In another addition to the list of shows concluding this year, ‘The Good Doctor‘ completed an impressive run on ABC after seven successful seasons. Naturally, the lead of the show, Freddie Highmore, is left with a mix of emotions just like his fans.
Highmore played the character of a talented, autistic surgeon Shaun Murphy on the show. His journey as the Murphy has impacted both his career and personal life. As the show bids goodbye to its fans across the globe, Highmore shared his feelings about the show’s end.
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Here’s What Freddie Highmore Thinks About Ending Of ‘The Good Doctor’
Speaking at the show’s Vancouver set with People, ‘The Good Doctor’ lead Freddie Highmore reflected on his seven years on the show. The 32-year-actor opened up about how difficult it has been for him to say goodbye to the cast and crew of the show. He asserted that all the people associated with the series had become like family to him, especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve gone through so much together. COVID came in the middle of filming, and so I think that especially forced us to bond together. We were the only people that any of us were seeing outside of an immediate family for a good couple of years, and so I think when you go through those things with people, it obviously brings you closer,” the actor said.
Describing how he felt as the show ended, Highmore said the end was a moment filled with nostalgia and emotion but also with excitement for the future. “It’s hard to describe. I think the general feeling that I’ve felt is it’s a bit like graduation. You are nostalgic because you’re aware of how special these last few years have been with this group of people, and you are aware you’re never going to replicate that again at another point,” he said during an interview with Variety.
“Of course, it’s moving and emotional in that way, but at the same time, like graduation, you are excited to do other things and to move on,” he added.
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Freddie Highmore Is Particularly Proud Of His Autistic Character On ‘The Good Doctor’
Though he felt sad about ‘The Good Doctor‘ coming to an end, Freddie Highmore also said he finds peace and satisfaction in knowing that the show ended on its own terms. He contended that the show’s end allowed for a proper farewell to everyone involved.
“I think in some ways, there’s a certain peace that it brings on the last day when you are looking around at all of these people that you love and care about so deeply, and knowing that we got to end the show with the knowledge that it was ending on our own terms and tell the story all the way through to its end,” he said.
Highmore said he is particularly proud of his character Shaun Murphy and the his depiction of autism. Throughout its run, ‘The Good Doctor’ put focus the complexities and nuances of Shaun’s life as a person with autism working in a demanding healthcare environment.
“That’s been the thing that’s most, and has always been, most important to me in playing the role. If there is anything I hope the show has done, I hope that in some small, tiny little way, it has helped challenge stereotypes, change people’s perceptions about autism,” he said.
As for what comes next, Highmore is uncertain about his future plans after ‘The Good Doctor‘. The series finale aired on May 21 at 10 p.m. ET, and all seven seasons are available to stream on Hulu.
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