'The Good Doctor' Season 1, Episode 13 'Seven Reasons' Recap: The Complicated Web of Lies [SPOILERS]

For an episode full of complications, tonight’s “The Good Doctor” nails it down real hard. Season 1, Episode 13 is titled “Seven Reasons” and focuses on the beautiful intricacies of lying.
After the intense first episodes since the winter premiere, tonight we also see the fallout of every decision made by our main characters, mainly Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff), Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez), Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas), and Dr. Jared Kalu (Chuku Modu). “The Good Doctor” is excellent at making audiences think after each episode—this one makes us think and feel harder.

Catch-22s

“Seven Reasons” opens with Shaun on his way to San Jose Bonaventure Hospital. As he leaves his apartment, Shaun knocks on Lea’s former room, just to see if someone will answer, and goes. Shaun then arrives at the hospital for breakfast with Dr. Glassman and discovers that he’s not in their usual spot.
Meanwhile, a mother named Tessa (guest star Chelah Horsdal) and her son rush Tessa’s husband to the hospital. According to Dr. Lim (Christina Chang), her husband had a stroke as confirmed by a rupturing aneurysm from his CT scan. Tessa is puzzled because her husband already had a stroke six years ago. Claire then assures her that her husband is in good hands. On the other hand, Dr. Marcus Andrews (Hill Harper) presents Shaun and Jared a case about Naja Modi’s (guest star Hina Abdullah) burnt hand from a cooking accident. Because of this seemingly ordinary case, Shaun asks Dr. Andrews if he is punishing both him and Jared. He tries to explain why he thinks so, but Dr. Andrews walks away.
Later, Shaun, Jared, and Dr. Andrews check on their new patient. As Dr. Andrews examines Naja, he purposefully asks Shaun what they’re going to do to make her feel better. It’s apparent that Dr. Andrews doesn’t want Jared in on anything. Suddenly, Naja feels a tightening in her chest, like she has a heart attack. Andrews calls for an EKG, but the situation puzzles Shaun upon seeing that all her vitals are normal.

People always lie

Jared and Shaun probe Naja and tells her that she didn’t have a heart attack—to which Naja insists that she didn’t lie. Jared also informs her that based on her EKG, there appears to be a lung inflammation. Naja might’ve inhaled some smoke during her “cooking accident.” Shaun is visibly intrigued by her answers but keeps to himself. Naja needs a bronchoscopy, and Jared assures her that she would be fine, touching her in the process. This act makes her flinch, and she asks Jared never to do that again apart from medical procedures only.
Outside her room, Shaun tells Jared that Naja didn’t make sense. Jared tells Shaun how the Muslim religion prohibits touching women. But what Shaun meant was Naja’s lying. Everything that she’s saying to them doesn’t check out. Later, during the bronchoscopy, Dr. Melendez joins the two. Jared tries his best to suck up to him because Melendez didn’t like how Jared sued the hospital. Melendez ignores him. As they proceed with the operation, Shaun asks Melendez if his break-up with Jessica Preston (Beau Garrett) was traumatic just like his shooting incident. Shaun’s questions bother Melendez, causing him to rip Naja’s bronchial wall, sparking a hemorrhage. They then prep Naja up for an operation to close the bronchial wall.

Later, Shaun goes to Dr. Glassman’s office and asks him why he didn’t show up for their Monday breakfast. Glassman seemed a bit indifferent this time, fulfilling his word to back off from Shaun’s life and allow him to make choices on his own. Shaun then reports Melendez to Glassman but is conflicted because Melendez might get mad at him. Seeing Shaun’s dilemma, Glassman refuses to help by saying, “Shaun, you know what? You should make this decision for yourself.” But it turns out that Shaun reported Melendez after all—only it was to Jessica. She comes to Melendez and asks him whether or not he screwed up during Naja’s bronchoscopy. Melendez insists that he didn’t and walked away, even though it’s clear that he did. Because of the conflict of interest between them, Jessica decides to bring in another lawyer from her legal team to ask Melendez some questions.
Meanwhile, Jared and Shaun inform Naja of the incident during her first operation. Shaun then asks Naja why she lied about inhaling smoke, to which she answers vaguely. Suddenly, Naja’s stomach begins to hurt, and she throws up. Jared orders an ultrasound, and this is where Shaun comes up with his most irrational display of prejudice so far—Naja is a terrorist. Shaun brings it up to Melendez and explains that all her symptoms point to Naja’s exposure to chemicals used in making bombs.

