The Good Doctor‘s Season 4 opener featured the return of not one, but two former series regulars.
In addition to Beau Garrett’s previously reported (and all-too-brief) comeback as St. Bonaventure’s in-house attorney Jessica Preston, the pandemic-focused premiere welcomed back Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez — but how, exactly?
Melendez was killed off at the end of Season 3 when he succumbed to internal injuries suffered in a partial building collapse. In Monday’s episode, an in-mourning Claire was set to scour through heaps of COVID patients’ belongings when she suddenly heard a reassuring voice in the distance.
“Things will be OK,” the man said. That’s when the fourth-year resident turned around to see her deceased — and, yes, he is still very much deceased — love interest standing before her, setting the stage for Episode 2.
Below, executive producer David Shore — who confirmed that Melendez is just a figment of Claire’s imagination — breaks down the first half of the two-part premiere.
TVLINE | Let’s start at the end. Why did you decide to bring Melendez back?
Part of these [pandemic] episodes is about the stress — the real-world stress that the last [several months] have put on real doctors out there. We tried to [incorporate] all aspects of it, from dealing with the frustration of not knowing what the answer was, or how to help people to begin with, to the frustration of being separated from loved ones.
Claire’s storyline is very much about trying to bring solace to people who have lost somebody [and] doing what you can do. Melendez is one those people [for Claire], more so than anybody else in our hospital at that moment, given the way we ended last season. Of course, we did not anticipate any of this at the end of Season 3. Liz Friedman, who cowrote the episode with me, called me up one day and said, “I think we should see Melendez,” and I went, “That’s a good idea.” We’ve done this before, obviously, with Shaun and his brother, and it seemed like an interesting way for this [grief] to manifest.
I will also add that even when I was talking to Nick towards the end of last year, I said, “This is the type of show where even death doesn’t stop you from being here.” I always thought it would be nice to have a moment to bring him back, and bring Melendez’s spirit back in some way.
TVLINE | Was Nicholas Gonzalez immediately on board when you presented him with the idea?
He was immediately on board. He may have been surprised that it was this soon, but he didn’t hesitate. It was wonderful.
TVLINE | Was Nicholas Gonzalez immediately on board when you presented him with the idea?
He was immediately on board. He may have been surprised that it was this soon, but he didn’t hesitate. It was wonderful.
TVLINE | Speaking of returning cast members, you have Beau Garrett back for a Zoom cameo — her first appearance since she departed the show as a series regular at the end of Season 1. Is that all we’ll see of Jessica, or will she be back this season?
I don’t want to overpromise on that front. She’s still technically the hospital’s in-house attorney. We don’t have any plans in that regard, but it felt natural to have her in there.
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