'The Good Doctor' Just Killed Off a Main Character Right Before Its End

The Big Picture

• The death of Dr. Asher Wolke in Season 7 of The Good Doctor was shocking and unnecessary, leaving fans reeling.
• The murder of Dr. Wolke in a hate-driven attack highlights issues of antisemitism, racism, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes.
• The final season of The Good Doctor continues to deliver unexpected twists and turns, impacting both characters and fans.

The Good Doctor is not being good to fans during the final season. Season 7, Episode 5 "Who At Peace" was the halfway mark of the final season, marred by a shocking death as Noah Galvin's Dr. Asher Wolke was murdered in a hate-driven attack. Shows in their final season have been known to make egregious decisions and Dr Wolke's death seems like one of them. The death was unnecessary since the character's future seemed bright as he was about to be engaged to his boyfriend, Jerome (Giacomo Baessato). Dr. Wolke's boyfriend was preparing to propose to mark their second anniversary, but the latest developments will see those plans not materialize.

ABC had advertised it as a "must-see episode with a heartstopping moment" but no one could have guessed what needed to be seen. Everything about the murder was shocking, from the setup, to the execution. Earlier, Dr. Wolke had been helping with a patient's wedding and as he drove the rabbi home, he found thugs vandalizing the synagogue. He asked them to stop, and he would leave everything as it was. When one assailant asked why he cared, Asher said he was Jewish and gay, and was calling the police. He thought everything had been resolved only for the thugs to turn to him and render a fatal blow to the back of his head that killed him.

Dr. Asher Wolke Did Not Deserve That

The episode ended with a title card that read "If you or anyone you know has experienced antisemitism, racism, anti-LGBTQ+ related incidents or hate crimes, or if you want to learn more about what you can do to stop hate, please visit splcenter.org.” In the next episode's "M.C.E" (Mass Casualty Event) promo, Shaun (Freddie Highmore) and the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital staff attend Asher's funeral, clearing any doubt about his death.

Galvin joined The Good Doctor in Season 4 as a recurring but was upped to series regular by the season's end. Dr. Asher Wolke's death came as a surprise to fans and in the coming episode, it is bound to affect the characters as they deal with a mass casualty event when someone drives their car into a crowd. Will they be able to set aside their feelings following this tragedy to help another?

ABC canceled a planned spin-off called The Good Lawyer that Felicity Huffman and Kennedy McMann would have led.

The 10-episode final season of The Good Doctor airs on Tuesdays at 10 PM ET on ABC. Watch past seasons on Hulu.

The Good Doctor

The series follows Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon from the small city of Casper, Wyoming, where he had a troubled past. He relocates to San Jose, California, to work at the prestigious San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.

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