IR TV Review - THE GOOD DOCTOR - EPISODE 10 (“Decrypt”) [ABC-S4]

The aspect of good medical shows has to do with communication, much like acting. "The Good Doctor" goes back and forth on this because ultimately it comes back to the perspective of Freddie Highmore's Shaun Murphy whose approach through the autism of the character is the most dynamic thing in the show. As a result, everything tends to revolve around him even when it doesn't. By comparison, a show like "New Amsterdam" spreads the perspective around, even if Ryan Eggold leads the cast list. As a result that feels like more of a personality show like "ER" was but with the gravitas it carries. "The Good Doctor" is different in its own way.

The episode here of "The Good Doctor" called "Decrypt" which is a metaphor in itself, works better than some of the episodes because the best scene is not about Highmore's character but about him reacting more than anything else to his would-be girlfriend (Paige Spara) who is the young head of IT at the hospital. Murphy can't process emotions in the same way so it is interesting to see him meet her halfway and her him. The gist of the episode, which Highmore himself directed, reflects around a hack that is being used for ransom to get back the hospital's data. That is the superstructure of the plot but it is about more about perception and Highmore's direction of these scenes is whip-smart, especially one in the server room and then on a bench with afore mentioned IT girl/girlfriend. The other periphery story involves a would be cancer patient who in a way dupes his doctors but changes one of the resident's idea of why she should treat him. It is an interesting Hippa dichotomy because of the context. Ultimately "Decrypt" is about communication but finding the right way to approach eve if the outcome is unknown. B

By Tim Wassberg