Later, Jared and Shaun inform Melendez that Naja refused treatment for ethanol toxicity. Her religion hinders her from taking alcohol, which makes things all the more complicated and Shaun’s assumption about her more believable. Melendez has none of it and tells Shaun to assume Naja’s a terrorist just because she’s a Muslim. However, thinking that Naja is a terrorist is the easiest way for Shaun to explain her symptoms and her lies. Melendez doesn’t believe it, but Shaun asks Melendez that they should report her for being a suspected terrorist. Melendez then tells Shaun that unfounded accusations ruin people’s lives. This spat results into the three of them gutting each other about their faults.

Seeing no other way to convince his colleagues, Shaun confronts Naja himself. But the conversation leads nowhere as Naja is shocked by Shaun’s accusations. She didn’t expect this kind of prejudice, especially coming from someone who’s living with autism. Naja then suffers a heart attack—for real, this time.
Meanwhile, One of Jessica’s paralegals interviews Melendez about his incident with Naja’s ruptured bronchial wall. He successfully deflects all blame from him and answers the paralegal’s questions expertly. After the meeting, she tells Melendez that it’s good to see Melendez slowly getting over his breakup with Jessica. What the paralegal didn’t know that it was the other way around.
Later, Melendez, Jared, and Shaun evaluate the reasons behind Naja’s heart attack. Shaun insists his terrorist claim, saying the that chemicals are going through her system, causing her heart to burn and a reason for the punctured bronchus. Jared also offers up an explanation (albeit awkwardly, in fear of being shut down by Melendez): Naja’s heart attack could be a cause of the bacteria that leaked from the puncture. Because of this inflammation, the antibiotics could prove detrimental to her, provided that Naja is in need of Steroids. But if it’s the other way around, it could also kill her, putting Melendez at fault. He puts Jared and Shaun to work, but Jared asks Melendez one thing—he shouldn’t be the one to do the procedure because it could prove to be Melendez’ downfall if it goes haywire. However, he refuses and orders them to put Naja under antibiotics. Shaun insists that Melendez is wrong because making a decision based on an assumption of mistake is a mistake in itself. Melendez brushes it off and walks away.

Later, after Shaun and Jared administer the antibiotics to Naja, Jared notices that her heart rate is going up. Shaun dismisses this as normal, but as the number continues to rise, Jared decides to switch Naja to steroids, which eventually stabilizes Naja’s blood pressure. Melendez runs to her room but finds that what Jared did worked. Again, Shaun rubs it in Melendez’ face that he was wrong. Jared tries to assure Melendez that he didn’t screw up the operation, but he tells Jared to stop kissing his ass. Shaun, wanting to give full credit to Jared tells Melendez that he should thank Jared for saving Nala’s life. Melendez reluctantly does it and leaves.

