NOTE: this post contains spoilers for The Good Doctor season 6 episode 21, "A Beautiful Day."
Lea (Paige Spara) is two weeks from her due date, but Shaun (Freddie Highmore) is dealing with the fall out of taking Dr. Glassman's (Richard Schiff) scans to Dr. Lim (Christina Chang).
The tests show that Dr. Glassman had a small stroke, which is impacting his memory. Dr. Lim wants him to take a break while they evaluate his fitness to operate, but Dr. Glassman refuses, saying there has been no evidence of his work being affected. He gives her an ultimatum: either she allows him to work or fire him. If she fires him, he threatens to sue. Dr. Glassman is also upset with Shaun for going behind his back to Dr. Lim.
Figuring out if the stroke caused any impairment, Dr. Lim discusses benching Dr. Glassman with Dr. Andrews (Hill Harper). He says that the hospital's top earner cannot be benched without clear proof of incompetence. Dr. Lim pushes back, reminding him it's her department, therefore her decision. However, since Dr. Glassman has threatened to sue, Dr. Andrews feels he has to step in. They compromise by allowing Dr. Glassman to operate under supervision.
Shaun, Jordan (Bria Henderson) and Danny (Brandon Larracuente) get a male patient in the ER with a head injury from a car accident. He comes in with his adult daughter who insists on more testing even though he seems alert and responsive. She tells Shaun he's undergone a full personality change in recent months. He has become a kind and attentive father, after being cruel and ignoring to his family all his life. Shaun agrees to do an MRI. The tests show the patient has a tumor, which has caused the change in behavior.
Jordan and Danny, meanwhile, are trying to become real friends by spending time outside the hospital. They awkwardly make plans, settling on having dinner at a restaurant recommended by Lea.
Shaun advises the patient to have the tumor removed, but he declines when he hears it may cause him to revert to being a bad father. Shaun asks Dr. Lim to help convince the patient to have the surgery. She tells him to enlist the help of Dr. Glassman. Dr. Glassman explains that the brain can change and that after the surgery, he could stay a good father. The patient requests Dr. Glassman as his surgeon.
Dr. Glassman, Shaun, Jordan and Danny practice the procedure, but Shaun questions Dr. Glassman's decisions so much he's asked to leave the room. Dr. Glassman tells Dr. Lim to take Shaun off the case. She relents but takes his place to observe. She informs Shaun and warns him he's in serious jeopardy of damaging his relationship with Dr. Glassman.
The team does the brain surgery with Dr. Glassman at the helm, Dr. Lim assisting and Shaun observing in the gallery. Everything is proceeding as planned until Shaun observes Dr. Glassman pause and insists Dr. Glassman verbally tell the team the next step in the procedure. After realizing he can’t, Dr. Glassman leaves the OR. Dr. Lim takes over, completing the surgery successfully.
Dr.Glassman confides in Dr. Lim that he pledged to put the patients' best interest first, but he never considered that it could mean he stops operating. During postoperative discussion, the patient instinctively withdraws his hand when his daughter tries to hold it. He however deliberately tries to hold her hand again when he remembers what their new relationship was like, proving Dr. Glassman’s point of the brain’s ability to rewire when the human tries.
Dr. Andrews and Dr. Park (Will Yun Lee) treat a little boy who has terminal cancer. They find a new tumor that if removed could give him some additional months of life. The parents agree to the surgery but results from preoperative tests make him ineligible for surgery. Dr. Park advises starting palliative care, but the boy’s father insists they find another option. Dr. Park outlines the second surgical option, including the risks. The parents give approval, but during the surgery the doctors find the cancer has also eroded the patient's liver. They share the news with the parents, but the father is adamant about finding another solution, confessing he feels inadequate as a father, believing he is failing in role is to protect his children. Dr. Andrews tells him to focus on making good memories and to give the boy as many beautiful days as possible. As part of one of the patient's wishes, Dr. Andrews allows the parents to create a Santaland in the hospital so that their son could experience Christmas.
Dr. Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann) is on leave with baby Eden. They're both adjusting to being home together, with Eden crying incessantly. Dr. Park stops in to check on them, but Dr. Reznick doesn't want to admit she may need help. Dr. Park suggests using the vibration of the washing machine to soothe Eden. Dr. Reznick does this but falls asleep, waking up just in time to prevent Eden from falling. Realizing that Dr. Reznick is overwhelmed, Dr. Park tells her about his own challenges as a new parent and how he inevitably figured it out. He lets her know that all parents feel inadequate until they figure things out. Dr. Reznick discovers that dancing with Eden soothes her and it becomes their thing.
Dr. Andrews starts to date Nurse Villaneuva (Elfina Luk). It starts well, with them both avoiding the sensitive topic of how nurses are compensated. But when she asks him about a nurse unionization effort, he tries to derail the union drive by offering incentives upfront. She agrees to float the idea with her colleagues, who turn down the offer. Things go south in the relationship when Dr. Andrews tries to use her to push his case with the nurses. She declines, but Dr. Andrews eventually apologises.
The episode ends with Dr. Glassman telling Shaun how much his actions in the OR embarrassed him. Shaun doesn't know how to make amends but he soon has a bigger worry: Lea calls, saying she's in labor. He turns to share the news with Dr. Glassman, but he’s gone.
The Good Doctor season 6 finale airs on Monday, May 1, at 10 pm ET/PT on ABC. All episodes are available to stream on Hulu in the US, Disney Plus in the UK.
