The Good Doctor‘s ‘Internal Nemesis’ Revealed in Game-Changing Season 5 Premiere — Grade the Episode!
St. Bonaventure is in for a major shakeup following the events of The Good Doctor‘s Season 5 premiere.
As TVLine previously reported, the ABC medical drama was poised to introduce an “internal nemesis” this fall — and as we expected, that nemesis is none other than one Salen Morrison, played by Tony-winning actress Rachel Bay Jones.
The presumed Patient of the Week came to the clinic experiencing shortness of breath, blurred vision and headaches, all a result of her ADHD medication. But it turned out that she was messing with Andrews, Morgan et al. in an attempt to determine if the doctors employed by St. Bonaventure were up to snuff.
Salen, who we can only presume is some sort of wealthy businesswoman, had previously been diagnosed with Raynaud’s phenomenon — a condition that causes decreased blood flow to the fingers — which eventually developed into systemic scleroderma. The diagnosis had come seven years ago, after experiencing symptoms for three years before that.
“Lots of bad doctors out there,” Salen surmised. “I went off my scleroderma meds a few weeks ago to see if you doctors were more of the same.” But why?
In the very last scene, Lim was waiting to present a detailed budget report before the hospital’s board. She was also about to inquire about hiring boyfriend Mateo as a new surgical attending — presumably to fill the vacancy left by Melendez. But once the doors opened in front of her, revealing that the meeting had already been adjourned, Glassman told the chief of surgery that there had only been one item on the agenda: St. Bonaventure had just been purchased by Salen! As the new owner exited the boardroom, she turned to Glassman and Lim to say that she’s “looking forward” to working with them.
“This tests everybody, including Shaun,” executive producer David Shore previously told TVLine. “Of course, Shaun is going to have a different point of view on it,” as we’ll see in upcoming episodes.
“I just love what [Jones] brings, what this character brings,” Shore waxed on. “She just has a great dynamic and a great energy. She is just going going going.” Sometimes she appears “scattered,” he said, but she is always “focused on what she wants to be focused on from moment to moment, brilliant and capable at the same time, and she proves to be a real challenge to our people.”
Among other notable developments in the Season 5 opener…
* Seeing how much Lea struggled with planning their engagement party, Shaun insisted that he play an equal part in planning their wedding — which, after Lea’s nightmare in the premiere’s opening scene, is not going to be held outdoors.
* Speaking of Shaun and Lea, their engagement party nearly went off without a hitch… until an inebriated Glassman gave a toast and revealed that he and Debbie separated two months ago.
* Andrews, also newly single, accidentally wound up with two dates for Shaun and Lea’s party. His plus-ones ultimately left together, and he went home with the bartender. Quite the player, huh? But by the end of the hour, when Andrews asked the bartender if she’d like to get breakfast and she declined, it was clear that this man is not built for bachelorhood. He wants to be in a committed relationship.
* As for Park and Morgan, the new couple shared a kiss before Shaun and Lea’s party that indicated they’re still going strong. Park, meanwhile, saved the life of the real Patient of the Week: a single mom with advanced cervical cancer who had passed it on to her two sons.
What did you think of The Good Doctor Season 5, Episode 1: “New Beginnings”? Grade it via the following poll, then drop a comment with your full review.
So, David Shore will redo the back half of House season one…
I hope they don’t over do the bridezilla thing. Lea is annoying enough being Lea. Let alone Lea on wedding plannig stress.
Oh, lord, isn’t that the truth. I fear we hope in vain though. (Remember on ER when the helicopter fell on Dr Romano? What a ratings boosting, audience pleasing plot twist that was…hmmm)
I can’t get enough of the good doctor. 😊 Please don’t make Sean leave the Altar on their wedding day. Ohhh…. like sorry I can’t marry you. Don’t ruin the show please.
If a helicopter can be made to fall on Lea then I will love this show again. I can’t remember a more annoying character. Would like to see more of Asher and give him a legitimate multi-episode story line
Yeah, this should be interesting with Salen. Same with Lim offering Mateo a job at the hospital. Definitely imagining some pretty tense moments ahead all around.
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Can certainly sympathize with Lea’s anxiety about planning the wedding. I’m glad Shaun’s going to do his part to help, as he should. Hopefully things will go a little smoother on that front going forward.
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Aw, Glassman. I hope he and Andrews can be a source of support for each other as they deal with their recent separations, they could use a shoulder to lean on.
Thank you for highlighting scleroderma! I love the good dr so much (I have an asd son) and I also have scleroderma. I hope to see more attention and awareness brought to this rare and hard to get diagnosed disease. It’s so sad what we go through and then have to fight for the dr’s to take us seriously and actually diagnose it.. all due to the lack of Dr’s knowing about it or it being so rare and they probably never thought they would see it, maybe not confident diagnosing since it is so uncommon, idk. But I’d love to see more education and awareness out there about it.
Again thank you so much for highlighting it tonight. Such an exciting thing for those of us in the scleroderma community.
I was pleased that this didn’t turn out to be an “ADHD meds are evil” plot thread. They’ve already done it to death on New Amsterdam (with a doctor being “addicted” to the necessary medication which presumably helped her get through college and med school), contributing to the stigmatization of these meds. When the patient was acting nutty despite being on her meds, I figured that was where we were headed. Glad to see she knew exactly what she was doing.
Continue to adore Shaun and Lea together as a couple!
Who was the actor’s name who plaued the mother with cancer and whose son also had cancer.
Angel Parker
Who knew hospitals were so easy to buy?
Ha!! Exactly what I thought. How rich is she?
Great start to a new season! Looks like there is going to be many interesting story lines 😊.
Not important to the storyline, but Lea’s dress at the party? Could she have picked anything less attractive?? 😳
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I hope that Salen gets less annoying, I couldn’t stand her character. Disappointed she’s staying.
eh f they keep Lea then they will keep anyone. So I guess she is here to stay.
More than agree! SO annoying and adds nothing when she’s on screen. Can’t wait for the next scene and hope she isn’t in it.
AGREE! SHE IS ANNOYING!
I very much dislike the Salen character,
Will stop watching if she stays.
Last season was awful. Just awful. This, at least, has potential.
All the seasons have been good
I think the countdown can start to when Lea’s first husband will show up and how Sean will deal with that. The new owner looks like someone who will provoke some interesting stories. The engagement party storyline was excruciating to watch. And, um, are all these doctors incompetent boobs? Because every episode one or the other of them hears an idea and smacks their head as if to say”oh! never thought of that!” I’m kind of scared to go to any hospital now ;) I wish Sean was autistic again…now he is just inappropriate. He only equates relationships with sex…..mmmmm, that’s a nice part but not the foundation over years. We shall see.
I’m not a fan of this Salen storyline.
ok but why? What don’t you like?
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Salen just divides ethical and highly educated medical doctors who know best and treat patients
In this season, Salen will highlight Sean Murphy’s autism without any respect or permission to do so- a Hippa violation. Those administrators who are senior to young doctors do not protect or stand up for their staff. Salen storyline will ruin this season of Good Doctor.
Do not like the new character Salen who bought the hospital.
Me neither
So, coming from the Scleroderma community, does she have sclero and raynauds, or not?!?!
I do not like this Salen character it is ruining the show. DoNot Like.
I really love this show but the addition of Salen throws off the balance of characters I like vs characters I don’t (Morgan, Lea). The exit of two of my favorites didn’t help (Melendez, Claire). I realize that Claire left because the actress wanted to move on, which makes cutting Melendez seem more shortsighted. Also the Selen storyline is very similar to last season’s New Amsterdam story arc.