The Good Doctor Episode 15 recap: Dr Shaun Murphy orders a tuxedo

The Good Doctor returned from its mini-hiatus with Heartfelt. Dr Claire Brown has sympathy for a murder, Shaun looks like a million dollars, and a new resident joins the team.

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The annual charity fundraiser ball is approaching fast for everyone at St Bonaventure hospital but before they attend the ball they need to treat their patients. Dr Shaun Murphy and Dr Morgan Reznick have a patient with a very rare heart condition. She was born with her heart on the outside of her rib cage and has had to wait 15 long years to grow big enough so it could be put back in. Dr Claire Brown, Dr Jared Kalu and new surgical resident Dr Alex Park are treating a young boy who requires a new liver.

Claire finds a new liver for the young boy but there is a catch. A prisoner sent to prison for seven separate murders is the donor. Concerns are raised but the approval is given to allow this prisoner to donate his liver.

The bad news is delivered to Shaun and Morgan’s patient that her heart has now grown too big to fix. As they waited for her to grow big enough to perform the surgery her heart grew even faster. The surgery is no longer possible and the poor girl is devastated at the news that she cannot live a normal life.

Preparation

As everyone prepares for the arrival of their organ-donating prisoner, Park goes a bit overboard. He removes everything he thinks could be used as a weapon by the prisoner, leaving the hospital ward pretty bare. Jared and Claire are pretty relaxed on the situation and Jared takes the moment to ask Claire to be his date to the charity ball.

While everyone debated and argued over the ethical concerns on a using a prisoner’s organ, everyone seems to have failed to ask the patient’s opinion. He is not keen on the idea. Concerned that the liver will be affected in some way.

Any effort to convince the poor boy that it will be okay is pointless. Melendez and the other residents make the tough decision that the boy has no choice. The parents have the ultimate decision and have already consented.

Experimentation

Morgan outlines an experimental treatment option to Dr Lim for her and Shaun’s patient but Shaun is not keen on the idea. He can see the issues and concerns and does not think it is a wise decision. She can live with her condition as is with the right medication and care.

Morgan argues that while she can live she is miserable and unhappy. She makes the point that Shaun is not understanding and seeing what this poor girl is going through. Lim decides that, while it is a risky procedure, it is worth the risk. They just need to get the consent.

Our prisoner finally arrives and everyone is pretty tense. Flanked by armed prison guards, he is escorted straight to his room and is prepped for the transplant operation. Unfortunately, the surgery barely gets underway, as the prisoner suffers a severe reaction to the anaesthesia.

It is disappointing news for him when he awakes. As he is unable to undergo surgery without the anaesthesia, he cannot donate his liver to the little boy. Visibly upset he screams, shouts and begs for them to try again but it is no good. The surgery would kill him, so the little boy is back on the waiting list with less than 24 hours to live.

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Sacrifice

Shaun and Reznick are ankle deep in their experimental surgery. Everything is running smoothly and the conversation has turned to the upcoming fundraiser. Reznick is convinced that Shaun should splurge out on an expensive tuxedo in order to impress the right people.

Shaun explains that he spoke to Dr Andrews, who is very a good dresser, and he thinks that renting one would be just as good. They never reach a conclusion, however, as the moment of truth arrives. They insert the new rib cage into the patient and it is a perfect match. She will no longer live with a heart on the outside of her chest.

Brown and Park help escort the prisoner, along with his security guards, back to his transportation to prison. He is upset and sad that he could not donate anything. As they get closer to leaving he loses control of his bladder. Park is immediately suspicious and he is wise to be. As soon as an officer gets close enough to investigate what has happened the prisoner springs loose from his chains and steals the officers gun.

Panic ensues between everyone. Guns are raised and aimed and Park is between them. Trying to calm him down. Park appears to gain control as the prisoner puts the gun in his mouth and fires.

Depart

Realizing why he has done what he has done. Park, Brown and Jared get to work fast. Organs are harvested for various patients and our young boy is prepped for his liver transplant. Everything goes well and the surgeries are successful.

Now that everyone has been treated, it’s off to the ball for our residents. It’s a packed house and it’s quite a spectacle, although a little overwhelming at first for Shaun, who leaves the party midway through. After seeing his patient finally being able to interact socially again, Shaun decides that he too must try to not be alone.

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Jared and Claire hit it off well but it wouldn’t be a party without some sort of drama. While slow dancing to a particular song, Jared makes comment on the significance of it. Claire has no idea what he is talking about and that hits Jared hard. It is the song that was first playing when he kissed her. The two have finally reached an impasse. Jared has always been in love with Claire, whereas Claire has not.

Returning to the ball Shaun tries to spark up a conversation with some fellow doctors. It’s not going too bad but there is visible awkwardness, but when Dr Andrews joins the conversation the mood lightens. Andrews comments on how well Shaun looks in his tuxedo and then turn the conversation to golf, where they are all laughing at how stupid and annoying the sport is.

Next: The Good Doctor episode 14 recap: Dr. Shaun Murphy and the new neighbor

What was your favorite moment of The Good Doctor? Were you happy to see the show back on ABC? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

The Good Doctor returns Monday, March 12 at 10/9c on ABC