems quite late to begin exploring a potential love triangle.
However, the show does seem to be rushing her story. It's dizzying learning of her breast cancer diagnosis and the rapid rekindling of her relationship with Dr. Jared Kalu in such a short time span.
So, although the storylines are abrupt and concerning, they still have potential for the finale. However, they don't quite fit with the wedding storyline in "Unconditional."
Compared to their silly antics in previous episodes, the last-minute wedding of Dr. Reznick and Dr. Park is a bit more serious. Still, it continues to be the weakest story arc, especially when shown alongside the very serious stories of Dr. Browne and Dr. Glassman.
Since the wedding arc isn't strong enough to be the comedic relief or lighten the mood, it only makes the episode feel tonally imbalanced.
Lastly, the stuffed episode leaves viewers with countless questions. There are so many characters, such as Charlie, Dom, and Dr. Allen, whose stories have largely just tapered off in the latter half of the season, raising concern that they won't be properly closed in the end.
There are also lingering questions about the state of Dr. Murphy and Lea Dilallo-Murphy's relationship, Steve's potential autism diagnosis, and how Jerome Martel is fairing after Dr. Asher Wolke's passing.
While "Unconditional" is fast-paced and dramatic, its cluttered nature and tonal struggles raise concerns about how well The Good Doctor's series finale will wrap things up.