Claire deals with the abused

Elsewhere in the episode, Claire and Dr. Lim work on Tessa’s husband with an aneurysm. Both comment on how his son was overly concerned about him. It must’ve been very traumatic, but Dr. Lim says that it’s the way she wants to go. Better to have someone worry about you while in the hospital than having no one to look forward to in the waiting room. Dr. Lim then informs Claire that Dr. Coyle was transferred somewhere else after Claire’s sexual misconduct claim. And not only that, Coyle was given a raise too. This piece of news shocks Claire, leading her to confront the Hospital foundation’s chairman, Allegra Aoki (Tamlyn Tomita).
Aoki tells Claire that it was impossible for the hospital to just fire Coyle, given how Jared intervened in the situation by assaulting Coyle. That incident made Aoki lose all her cards against the doctor. Claire has none of it, but there’s nothing more that Aoki could do.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lim checks on Tessa and her son and tells them that they’re going to keep Tessa’s husband for a few days to run some tests. Dr. Lim then gets alerted by Claire about another aneurysm. Seeing no other way to determine the cause of it, Dr. Lim goes to Dr. Andrews to ask about a more experienced doctor on their roster. It turns out that Coyle is the only one more capable of the task, putting Dr. Lim in an awkward spot. She brings it up to Claire, who, of course, doesn’t want to work with Coyle. Dr. Lim believes that Coyle is more capable of figuring out an aneurysm. Claire, on the other hand, puts her trust in what Dr. Lim could do. If they forgive Coyle for what he’s excellent at, who knows what he’d do next? To Claire, it’s either he matters, or they both matter.
That night, Claire and Dr. Lim tell Tessa that the procedure for her husband would render him somewhat brain damaged. If the operation isn’t carried out, he might die. But despite Dr. Lim’s prodding, Tessa refuses to do the surgery. The next day, Claire has breakfast with Shaun. She’s preoccupied with her case, and Shaun sees this as her being uncomfortable. As Shaun tries to leave, Claire tells him that her patient is bothering her because Tessa wouldn’t allow the surgery on her husband. Shaun, on the other hand, thinks that Tessa is lying. He then gives Claire seven reasons why people lie, and Tessa’s could be reason #4. Shaun believes that Tessa doesn’t love her husband. Claire tries to defend her, but Shaun does have a point.
Later, Claire asks Tessa about why she doesn’t want the surgery for her husband. It turns out that Tessa is a victim of domestic violence, and she’d rather have her husband die than face it all over again. Claire tells Tessa about how Coyle harassed her and offered some brochures on who to call for help. Claire then asks Dr. Lim what they should do, and that is to get Tessa to change her mind. If not, they will go to court. Claire goes back to Tessa and tells her what the hospital is prepared to do if she doesn’t consent to the surgery. Tessa cries and admits that she’s scared. But Claire, being the compassionate woman as always, assures Tessa that there’s still a way out. She can pack up her bags and leave her husband if it seems fit. In the end, Tessa finally agreed to the operation.
Later, Dr. Lim and Claire found out that her husband hasn’t been taking his meds, that’s why an aneurysm worsened. They both suspect Tessa for doing it, but she insists that her husband has been taking medicine. Claire then suggests that maybe her son knows something and that he might be the one exacting revenge on his father for hurting Tessa. In the end, Tessa talks to her son and finds out that he knew about the violence all along. Claire watches them as they leave the hospital.

Sometimes, lies are essential.

The episode ends with Shaun going back to his apartment after his shift that night. Again, he knock’s on Lea’s door, only to be answered by a guy who tries to invite him in for a beer. Of course, Shaun refuses.
The next day, Claire tries to inform Tessa that her abusive husband’s operation worked, only to find them gone—echoing Dr. Lim’s earlier fear of having an empty waiting room. On the other hand, Melendez, Shaun, and Jared confront Naja about her exposure to bomb chemicals. Despite Shaun insinuating Naja as a terrorist, she finally tells them that she’s working with her brother in making perfume using those chemicals—something that could prove to be her brother’s firing from his pharmaceutical job if they find out. Shaun then cites protecting someone she loves as reason number three for lying.
Later, Jared asks Melendez if they’re even now, to which Melendez confirms. But it’s no cause for celebration because due to Dr. Coyle’s recent transfer, Melendez would have to fill his shoes and work with the dreaded Dr. Morgan Reznick (played by newcomer Fiona Gubelmann in the next coming episodes). On his way out, Jessica apologizes to Melendez for assuming that he was wrong. Melendez, on the other hand, also tells her that she was right, maybe that what they hand mattered, but it didn’t mean that it was right. Melendez’ arrogance makes him a good doctor, but it won’t make him a good husband.
Meanwhile, Claire meets with a fellow doctor who was harassed by Dr. Coyle. They’re slowly building up a case against him. Shaun, on the other hand, tries to ask Dr. Glassman if they could have breakfast together again, but he refuses, saying that the point of Shaun staying meant Glassman’s deal of backing off from being a father figure to Shaun’s life. When Shaun asks Glassman to be his friend instead, Glassman remains silent.
That night, Shaun goes home and unwraps a pine-scented air freshener as he remembers the road trip with Lea.

‘The Good Doctor: Seven Reasons’ Overall Verdict

A lot has changed in Shaun since he met Lea and bonded with her. The choices he made reflected in tonight’s episode of “The Good Doctor,” and some of it seems a bit abrupt for him. For one thing, Shaun did not expect Glassman cold treatment after their deal. On the other hand, there’s progress on both Jared and Claire’s situation. It’s nice to see Jared learning from his mistakes and Claire gaining the upper hand after being put down because of her harassment. “Seven Reasons” appears to be a breather episode—what with everything that went down in the previous events these past two weeks—but it doesn’t fail to establish another solid narrative full of underlying socio-cultural themes.
“The Good Doctor” continues Tuesday, February 5th, with “She” at 10/9c on ABC.