'The Good Doctor' Season 3 Episode 16 Review: Freddie Highmore proves his mettle as a director once again
Freddie Highmore is a star in every definition of the word. He might have been a popular face of children’s movies but he gained immense popularity in recent years with the popular primetime show 'The Good Doctor'. ABC's hit medical drama series is running its third season and Highmore is one of the reasons that the show has a huge fan following. As the lead protagonist of the show, he plays the role of a young resident surgeon, Dr Shaun Murphy, who is autistic and a savant. His performance across all the seasons has been nothing short of award worthy.
Fans, critics, the audience (this writer included) love him in his every frame. But that’s not why we are all praise for him. For those who aren't aware, Highmore is not just one of the lead actors on the series but also a director. In Season 3, Episode 16 'Autopsy', he proved once again that he can do it all and nail it too.
'Autopsy' is all about Shaun's emotional conflict, his urge to make things right with his work and his personal life, and letting his feelings show, which has been a challenge for quite some time now. This episode was also an aftermath of his and Dr Carly Lever's breakup and how he handles heartbreak. And while he does that he also wants to do something Carly had asked him to. Overall, this is an important chapter in Shaun's life where he handles an intense and important moment between him and his best friend, Lea Dilallo, whom he also loves.
Being at the helm of both the story and directing it was undoubtedly a highpoint for Highmore. While we loved his performance in this episode, we also loved how it was directed. From heartbreak to frustration, determination to set things right and finally finding a semblance of himself and guiding the audience through Shaun's tumultuous journey in one hour, the director in Highmore handled the episode beautifully.
It would be wrong to say that other episodes of 'The Good Doctor' are not equally wonderful, but when a young actor proves his accomplishment as a director, it is a delightful experience for the viewers. He proves once again that he can deliver a memorable performance while managing an ensemble cast, and do it perfectly.
However, this isn't Highmore’s first directorial stint. He has also directed one episode in Season 2 of the medical drama and was highly acclaimed for his contribution. Prior to this, the actor had also directed an episode of 'Bates Motel', where he was the lead actor. Now, whether such a change of role, or addition for that matter, will become a long-term thing for Highmore or remain an experimental project is something that only time will tell. Meanwhile, we are only going to sit back and join Shaun Murphy on his journey as the series is about to close its third season.
Catch Season 3 Episode 16 'Autopsy' of 'The Good Doctor' on its rerun and the future episodes when the show airs Monday night at 10pm/9c, only on ABC.
