‘The Good Doctor’ Season 3 Episode 7: Fans feel Dr Melendez is playing it safe and is not completely in his element
In episode 6 we saw a 23-week pregnant woman with a cancerous growth dying on the operation table, while Dr. Neil Melendez was operating on her. This had shaken up the talented and experienced doctor, to the extent that he somewhere blames himself. Even fans feel that he is not himself at the moment, and it’s very natural for anyone in his situation to react the way he is reacting. However, fans of Melendez seem concerned about him, and also feel that he needs to listen to those who care about him. Just like @calhoun_monique says: “Dr. Melendez isn’t himself right now. #TheGoodDoctor” and @moonlitnites09, “#TheGoodDoctor Melendez needs to listen more”.
As his boss, Dr. Audrey Lim tries to be realistic with him, while being a supportive girlfriend at the same time. But that does not quite help Melendez. He seems a little cold and stern, and a little withdrawn. When Lim suggests that he talks to someone (in other words, get counseling), he refuses to talk about his feelings altogether. This also raises a little tension between Lim and him.
Every human being has a different way of dealing with loss and grief. Some start taking more risks, while some try to play it safe, slow down, and let things be. Our very own Melendez seems to fall into the second category. He perhaps feels that his failure in the previous surgery should be a learning lesson for him and that he should not take risks. Hence, when a new patient arrives with multiple complications, he tries to play it safe and go the tried and tested way. Like @FebWriter explains in his tweet: “Shaun gives Melendez & Park Bubble Girl's vitals & says she has sepsis. Park suggests gene replacement therapy. If it works, she's cured. Melendez retorts that if it doesn't work, she dies. Traditional treatment is the safer course. #TheGoodDoctor.”
So, the moral of the story is that while Melendez might be distraught at the loss of a patient, he is also fighting hard to keep himself on track and not make the same mistakes again. But the questions remains, will he ever come out of that guilt trip?
‘The Good Doctor’ Season 3 airs on Mondays at 10.30 pm only on ABC.